Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-02-01

AND from GEGp Within f&tt Sualit'
thing answered her. Because her OWL
soll was black with lies, deceits. She
had put into her work that which was
herself.
LOST She was lost, Lost forever
And upon the shrine OF her feeling for
Mrs. Darien she had flung the mud OF
her own sins! She had violated all
that Mrs. Darien had meant to her by
this piece OF work!
The rustic Of the leaves above her
head was like a ghostly laughter
hooking her. She dropped the rgure
as she might have dropped loath-
some worm. Still the trees laughed
at her.
With cold terror in her soul she ran
toward the house!
Rlindly. tears running down her
cheeks, Judy fed, stumbling against
the brambles and the underbrush,
tearing her dress on sharp tw1gS,
hruising herself.
Out of the woods she stopped TO get
control of her nerves. She dared not
appear before Honey in such a dis
fraught condition. And then she
caught sight of Honey coming toward
her over the gentle slopes OF lawn.
II was Just coming to get you,
Jude" Honey greeted her Her glance
upon Judy was curious and under it
Judy nuSheu nefNOuSlN.
Mics Lorimer-Cecily Lorimer is
here to see you"
"Cecily Lorimer?' Judy was puzzled.
why should Cecily Lorimer seek her
out? Perhaps Cecily had discovered
that she was an impostori Perhaps
she had come to expose her! What
more likely than that somewhere in
Cecily's crowd should be the girl Jack
Darien had lovedi Perhaps this girl
had confided in Cecily.
Judy felt herself wavering as she
walked Her thoughts kept bitter
pace with her steps. The way OF the
transgressor is hard" Who had said
that? Well. he had been right! Very,
very right, Her way was thorny, in
deed, And beset with fears.
She went straight to the reception
room. Unsmiling, she advanced upon
How do you do?" she said, tone
Iessly, and she did not hold out her
hand.
In her very first straight look at
Cecily, however, Judy realized that the
other girl was as i'll at ease as herself.
Her cheeks were flushed and she
looked at Judy from eyes that seemed
TO have forgotten sleep, SO tired they
were.
I'm glad to see you" Judy said
slowly.
TT wonder If you will be glad to
SEA fne-when you know why l have
come" Cecily's tone was as passion
less az Judy's.
And at the sound of 1t Judy shrank.
She paused a momen.. struggling for
control. you have come-on bush
ness?" she asked at last.
ooh, do sit down." Cecily cried al.
most petulantly. 1--WE look like an
tagonists when we stand facing each
other this wayi"
Judy shrank into a chair and Cecily
chose one facing hers. just for an in
slant Judy's glance took in the room
back of Cecily, the wide windows and
through them the sweep Of lawns.
Slowly her eyes travelled to the tree
tops as though hoping to find strength
In them. She had a sense that she
had come to a parting OF the ways,
that from the instant Cecily began to
speak to her. all this beauty would be
lost to her. She sighed, small, tired
sigh.
Cecily twisted her gloves nervously
in her fingers and kept her eyes bent
II think the truth will be best be-
tween u.s. she said. in a low, painful
voice. II hate to say the things am
going to say. They will hurt your
Judy's mouth twisted in a bitter
smile. ST can bear them" she said
steadily.
In the first place II was-en-
gagged to Jack-before he met YOU"
Judy put her hand up TO her face.
"Well?"
Cecily drew long breath. I'm
glad you take it like that she said
in a relieved tone. i've dreaded tell
ing you that most of all. OF course.
he didn't love me. That was the
trouble. I knew 1t. In fact, I knew
1t from the very beginning and
wouldn't admit it to myself. But by
and by I found that I couldn't get
along with Just that sort OF feeling.
Not all my life. at least! Sol broke
the engagementi You see, I'm not
sparing you a bit In the telling Of this.
But by and by you'll see why have
10 be so truthful with you. / returned
his letters and his ring. And the very
instant he knew he was free he must
have found you. And any one who
knows Jack will know that he must
really have loved you since he--won
you"
Why"
Because he would have TO work to
win you. / can tell that about you.
There's sort of fine dignity to you.
You're real. He must have seen that
at once. And he went to work to win
YOU. And Jack only worked for the
things he wanted-desperately.
Through set lips Judy forced herself
TO reply TO Cecily "It is--vely kind
of you to come and tell me this, she
said.
II don't mean to be kind. In fact.
part of me hates you, / told you
was going to be dreadfully frank"
Il don't blame you for hating me-
Suddenly Judy leaned forward. Her
face lighted wildly. But you needn't
have hated me. Jack never loved mel!
She was leaping forward to confession,
leaping gladly, madly! Now she would
he free of this ugly. this hideous, i'm
possible BURDEN She must tell this
girl She couldn't go on letting Cecily
he hurt. Cecily who had truly loved
Jack.
But Cecily's wide eyes stopped her
"Jack?" She laughed little. But
/ don't hate you because Of Jack. |
told you / broke the engagement.
did love him at first, but ! am proud
and when / found he didn't care
enough to try to hold me / stopped
loving him. I'm not talking about
him"
''Wen, what are you talking about
then?" Judy was honestly puzzled
why should you hate me?"
Ceciiy leaned forward. Her eye:
were very cold and straight. "Ivs
some news for you!" she said.
1t seemed to Judy that the room
grew very still. Even the ticking OF
the small gilt clock between the win
dOws made a great noise in the death
~ stiffness. She had a presentiment oi
grave danger, OF utmost change.
What Is it?"
Tommy Carter is not dead