Evening star., 1926-04-07

knew nor knew how to deal with. He
had heard that love changed people.
entirely. plays astounding pranks witt,
their characters. Well. il this was the
change wrought in Celia by love, God
help O'Shea. There were always two
sides to question, after all. He had
not considered O'Shea's side as I'M
partially as he might have done before
this unknown and excessively dis
agreeable Celia revealed herseh.
He grabbed his growing anger by
the 'scruff, and, believing that he had =
subdued it, answered calmly:
"You have certainly expressed ordf-
nary affection in rather extraordinary
terms"
Celia saw not only red but red shot
with dazzles of flame.
Whatever I expressed, retorted
she, was forced from me BY the mere
wish to be civil"
Hilary rose Dessert had been
served. She could have her coffee IN
her morning room or her bedroom as
she preferred. He would have his
alone in the library.
Celia had risen at the same time.
but as Hilary had drawn himself to his,
full height he could look down on her.
fact which gave him a good zeal OF
satisfaction.
In the Grandisonian phraseology
and manner which always came dur
ing moments of extreme annoyance
he now said:
IL thought l was speaking with one
whom I knew fairly well, but | ma
that it was some one totally unknown
to me. | beg your pardon.
II beg yours. said Celia. with stin
lips. Something about her whole look
struck him as SO unnatural, so some
how piteous that he lapsed into hui
man weakness with a splash. and
cried:
"Where are you. Celia? This Celia
is a stranger to me. Where Is the
dear, queer Celia that I knew?
This cry loosened something that
was wound tight as wire about Celia
| heart and the rush of released plooo
almost suffocated her. She wanted 70
crv back: YES, yes, This Celia Is "A
| stranger to me, too! Forgive me:
am only hurt because you seemed to
want me to be gone, Take me back.
| the real Celia. Let us part friends
dear friends" But that strange per-
yerseness hardened her heart again,
and she heard her voice saying
| through her cold lips. hatefut, sneer-
| ing voice:
"Perhaps you didn't know that Celia
any more than you know this one.
l Hillary TeplleU Will NY ~ oihPhhSNS'
II believe you are right
! Then he gave her slight, forma
| bow.
| Il won't detain YOU any longer.
and you'll excuse me. I'm sure.
have some work to finish by tomor-
| row Good night.
| He turned and left her standing
| where she was, and she heard the
library door close behind him.
A moment or two later the suave
| voice of Jenkins at her ear made her
Jump.
| "Will YOU have coffee in the library
or upstairs, madam"
I'm nay room, please.
| Jenkins went to fetch the coffee. and
| she began to mount the stairs step
| by step, dragging herself up by the
| hand rail- Her whole body. her heart
even her spul. felt heavy as lead. -.
Good night" If he had known II
was goodbye" he might have said
1t more kindly. But how could he
when she had been so hateful? A
| pang of compunction. of doubt, shot
| through her. Then once more she
hardened her heart.
"He wants TO be rid Of me. Well,
| he will be rid of me tomorrow
whole day before the third one comes.
She went quickly TO bed, but not 70
sleep. No sooner had SIZE turned out
the light than doubts, regrets. even
fears began to harry her. She would
grasp these one by one. trying to
crush them, but they would break in
her grasp and wriggle about like liv
ing things. She thought OF the bacillt
that are said to resemble little rods
and that propagate by breaking IN
two. Her mind swarmed with these
rodlike thoughts, each as IL broke
doubling itself into a different, still
sharper thought, until she felt as
though her brain were full of needles.
She tossed and twisted. turned and
turned again. Her pillows seemed .to
be covered with hot flannel. g,
Copyright. 1925 by Amelis Rives.l =.
Continued tomorrow)