The Washington times., 1924-03-01
Continued from Yesterday.
Chapter LXXXIII
THE LONG WATT.

THE LONG WATT
Chiclie left the, telegram office
quickly, unnerved because the
operator glanced at her; be-
cause he read her message slowly
--nodding.
For the first time she had ad.
mitted the reality of her fear. and
this brought it upon her stark,
intensified. alive; brought it with
fresh, brutal shock as II might
have come to Jennie or to Mary
She had that hunted feeling;
that wish to lower her head,
covering it blindly-running. She
let herself be carried along with
the throngs Of commuters rush
ing to the ferry; let herself get
pushed and showed. In this
GREATNESS movement escaping
for moment from her thought.
AS she was about to enter the
gate she saw just ahead of her
Selma Norris, a laxative, inquis-
tive girl working in an office
across the hall. Chickie sped
back through the crowds-out in
to the street again. She reached
Sansome and turned her steps
northward, avoiding the noisy,
babbling stream Of humanity
pouring from the building on
either side Of the street.
Soon she reached a deserted
block: soon she stood at the foot
Of steps that went up and up.
and at the summit Of the sheer
bluff rising precipitous 800 feet
above the bay were trees-tall,
slender trees. She remembered
them.
They were the trees on the top
Of Telegraph Hill. They were the
trees she had watched, swaying
In a wind that nign. they had
quarreled-that night she had
stolen down to his office and
loitered in the corridor.
And not far from them was that
shelf poised midway between earth
and sky. Here they had parked the
car. Here, suddenly, feeling that
his love was dead, there had come
upon her that wild impulse to
Jump from the car, plunge herself
over the bluff.
She had said to him then-"Ho
you can't stop me: Hold me
here! When you're gone 1 can
come back alone"
How frightful had been that
desolation. And now-how trifling
compared to this. Oh-if she could
go back; if she could take a thou
sand times that hurt and be saved
from this And she wished alb
ruptly to stand on that bluff-to
look over it. She went up the
steps.
An uncertain, rocky path wound
up the steep, harsh incline. 1t was
nearing o'clock, but sun flooded
tne slopes and on this lea of the
hill was no breeze but a golden
calm. A goat with empty, yellow
eyes stared like a carven thing,
suddenly bounded into life as a
troupe Of youngsters, black eyed,
red Tipped. dirty came flying up
the path. One of them with a face
from an old italian masterpiece
stopped Chickie with an ingratiat-
ing: Penny? Gimme penny"
When she opened her purse, the
whole flock of them surrounded
her, their dark eyes filled with
eagerness. She was glad for them
ana asked their names. She had
the forlorn feeling that soon even
children would ignore her.
Now she went along the narrow
ledge and the quarry dropped off
straight. frightening. She stared
downward calmly and then she
shuddered. Horrible that-plung-
ing down. She turned from it-a
breathless heat rushing into her
face.
She hurried upward to the sum-
init. sank down under the tree.
And she thought of the message
she had sent. 1t seized her anew
with panic. Admitting it! Believ-
Ing it! Flinging it broadcast-call-
ing him back!
Why-why had she? Perhaps
oh perhaps-her thoughts brought
fa1ntness through her. She bit
her lips, afraid of the heavy,
knocking thing that was now her
heart.
He would read that message.
She could see his fine, vital hands
holding the yellow slip, tremble-
see his eyes sicken.
But he would come to her. She
knew this. He would take her
hands quietly and more tragic
than their parting would be the
sorrow OF their meeting. There
would be always that stiffness in
his face-for the dream and the
beauty were passed,
She thought of this with an
guish - thought of it and tears
that she could not stop poured
into her eyes; made her throat
ache. Oh-hard to have him back
like this; hard to meet forever. a
gentle GOODNESS in his look.
And suddenly she said: "I
won't! No" Her impulse was
Wild again-her impulse hurled
her to that cliff. She said to her
self quietly: ut would be better
much better"
For a long while after this she
remained mute, her eyes following
pearly cloud that drifted to and
FRO like sea shell on the water.
And then he stood before her
again but not gentle now-not
with white, stricken face. His
eyes were hot, demanding: What
DO you mean by this? Listens
RQ0i! How dare you send that
message through Moore?"
She pressed her hands against
the earth, neutrality-suspicious.
the image from her. No-he
would never speak like that-no-
And he wouldn't want her
hurt. He would never send her
away to bear It alone
But this fear took root now
in her mind and lowered cruelty.
It nourished on her own distrac-