Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-01-12

ing gown tied around her, was stand
ing painting in the avenue. She sob
bed with relief as Hargrave appeared.
20. I'm so thankful YOU didn't 90
after him. she cried. Come into the
house. Come now, quickly-auicker"
She forced him to hurry. He asked
her questions. but she took no notice
1t was not until after she had shut
the front door that she drew a long
breath Of relief. They passed into the
lounge. and she sank exhausted into
A chair HarGrave poured out soma
water from carafe upon the side
hoard. and gave IL to her
Tell me how you happened to an
pear Just in time?" he asked.
Il always wake for your return"
she reminded him. Il like 70 watch
the lights and see YOU turn in Then
l go 10 sleep again afterward"
My dear child he murmured.
We'll. it's foolish. but | like to do
it. This morning / woke with A start.
] couldn't hear the car. and vet |
fancied there was someth hing moving
outside. | saw it was O'Clock, and
[ got out of bed. | put on my dress
ing gown. pushed open the window
softly and stood on the balcony.
There was man standing in the
shadow of that cypress tree near the
gate looking along the road. At first
] nearly called out. Then ! thought
I would wait. While l stood there. |
saw the flashing of your lights and
heard your horn. SO did he. l sup
pose, for he left the gate. came up the
avenue. keeping in the shadow of the
shrubs. and hid behind a syringa bush.
Then | saw him put his hand in his
pocket and draw something out that
looked like a pistol, I flew down
stairs 10 try to stop YOU"
Which YOU did Hargrave told her
quietly. My dear, 1t was brave Of
you. II that man really meant mis-
chief-and it certainly seemed like
it-you have probably saved nv life
Both the windows Of the car were
down. ] was leaning out. and 7 don't
see how he could possibly have missed
me-
But why have YOU enemies" she
asked. hewildered-"you. the most
generous. the kindest Of mem"
He smiled at her little sadly.
There are many people" he as.
sured her. who would call me neither
kind nor generous
Then they don't know YOU" she
declared passionatelv.
She was leaning toward him. her
lips little parted, her ewes shining.
Inc sheer beauty of her against that
dark background, with the joy of the
morning already beginning to stream
in through the windows. almost took
his senses away. He stood and looked
at her. and something that was almost
fear stole into his heart The words
of the Hungarian woman famed in
his memory. youth burned in his
veins, the self-control of long habitude
tottered. He felt the call of her ewes
the call of her fresh. young life. for
the affection which was her heritage.
An emotional craving. he told himself.
feverlshly born of the hour and the
danger through which they had
passed. A clock close at hand struck
shrilly. breaking in upon the tense
ness of the moment. He found a
curious relief in listening to and fol-
lowing the mechanical sounds.
Six o'clock" he counted. My dear.
you must go to bed. You're cold
down here"
He had moved away: the spell was
broken. Her eyes followed him round
the room AS he fastened the windows
and opened the door.
Come along" he insisted.
She rose YEARLY to her feet. A sud
den darkness seemed TO have crept
under her eyes. For a moment he
wondered whether she. too. had felt
something of the resurcent passion of
those few seconds. He thrust the idea
aside. but he dared not trust himself
to speech. They walked side by side
up the smooth and shining stairs. his
hand resting gently upon her shoulder;
she walking with the still, detached
air Of a ghost Outside her room. he
raised her fingers to his lips-cold
little fingers they were. The closing
Of his own door behind him seemed
like the attainment of some fiercely
craved for yet hated sanctuary.
Hargrave awoke after a few hours
Of troubled sleep with a sense of
dangers escaped. OF the bullet which
had missed him by a few feet he
thought nothing; of those few minutes
with Violet. when she had fingered
with him alone in the deserted, shad-
owful rooms. still quivering with ex-
element. still, both of them, a little
unbalanced by the coverings of
tragedy. he thought a great deal. He
found himself going back in his
thoughts to the beginning Of their ac-
quaintance. recollectinS the look al
most of scorn which she had flashed
upon him. a stranger, when he had
first limited at his proposition, her re-
lief when she had realized her mo-
mentary misunderstanding.
He had accepted his trust then with.
out a moments demur. He had taken
no thought of possible miracles-for it
was miracle which had happened. he