Evening star., 1924-09-07


above the shoreline of the deserted
summer estate had followed them to
the point where the pier Joined the
rocks and where a clump of rare
jumpers had been planted by the land
scape architect. and there this skulk-
ing figure, lean, catlilie, unseen,
crouched low.
The fog had brought its suggestion
OF mystery and terror: the cold made
the young man disengage the arm
held SO tightly by the young woman.
SO that he might fasten the topmost
button of his coat.
we oughtn't to come out here"
tho girl said. Listen Denny"'
sail right; that's the tide shaking
the pier. We got to go somewhere
for i walk. That's what you came
way out here to East Harbor for
SOS we both could get outdoors some
times. Maybe he amt thinking of US.
anyhow"
When did you hear?"
Il saw it in the Bulletin. I called
you up at the Office the first heard
of it. and they said you was taking
dictation. He went outside just a
week .go. 1 wished I'd never seen
his fa-e l wished I'd never been up
there with him.
The girl whose slight figure SEEM
ed insufncient to carry as Cluch
golden hair as filled her jaunty hat,
glanced up quickly at the sound Of
desperate fear and hate in her lovers
voice.
Don't talk so.' she pleaded, with a
sympathy in her tone which comes
from few who have not suffered the
asonies of the soul. Denny, you've
got me! Everything's all right,
Denny. Let's sit down here. You've
lived it down, Denny. We ought to
be thankful-your good job, your
future. Nobody can say anything
against you to me. Only, Denny
married tomorrow"
The man was taller than she. He
put one of his nervous hands on her
slight shoulder. and she smiled.
II thought it was you who said
wed better wait until We could send
word to your mother out in Dakota
You told her the whole story. That
was the plan. Then. if anything came
up and it was known that l had
served my eighteen months up there,
Don't say it," she exclaimed. with
passion. I'VE promised not to
mention anything of that. Denny"
You're not Sorry-now?' he asked
fiercely.
sorry. Me sorry? Why, Denny, l
was glad-gladder than 1 ever was in
my life when you said you loved me.
At TIM bottom, you were so good-the
best &nan l ever knew. And then
these two years that made us both
grow 80 much, Denny-like plants that
found the sunlight. And these two
Me sorry? Why, I only wanted you.
Denny-good or bad-I wanted you"
He drew in long breath and put
his arm about her, holding her to him
closely. He turned her face upward
and kissed her responsive lips
whats that, Denny-that hard
thing in your pocket?" she cried out.
~ won't have him wipe me out like
a dog, Alice. I bought it. He'd kill.
He has it bred in his bone. When they
caught hint was for burglary-he
jumped from the platform of an ele-
waited station onto an electric sign. and
- left an inspector and ticket-chop-
Dsr waiting for the ambulance"
He was such a nice-appearing boy"
ahe exclaimed. Manners and all!
1onnie Boyden and l never knew about
- truth. l wouldn't have believed
l. There he was, standing at the
bottom of the steps where l boarded,
and telling me that no girl ever meant
anything to him but me. And saying
he could be a different man if I loved
him-if I'd only say so. He thought
I Gid love him. He said he'd rather die
than not to have me love him. Oh,
what would l have done if I'd known
the kind of man he was. And l said,
Well, you come for me Thursday.
But / never knew. l never heard
word till you-"
Brought word from him." finished
Denny. But you didn't love hinl-at
all?"
'rNo, no. no.
.sWelI, that's it" he said. There's
something about him that tricks every
body-some power. 1t was that way
UP there. The warden had quartet
made up from the boys"
Don't, Denny"
.'Yes. 1 will. 1 want to tell you.
I've heard this man sing in that
quartet. The bass was a bank-teller,
forty-five, with ten more years to 60
And this man, always lean and clean
and white, and a body slender and
like a cat, and tenor voice-what
tenor voice!-sweet, beautiful, and
terrible He was like a snake with a
birds voice. They called him the
Nightingale
1.-The Nightingale repeated Alice,
with a shudder.
THERE was long silence, in which
L they sat side by side, looking out
into the silver-frosted mist over the
salt water.
ITS cold, Denny" said the girl sud-
denly.
He started. but he neglected he,
statement. He said.
He will KILL" Terror came into her
eyes. "Yes; he will KILL Denny re-
peated. with his square jaw set firmly
He said to me: Take this message
to her. She would have loved me
That is life to me-all the life there's
left You're going out. You tell hei
the truth. She don't know it. But tel
her l say to wait for me. Tell her
I'll go straight Then when-
'We've loved each other. haven''
we. Denny" she interrupted sharply
"I never cared a thing for him. But
you"
He felt for her gloved hand ant
squeezed it.
kill. That's like his kind-theil
white, long fingers and all strung
with nerves. He was eating his hear
out for you. He'll come. He'll XII
n he can. Didn't he write, give
YOU notice? That's like him.
The girl suddenly threw back hel
:. head and addressed the high vault o.
heaven.
"What have we done to deserve
this? Haven't we been good? Haven
40 earned our happiness: What hav'
"a done:"
"Or lrf sYrf him." said Denny. thu
rows of his even, white teeth clicking
together. ia kill him, and thei
!. they'd send me back.
sSi MO. no. nor, she wfimpered. ''H
von't come-maybe. Maybe he'll die
:. Something will happen. I'll asl
: help
aWhere?" said Denny. Prom tn
nolice? Then I'll be known again
la.o tho ioh Then where's TIN