San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1924-03-19

| cleaned crystal and silver in the light
from the great candlebranch that oc.
cupied its middle. The long window
overlooking the street was close-shut-
tered, the shutters barred. Under
! this stood a dGybed of cane and
carved oak, furnished with velvet
cushions of a dull wine color. To this
daybed HOLES conveyed his burden
Having set her down. he stopped to
remove. the handkerchief that bound
| her wrists.
1t was compassionate act, for he
knew that the pinionfng must be
causing pain by now to her arms. Tn.
der the broad brim of his hat, his
face, moist from his exertions. gleam-
ed white, his lips were tightly COM
pressed. Hitherto intent upon the &C.
complishment of the business as he
had planned it, he had given little
thought to its ugly nature. Now sud-
denly as he bent over this figure, at
once so graceful. so delicate and fraii.
rs faint sweet perfume that she
used assailed his nostrils conveying to
his senses suggestion of her dainti-
ness and femininity, disgust of the
thing he did overwhelmed him, like
physical nausea.
He turned away to close the door,
tossing aside his hat and cloak. and
hopping his brow as he went. for
the sweat was running down him like
basting on capon. Whilst he was
crossing the room she struggled to
her feet, and her hands being now
at liberty she stugged and tore at the
scarf until she loosed il so that it
Slipped down from her face and hung
in folds about her neck and shoulders
above the line of her low-cut modish
bodice.
He closed the door and turned
again, to face her. He attempted to
smother in smile the hangdog ex-
preston of his cOuntenance.
unless you suffer me to depart at
once, you shall. ="
There she paused. Hoarse and
tense came her voice at last:
WHO are you? What. 80. what
is your name?"
He st red in his turn. checking in
the very act of hopping his brow.
wondering what it was she saw in
him to be moving her so oddly.
You are Randall HOLES :" she cried
on wild, strained note.
lie advanced step in n sort of
CONSERVATION, breathless, some sud-
den CHASTITY emotion tearing at his
heart, cycling her wildly. his Jaw fall
len, his whole face livid as a dead
mans.
Randall Holles!" she repeated in
that curiously tortured voice. You
You of all men-and to do this
thing
Where there had been only wild
in her eyes, he beheld
now growing horror, until merciful- |
ly she covered her face with her
hands.
For moment he copied her action.
He. too, acting systematically. COW
cred his face. The years rolled back
the room with its table laid for that
infamous supper melted away to be
in his vision by cherry
orchard in bloom, and in that or
chard a girl on swing, teasing yet |
adorable. singing a song that brought |
him, young and clean and honorable, |
Fastening to her side. He saw him |
self lad of twenty going out into |
the world with lady's glove in his |
hat-a glove that to this day he cher |
ished-bent upon knight-erantry for |
that sweet lady's sake. to conquer the |
world, no less, that he might cast it
in her lap. And he saw her-this
Sylvia FarQuharson Of the Dukes !
Theater-as she had been in those :,
long-dead days when her name was
Nancy Sylvester.
The years had wrought in her ap-
pearance q change that utterly dis
yuised her.
He reelcd back until his shoulders
came to rest against the closed door.
md stared and stared in dazed
his sui revolted by the
horror of the situation in which they
found themselves.
God" he groaned aloud. "My
Nan! Ny little Nam" !