The Washington times., 1924-01-09


gagement for granted. ..he had,
with wholly insufficient reasons
as he saw. now that he was re-
moved from the Influence Of her
plausible and dominating self -
refused to announce it. Could It
be that in the depths Of her mind
--unadmitted by her cCnsciOusns -
-4she had never intended to
marry him? Was that old re-
vulsion paramount? : Six
teen years! . A long time,
and nothing in life is mora
corroding than habit.
Perhaps-as long as they were
down there in New York. But
not UP here. That he would be
willing to swear. There had been
another revolution, involuntary
perhaps, but the stronger for that;
and every shaclxle that memory
and habit can forge had dropped
from her. She had been youth
incarnate. The proof was, in hee
joyful consent to marry him inn
mediately and remain in the
mountains and then her
complete surrender Of the future
into his hands. = She had
during those three brief days
loved him wholly. and without q
shadow In her soul.
But now? Whatever had hap
pened, she was not Mary Ogden
tonight, Fastening to New York.
nor would she be when in her
own house on the morrow. She
might hate Hohenhauer, but his
mere presence would have yna1e
the past live again. She must
have known when she went down
that mountain that even with no:
strong will and powers Of SELF.
delusion, things could not be lutte
the same again. Not even It
she had returned with Dinwid-
die. Why in heaven'sl name had,
she been so mad as I'd go? She
could have sent Hohenhauer q
peremptory refusal to see him and
then gone off on camping trip
that could have lasted until he
gave up the game. She must
have been mad-mad.
And he did not believe for q
moment that she had gone TO
Washington.
She had gone home to think
think.
And IL he followed Dinwiddie's
advice and remained here she
might think too long. And II hS
followed and insisted upon seslng
her, the result might be moro
fatal still. He knew nothing Of
those personalities she may have
concealed from him. For all he
knew she might have depths in
her nature az black as the bot.
tomless pit.
And God only knew what the
man had said to her.
Should he let her fight 1t out by
herself? What in heavens ma ae
should he do? Whatever hap
pened, this divine interval, Eke
some exquisitely adjusted musical
instrument, had been hopelessly
Jared out Of tune. He almost
hoped she would not return. Let
it remain a perfect memory
They could marry in New
York and return here, when she
was his wife. If he had
not already lost her.
What in Gods name was the
thing for him to do? He'd go
mad if he stayed here. and if he
went he might regret It for tne
rest Of his days. Why could not
light be vouchsafed him7
Cora.
Fortunately he knew her
room for he had carried W.
her luggage. He ran lightly
up the stairs and tapped on hw
door. A startled sleepy voice
answered. He opened the door
and put in his head.
Come downstairs at once,
Cora" he said peremptorily. IT
must talk to you"
She came down In a moment,
clad in scarlet kimono, her hair
hanging in thick braids. With
her large round forehead exposed
she looked not unlike a gnome,
but curiously young.
what On earth is the matter,
Claveyf" she asked az she pushed
her chair as close to the fire as
possible. 'It has something to
do with this sudden trip Of
Mary's, I suppose. MFR. Dinwid-
die said she had been called to
New York on important business,
and the others accepted the ex.
PLANTATION as a matter Of course;
but I'll confess I wondered"
Clavering, still too nervous to
sit down, jerked out the whole
story. emitting only the old love
mfPofV- xxyf%HA %An .mnn- - -