The Washington times., 1924-01-10

me into the world too soon. -.
I must so on. II q not In mo
to go back nor to remain be-
calned. Hohenhauer told me
many cruel truths. Those women
at my dinner might have en-.
lightened me II I had not DE-
liberately bandaged the eyes Of
my mind, I chose to forget them
at once. But Hohenhauer"
She shuddered. "Well, although
I was infuriated with him at the
timeAwhat he said was true.
Every word. I must so forward.
I cannot cannot go back"
"TIe appealed to your ambition,
your love Of power, I suppose ;
"1e showed me to myself
for exactly what I am" she said
emphatically. mo appeal would
have made the slightest impress
sion on me IL had really and
finally returned to my Mary
ogdenhood up there in the woods
of my real youth. My God! What
incredible folly! What powers OF
self-delusion! But we both have
that memory. Let us be CRATE
fvl. at least shall hold It apart
from all memories as long AZ
1tve."
"Are you going to marry that
man?''
''That is 90 purely incidental
that 1t is notsworth talking about.
! came away to think out my
own problem. ! love you and
believe that I shall always love
you-but / don't see any way
out. I have killed once and for
ali that fatal talent for Selfde-
lusion that have thought was
as dead-well, as dead. as my love
for Moritz Hohenhauer; and moth
ing could be more dead than that.
My brain feels like a crystal
house illuminated by searchlights.
strong enough to penetrate every
corner but not strong enough to
blind. I could never. If I would.
deceive myself again. nor make
another mistake, so far as human
prescience win serve me-"
He looked at her hands. Her
gloves were black suede and they
made those hands look smaller,
but he had an idea that IL he
lifted one 1t would fall of its
own rigid weight.
He made no comment and she
said in a moment: Perhaps you
may have an inspiration. II there
is any solution for us, believe
me when I say that 1t would
make me as happy as it could
make you"
But her hands did not relax.
What is the solution, Lee?"
He had buried his face In his
hands. There is none, l sup
pose. Unless you have the
courage to drive down to the city
hall and marry me
and"-he lifted his head with
faint gleam of hope-"remember
that you are young again. You
have many years to live. You
are woman. Can you go
through life without lover"
Far better than with it. Love
is a very old story to me-" she
said deliberately. "It could never
be to me again the significant
thing it is even to the woman of
middle age. much less to the
young. And now-with a world
falling to ruins-in the most
critical period of its history-to
imagine that love has any but a
passing Significance Oh, no,
my friend. Oh, no. Let those
women who have 1t in their
power to repeople the earth which
has lost so many millions of its
sons, cherish that delusion of the
supreme importance Of love: but
not I! I have had my dream, but
it Is over. If we had met in
Vienna it would never have
claimed me at all. In New
York one may be serious in the
romantic manner when one is
temporarily free from care, but
seriousness is Of another and a
portentous quality over there"
why did you ask me to wait
six months and then join you in
Vienna?"
She turned her eyes on him
with what he had once called her
look Of ancient wisdom. There
was not an expiring flicker of
youth in them, nor in the faint,
smile on her lips. He had thrown
himself back in his corner and
folded his arms; he had no desire
to attract the attention of the
.pa ssers-by. But his face was as
white as dark mans can be
and his eyes were both stricken
and bitter.
ITO give you time to get over
it." she said. ITO write another
play. To settle down into your