Evening star., 1926-01-20

everything. why. you treated me as
though l were a little child. not
woman, aching to give. You just
patted me and carried me back to
bed
He stirred in his chair uneasily.
Somehow or other the sacrifice which
at the time had filled him with a
sense of elation seemed to have be-
come tinged, in view of her humili-
alton, with a taint of melodrama, to
have in it instead of the gold he had
fancied, something Of meretricious
egoism. She was. after all, Of an age
to know her own mind, to resent the
one objectionable refusal. A sense
almost of contrition touched him. 1t
seemed TO him that apart from her
physical exhaustion she had changed
during the last few hours, that she
had lost something of that spontane
Gus spirit of joyousness.
Violet" he said, Il am going TO tell
you a secret, something that will help
YOU to understand, something which
YOU alone will know"
Il knew you had ones' she told him
simply. Il have always felt 1t.
When l came to YOU in Bond
street" he went on, when I made
YOU that offer of holiday out here, ]
had Just received a shock. | had been
told-of course, one never knows-but
I had been warned that after the next
six months / might find myself more
Jr less of an invalid.
Her fingers came across the table
and clutched his firm, brown hand.
Her eyes hur.g upon his.
II had an accident" he continued.
II thought nothing of it at the time,
but my local doctor insisted upon my
io1 1{cy a
up to see Horridge. Well. that was
his warning. I decided then to live
as though the next six months were
my last. l had dinner party of men
hat night. and | put TO them the prob
lem, Suppose you had reason to be-
leve that after Il months you might
be called upon to disappear, how
should you speed the time?' They all
gave me typical answers. 1t was
Philip Gorse's which resulted in my
offer to you"
Philip Gorse whom I know-the
Clergyman
Yes. He didn't for q moment sug-
gest my giving large sums of charity,
or even interesting myself in any
scheme to assist the poor. What he
did suggest was that if | could find
only one or two people who We're
starving not for food, but for little
happiness, | should try to bring 1t to
hem"
80 that was why" she murmured.
That was why" he told her
gravely.
She played with her coffee spoon
for a time. gazing downward with un-
seeing eyes. Finally she leaned back
and looked at him anXiouSly.
But you are better now she said.
You don't really believe now you are
going TO be ill?''
"One never knows" he answered
evasively. Il hope not. At any rate,
I have found out one thing. 1t is Of
no use trying to hurry life, to attempt
pleasure after pleasure, and taste the
full flavor of all of them. One loses
ones taste and one reaches surfeit
sooner"
ly-"Robert and I've We're just an
experiment. Personally we didn't
didn't that is to say-eXist?'
THAT was almost true then" he
admitted "It isn't true now"
What do you mean?" she asked
eagerly.
He did thing which thrilled her
with pleasure. He took her hand in
his and held it tightly.
"Violet, dear" he said, ''it has done
me good to have you here. I have
grown fond of you. l grow fonder Of
YOU every day"
But this is wonderful, wonderful
she murmured ecstaticaily.