Evening star., 1926-04-20
Continued from Yesterdays star.)
INSTALLMENT LXI.
(eIia'S Decision.

Celia seized the coffee pot and
poured h,rself another cupful Of the
hot, black liquid, this time without
milk or sugar. Coffee was a stimulant
that didn't 20 To ones head-lilke
champa@ne-and she needed a stimu-
liant, she had such a strange, deadish
feeling.
Soon her thoughts began to rush
with the speed and smoothness of the
express that was whirling her every
second nearer to Canada, TO Montreal
to Molly.
She took out her fountain pen from
the suede bag, then a sheet of paper
and an envelope. As clearly as the
oscillations of the train would allow,
she wrote:
Dear Padraic: / am very, very
sorry, but we have both made a mis-
take, and it was all my fault.
Il cannot stay with your cousin as
you wish me to. l know you mean
the very best for me. but l couldn't
possibly accept it. Please don't worry
about me. ! shall be quite safe.
have plenty of money with me. And
please forgive me for my mistake.
&C"
She put this into the envelope,
sealed it and addressed 1t to "Padraic
Moore, Esq. To be delivered at once"
Then she slipped it into her coat pock-
ct. She would leave it where he would
see it,, later on, when she had man.
aged to escape. This would be easy
to do some time during the night,
when he was sleeping. There would
surely be some important towns or
stations at which the express would
stop during the night. E.
She caught her breath, leaned for
ward to look through the window.
The speed Of the train was slacken-
ing, and she saw that they were ap-
preaching a white, tree-embowered
little town. Some passenger must
have a. ticket for the place, and the
naughty express was stopping against
its will to let him down. Celia leaped
to her feet. flung her ulster over her
arm and the squirrel stole about her
shoulders, jammed on her velvet beret
and caught up her satchel. Fever
ishly she felt for the note that she had
written Padraic and tossed it on to the
table, then, jerking open the drawing
room door, ran along the narrow pas
sage outside it TO the platform.
She had been right in her guess A
passenger was being hustled from the
train by the Pullman conductor.
Lively, lively - he was urg
ing. This amt no local ="
Celia tumbled after The conductor
caught her with one hand, and her
satchel with the other: threw rather
than handed it to her again. and was
already waving the proud train to pro-
ceed. 1t did so gently, glidingly, al
most mperceptibly-then gathered
speed Its tail light became a tiny red
star in the distance-then vanished:
only low. humming roar told where
that splendid violence still cleft the
night.
On the now invisible train Padraic
was at that moment slipping his Scotch
and soda, and congratulating
himself that he had broken to Celia
his plans about her and Molly.
Celia stood in n species Of trance
the express had vanished. She was
reused by the voice of the station
master at her ear.
Want a conveyance, lady? There's
one here"
Celia said THANK YOU" and stood
irresolute, trying to think what she
had best do.
Twill call him for you? He'll
drive off if l don't" urged the man.
Thank YOU" again said Celia, who
had thought out at least part of what
she would do, "but 1 shan't need
taxi-My-"
The station master interrupted with
a laugh, that was half shame faced.
1--WE haven't rose above jitneys yet
in this place." said he, land the jit-
ney's gone. There's only Josh Biggs
and his old carryall out there now"
II was going to say" went on
Celia, that my friends live in this
town-I'll walk there
She had seen in the dim moonlight,
beyond the station, wide, elm-lined
street, bordered with white houses,
and she wanted to walk along it to
some quiet garden in which she might
rest under cover of the night and re-
arrange her confused ideas.
The man looked at her rather in
quisitively.
well" said he, you know best
what you want, but 1 guess you
wouldn't be sorry for taking hack"
"Why? Isn't this quiet part of
the town." asked Celia.
1t was as he had surmised. This