Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-08-05


curiouslv. unexpectedly beautiful. There
were mnllioned windows. he saw now
Tudor chimneys and gables. and the
max door was even more beautiful
than he had thought. A brick wall
! of great age sheltered il, and through
! A postern gate he had glimpse OF
/ gardens sloping down TO the river, He
/ fingered before the door for several mo-
uerts. STUDYING its marvellous carving,
and inclined to wonder that 1t did not
once more swing open before nm.
This time. however, nothing happened.
] He felt the packet In his pocket, and
its material presence seemed to give
him fresh confidence. He turned
around and swung ht-heartedly up
the hill.
Arrived at the hotel, the noisy clam
o. Of the commercial room suddenly
affronted him He turned his back on
il then and for ever and, deliberately
crossing the lounge. entered and seated
himself in the coffee room He was re-
leved to find that no one took any
notice of his presence there or seemed
surprised at il. although 10 him ii was
an actual and tangible demonstration
of his change of circumstances. Inc
silence the thick carpet, the softer
voices and the pleasant manners of the
few men and women from the country.
his fellow patrons Of the place, all
soothed him When he had finished
his lunch and paid for IL he made up
his mind to temporize with his good
fortune no longer. He dismissed ms
porter with the most liberal tip the lat
ter had ever received in his life, gave
orders for his samples to be packed
up and. declining 4 seat in the omnibus
sent for fly and drove down to the
station in solitary state. He took
flrst-class ticket for London and at the
bnokStall bought a novel. the title OF
which attracted him, the Times instead
of the Daily Mail. Punch instead OF
one of its host OF cheaper lmltatorS.
On his journey up to London ne mac
the carriage to himself and, pulling
down the blinds for fear any one might
pass along the corridor. he deliberately
reopaned his packet The notes were
there, crisp unmiStakable. He closed
the window for fear of an accident
and set himself TO the task of counting
them With each pile which he arrang-
ed on the seat opposite 10 him his heart
seemed to beat faster The actual and
tangible presence of the money seemed
10 affect him with a peculiar sense
Of excitement In the end they were
all couIfted-800 bank notes. each for
100. He read through the doctors
certificate studied the lawyers lew
grim words. then packed everything
once more into the envelope, replaced
il in his breast coat pocket and set
tied himself down in his corner. He
found it impossible to read, impossible
to pursue any settled course Of thought.
With very little more success he tried
to picture to himself the future which
he desired in life Each time he was
nearing something definite. visions OF
Maisie, with her slangy affection. her
ardent-sometimes too ardent--klSSes
INTERVIEWED, and the picture faded away.
he thrust his hands into his trousers
pockets and leaned back. frowning
heavily. A man with 1000 had
every right to consider himself man
of the world How should he deal
with such a situation? MaisieS father
was a plumber and her mother dress
maker She was a very proper COM
panion for a commercial traveller. earn
ing IS a week; clever little thing. too,
who would keep house well. provided
she could resist her naturally f1irtatious
instincts, but for the wife Of a man of
wealth. man OF the world, man with
future, all wrong He tried TO fancy
himself telling her of his good fortune.
He could feel the yoke OF her arms
thrown around his neck, a yoke which
ne felt would never after then be
loosened: her breathiesS paean Of re-
joicing. the soberer aftermath during
which she planned their future. The
trend of his reflections irritated him
because he was profoundly conscious
Of their meanness. Nevertheless, Maisie
was bore.
A fit of restlessness seized him and
he began to move about He smoked
a cigarette and drank a whisky and
SODA in the dining car and enjoyed
10 the full the minor Injuries of COM
Portable travelling On his way through
the train he passed row OF third
class compartments. crowded, hot.
throneed with people whom he found
himself regarding now from new
point of view and finding them entirely
wanting Only two Gays before he had
Travelled down 10 Norwich in the third
class dining car and iancied himself
no end OF a fellow. This afternoon
the hard seats. the noisy service sud-
denly grated upon sen5ibiiities new
born indeed. but which he told him.
self must have been all the time latent.
He made his way back to the digniiied
! isolation Of his lrst-claSs carriage ana
f, made another effort al connected
| thought What should he do-travel,
I go in for country life, carry out one
/ OF his earlier ambitions and qualify
/ for one OF the counties 1t cricket, per-
/ haps learn TO shoot and ride? Or
+ should he have little f!aC in London,
/ buy all the books he cared TO, sit III
/ the stalls at the theaters frequent the
well known supper places? Alas, with
sucn thoughts came back the ottruding
realization Of Maisie. He remembered
/ times when he had Travelled nome after
a four or five days absence on IRE
/ with Joy Of seeing her waiting al the
station, 10 catch the first smile from
her saucy little face oFerioyeo 10 have
/ her kiss him frankly. as she did, thrust
/ her arms through his and lead MIN Oh
/ His present reyuision in feeling he told
himself was revolving. He was suddenly
and heartily ashamed Of himself How
was II possible 10 have developed dit
fcrcnt range Of feeling inner critical
| sense in less than "a hours liz looked
! out the window and iroWned 1t was
/ his FIRST essay at Self-anaiysis and he
was compelled TO find himself guilty
guilty Of infidelity IN thought and with
| out doubt OF a weakness winch ne could
only characterize as 8noDolsnness
! There could be- no other reason for this
| sudden change OF feeling alaiaie be
! longed 70 that class of young women
who succeed easily enough IN atouslnR
the desires OF the male portion OF the
World with whom they are brought
into contact The fashions, the atILude
ot the moment permitting even IN q
business young woman lfenk and cnal-
longing competition Giih tbe mere vo'
taTicS 81 pleasure #cIe all on htf Hidc
He had felt and been vanquiGhed b5
The alhirement u her That her at
traction for him should all nave dlssp.
peared nov that everything vas pos
sibe 12s unnatural a proof he TOLD
himself conlemDtuously, that he pos
! sassed a character TOO weak " 5lant
| the strain ~ good fortune
/ ..f.s.a =, {st.,,orf u4ganf there