Evening star., 1924-03-23

ecstatic, blissful excitement. No
! sooner had she laid herself down
than she heard the prolonged trill of
the front-door bell in the back room.
She occupied the two rooms which
constituted the third or top floor of
! the old house. In earlier days she
had had only one room, but destiny
| had been fairly kind to her. The
front room was IL sort of bed-sitting
room; the back was a kitch en- scul-
| lcry y-dning room. The floor was her
home and held all that she possessed.
Compared to many young and aging
women in her situation of life, she
was affuent and Of luxurious habit
Now, there were four bells on the
front door, each labeled. Sometimes,
and especially at night, visitors got
confused and rang the wrong bell.
Elaine thought that on this occasion
the wrong bell had been rung.
They'll have 10 keep on ringing" ,"
she said. After all, the bell did not
make "A great deal Of noise. The bell
continued to ring.
Nobody can possibly be wanting
me at this time of night" she said.
Nevertheless, she put on her dress
ing gown and opened the window and
looked forth and down. But she could
not see who was ringing because Of
the wide, loaded caves of the old
fashioned porch. She shut the window
and shut out the invading chill of
the dark night. At length the per-
sistent bell began to exasperate her
fatigued nerves. and with an annoyed,
apprehensive shrug she crept step by
I -creaking step all the way downstairs
and softly undid the front door.
Ned Haltright was standing in the
porch. She gave start, and instinct
! lively drew the thin peignoir more
tightly round her shoulders. AS she
did so she stiffened, looking at him.
She was afrronted. angered, by this
inexcusable visitation. Nothing but
sheer good nature prevented her
from shutting the door in Ned's face.
/ II saw you at the club" he COM
lnenced.
; Not so loud, please she stopped
him in a sharp whisper, thinking of
+, her immaculate reputation in the
| crowded house that so often buzzed
with gossip. TO have come home at
I God knows what hour in a car was
bad enough, but to receive male CALI
ers still later
, Il want to see you. I must talk to
you" Ned whispered plaintiveIy.
Not now." she whispered
Yes, now
She shook her head firmly.
fancy coming here now" she whis-
percd, in still colder reproof. "And
how on earth did you get here at
this time?"
Walked" he whispered.
"Walked?" she whispered.
"Yes."
He must certainly have walked
over six miles. The whispering
seemed to render them intimate in
spite of her aggrieved attitude to-
ward him. 1t struck her as strange
and affecting that she had once been
his affianceG sweetheart, that they
used to kiss each other with long
kisses and that now they were moth
ing to each other. She made a sign
for him to enter. She very cautiously
! closed the door.
I'm on the top floor now" she
murmured, scarcely audible.
; He nodded. The fan light over the
| door let through the ray of the street
! lamp. so that the first flight of stairs
was fairly plain. The higher flights
| were dark. But Ned knew the stair
case. Ned followed her on tiptoe, and
every now and then stair creaked
! with a thunderous sound that no pru-
dence of tread could avoid. Elaine
had the horrid illusion that behind
every door as they passed it women
with slanderous tongues were greed
| lily listening.
x x X X
A r the summit Of the perilous climb
- she led him into the kitchen
| scullery- dining room. and found the
matches. lit the gas, lit the gas stove.
| She put her fingers to her lips. They
must still exist and communicate
without sound. No sound-proof floors
I'm that house! She motioned him to
! the wicker easy chair. He sank into
! it. She looked at him and looked
round the room. Happily, the room
was very tidy and cosy. He was pale,
pathetic, with his pointed. exhausted,
lweak-cflaractered features. He wore
| a blue coat, strapped close at the
I waist and bu1ging out above and be-
! low over his evening clothes, in his hand
| he held an ordinary bowler hat. No
| style! What contrast with Mr..
Lyeskovl He had the air of defeat,
| even of being a prisoner of war. And
| he had walked more than six miles in
| his madness.
without q word she turned away,
III the cas ring and began to make