Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-01-24
(copwight. 1928. By Public Ledger.

that fellow says he saw there. haven't
made a record Of record yet. Maybe
that's possible, too"
Van Wrinkle departed. Brainard
turned to Phyllis with q forced smile.
"Radley," she said quickly, that fell
low was lying"
His face sobered instantly.
While you were turned away" went
on the girl, "he-just leered at you"
"Eh?" said Brainard. His gaze fell
away from her into the visions of his
rapid thought.
'And-wasn't his explanation-wasn't
1t too elaborate?"
Brainard went slowly back to his
with both his hands on the edge of his
desk before him, his eyes fastened upon
them as If they inspired his ideas.
But why" asked Phyllis. tardily
recognizing the singular fact. "why are
you so concerned about that - that
woodland scene? I thought it was the
mill accident"
The look on his face stopped her.
embarrassment, flush, his eyes wav-
ering. Then he began taking out a
cigarette, with careful unconcern.
i've been more upset than needed
TO be-" he explained presently, with an
air of patience. This is the first
threat OF leak, just as my organiza-
ton Is beginning to work. It merely
shows that I shall have to check up
everything carefully"
I'm glad it's no more serious than
that" said Phyllis. sure she was being
rebuffed.
He excused himself and left her a
moment later.
When he came back he said he had
told Ushigi to serve luncheon for two
mere In his office. They lunched by the
window from which they could look
down upon the street and see the
crowd leaving the morning matinee and
gathering for the afternoon. For the
Stream OF people was continuous at the
theater doors now.
Phyllis was unable to fit the events of
tnese days upon the days which had
preceded her illness. She frequently
!eit sure that she must presently wake
10 find that she had been lost in
some vague vaporings of unconscious
ness. There were moments when the
sudden longing was great to go back to
those other days for reasons even apart
from the wish for RadleyS old attitude
toward herself. If one might but turn
PACK actually to the dearer moments of
the past! But she quaked. hot and
coio, at the rising idea of record" of
one OF those moments! There were
Things too Sacredly sweet even to repeat.
But after the luncheon Radley called
van Wrinkle and suggested that he
snow Miss Norman some of the pag-
cant records he was preparing for
public view" And she felt that she
was dismissed as she went.
But in the multiple-unit room. as
tney called it, Van Wrinkle showed her
Things that made her even forget. To
slt IN quiet room in California in 1885
ana see Henry Hudson sail up the river
OF ms name in 1608-and then to see
new York's pageant-memorial of its 3OO
years later, and now 81 years ago-it
was enough to make one forget most
other things for the moment. or course.
as she looked at the historical scene
and Its beautiful but not very like imi-
tatlon, there was nothing about either
mat could fix its date. Either might
nave been mere pageantry-but each
was as II she stood on high shore of
the beautiful river and looked down
upon the event itself. And this
product she had seen since she had been
Ill, the impression of astounding wiz
ardry returned in all its force. It
was overwhelming again.
She tried to describe her sensations
10 van Wrinkle. He was so consistently
courteous, conSlderate. unasSuming,
snat ne olsarmed even the aversion she
nae earlier felt toward him. And now
he seemed accustomed enough To the
marvel OF the Vicarion to take 1t calmly
II grew no less difficult for her to do
so. however.
Well" Van Wrinkle said You re-
member when the Mount Wilson tele-
scope first began to show us new from
tiers OF the universe and scientists be-
gan to tell us about solar systems among
the atoms, We gaped There will ALWAYS
be new frontiers of knowledge for us to
soon at, and then explain about. and
tnen ignore. Makes you think of Pooe's
lines about vice. And the way we SCOT
nrst. and then ignore, is sort of racial
vice at that"
He did not talk like a man in whose
memory existed a great gap he could
not I'LL. But almost any freak could
De expected Of his affection, she sup
DO you remember the day you asked
me II 1 understood what it means-The
SIZE asked.
Quite we'll"
DO you think it is going to be a
racial vice."
There are people-some in these
booths here-who are already addicts. :"
What a-term to use!"
Wait till you have seen a theater
full OF people-as I did last night-get-
ting their first taste of blood"
She stared at him. His voice was
calm, his words terrifying.
"It-catches them?"
1T enSlaveS theml"
1T haSnt-enslaved me"
note"
And your"
1T won't strike my keynote"
your life?"
Confusion at this sudden focus on the
personal checked her thoughts. Before
she could recover she heard a step at
her side and her brother dropped into
a chair next to her.
Hello he said. Its got you, too,
has it?"
He was smoking: as he blew a thin
S.oud az oiiCe lrOin lips ana nOStfIIS
she saw that his skin was sallow. that
his lips were drawn in subtle little
tight lines at the corners, that his lids
were heavy. He had lost the freshness
she had SO loved in him. Why had she
not noticed 1t sooner? He regarded her
coolly. 1t occurred to her that the
adorable quality in him. which had been
like something leaning youthfully for
ward in alert eagerness over life, was
sitting back now, enlightened. She put
her hand on his.
you'"
"Surel I'm dippy about it. I've
found out more things than I ever cx-
pected to know"
What do you mean?"
I've been watching the masks come
of. Haven't you?"
Whose masks?"
"Everybody's-the guys whose real
faces thought I'd been seeing"
Il don't understand"