The evening world. Newspaper, February 10, 1916, Page 15

BEY by etn ip intnd big A Man’s , By Eleanor CTE ONT COTY. (Copyright, 195, by J. B, Lippincott Oo.) NOPSIS OF PRECEDING CHAPTERS, ty Adriance, won of multimillionaire, who LU . ie low fig Matic, ‘pata y 4's ; 8 creek cbauttvas by Leite: but 5 iain d Le te tnt in By tebe dein A New York Story of Two Women’s Love for One Man PON Hearth! M. Ingram * Wore with a vivifying promptnes once he was surrounded, addressed by name, had officious service pressed upon him, It was strange to the girl to see him so familiar in this place Where she never had been; strange afd a little disquieting. She left ber imple hat and coat with the maid, aware of their unsuitability for the place and the hour. They did not enter the crowded sars room to their right, where an orches sia CHAPTER VII. (Continwed.) What Tony Built. when evening came, and with it Adriance, ruddy with the Marobh wind, boyishly bungry and gay; when ho ‘took his wife in his arms and ‘ her with the deep tenderness that the morning had added to their love, Elsie knew better. Better any misfortune than the barrier of deceit between them. And she remem- in time that it was not for to deprive him of his right of decision and free will. She waited until supper was eaten and the blue-and-white dishes shin- ing in thelr rack again beside the ten-cent-shop china, “Shall we go on with our book?” Adriance proposed, when his pipe ‘was lit. Now that the moment had come, it pleased him to dally with ‘the surprise he held for her, to pro- jong his secret content. He stretched lururiously fn his arm-chair. “Lord, it'’a good to get home! Funny I never cared much about books until we took to reading aloud, isn't 1t? Come over and settle down. I think we'll turn in early tomight, if you don’t mind, girl. 1 want to do some extra ‘work to-morrow.” She came to him rather slowly. ‘Mr. Masterson was here to-day,’ she said reiuccantly. “He came by ohance to borrow something for his automobile, I think it w a tire- pump. Of course he was surprised to find me. And he left this for you.” Astonished, he took the card, pull- ing her down beside him; and they read the message together. It was very brief, yet somehow carried a force of compulsion, Masterson urged his friend to go that night to the ballroom of a certain. restaurant known to every New Yorker, and beers walt until he, Masterson, joined im. ‘There was a pause after the read- ing. Adriance stared at the card with the knitted brow of perplexity, while Elsie watched his face in tense suspense, “It would be late, she murmured, ten’ o'clock.” Adriance now, anyway tively, “It is 8 himself laughed. “Oh, innocence! That ballroom does not open until 11, fair outlander But you had better get ready, for we have @ quite respectable distance to aroused and wo. Here vanishes our quiet ning!" “Well. You would take me?” He regarded her curiously. “Did you suppose L would go with- out you? We will have to go, because Fred means this; I know him well enough to tell. I'm afraid he is in some kind of trouble.” Elsie shut her eyes for a moment, mastering her passionate relief, She ed them to a new thought. “Anthony, I haven't any clothes, for such a place.” tNelther have I,” he calmly dis- missed the matter. “We will go in street costuine, It doesn't me y singe we do not want to dance, the way, can you dance?” "Certainly." oo dimple disturbed "Not the very new her smooth cheek. “Well, I'll teach you. But you will only dance with mo," be stated with finality. ‘Abaurdly happy in the jealous pro- hibition, she went to maRe ready. Elsio Muray had possessed one dress that Elsle Adriance never had worn, It was a year old, one brought from her distant home, but so simply made that its fashion would still pu It was an afternoon, not evenini wown; a clinging, black sheath of chiff®m and net, covering ber arms, but leaving bare the creamy pillar of her thro; The cloudy darkness echoed the dark softness of her hair and threw into relief her clear, health-tinted beauty of complexion, ‘When she wore it into the room where her husband waited, he greeted her with @ whistle of surprise and pleas- “What Have " he approved, clothes? ‘Some lady did you mean—n I seon that befor # “No, Do you like me this way? He put his hands on her shoulders, looking down into her eyes. “Of course, But don't you know it doesn't matter what you wear or have? he asked. e have got away beyond that, you and 1.” They walked to the ferry; two miles through the cold darkness. But th found the journey a pleasure, not rdship. Elsie had ht A thony her art of ox amuse- ment from each expe On the ferryboat they had porsexsion of the deck, “Mollyeode Histo called the pasengers Who huddled Into the cabins, The wind painted her cheeks and lips scarlet, as she leaned ever the rail to hear the crunch of adrift ice under the boat's sides, The two evoked quite a sense of Arciic voyage, between them, Anthony ravely insisted he had seen a polar ear on one tossing floe. They were happy onough to relish nonsense; and more excited by the coming meeting and place of meeting than either would have admitted, CHAPTER VIII. The Cabaret Dancer. 'T was 11 o'clock when they entered the revolving door of the restaurant appointed and faced a group of loung- ing attendants in the lobby; ¢ynical-eyed servitors, «all, Tony Adriance was recognized by these ome tra was overwhelming all other and lesser din with a crashing one-step. Instead, Anthony turned up a shining marble stair with a plush-cusbioned balustrade and too much gilding. Hisie viewed herself beside him in mirrors set in the wall at regular in- tervals. ‘The statrs ended at an arcaded hall, beyond which lay a long, brilliant room, comfortably filled with people at supper. Filled, that is, according to its arrangement; the entirewentral space of gleaming, ice-smooth floor was empty, the tables were ranged around the four walls, The guests here wore evening dress, for the most part, so that the room glowed with color, delicate, vivid or glaring, as the taste of the owner dictated. Here there was comparative quiet; the voices and laughter were lower in pitch than downstairs, “Is Mr, Masterson here?” Anthony questioned the head waiter, who has- tened to meet the arriving couple, “Not yet, Mr. Adriance,” the man answered deferentially, “At 12, h comes. May I show you a table, sir?’ bs Not too near the music—Mrs. Adriance and I want to hear each other speak. “Certainly sir, The drum will be loud, sir; but the dancers like it. Elsie caught the man’s side glance of respectful curiosity and interest di- rected toward herself, and understood why Anthony deliberately had fixed her identity as his wife. Pride warmed her, and love of his consideration for her; suddenly she felt she was able to enjoy the scene around her. She feit no self-consciousness, even when the elaborately gowned and coifed wom- en glanced over her appraisingly as she passed by their tables, She looked back at them, serenely sure of her- self. She was not at all aware that many of the men stared at her with sturtied admiration of @ visitor alien to this atmosphere, Adriance saw well enough, how- ever. Elsic bad an innocent dignity of carriage that, joined with her gravely candid gaze, was not a little imposing. Moreover, her pure, bright color and cloar eyes were disconcert- ingly natural beside the artificial beauties. Pride of possession tingled agreeably through him; he ,had not thought of this or expected the emo- tion, When the two were seated opposite one another, the regard they ex- changed was of glowing content, Adriance ordered supper with the in- terest of appetite and with a fine knowledge of her tastes and his own, Then, at ease, they smiled at other, The extravagance of the f was of no moment. The utter sim- plicity of their daily life made An- thony’s salary more than suffictent they already possessed the resoure of &@ bank account. So far there bad been no music ept faint echoes from the room be low. Now @ Unkle of strings sound- ed delicately, swelling from a singl note into a full, minor waltz mel- ody. Turning, Elsie saw the musi- clans, They were negroes; not a band or an orchestra, merely a pianist, two men with mandolins and many with banjoes, and one who handied with amazing dexterity a whole set sound producers; a drum, eym- bals, bells, a gong, even an auto- mobile horn, oue to another instrument, character of the piece de- anued, this performer's hunus and feet Hew with aceuracy and ludi- crous speed, Bul tae music was more than good, it Was unique, inspired; it snared the feet and the senses. All round sounded the scraping of chairs pushed beck, a8 men anu women rose to answer the cali, Ln one short mo- ment the place changed from a pes> taurant to a ballroom, It was such a ballroom as Elsie Adriance never had glimpsed in either her Louisiana or resiricied New York experiences, The women were cos- tumed in the extreme fashions of a From as the year when all fashion was extreme. As the dancers swayed past in the graceful, hesitating steps of the last new waltz there were revelations— of low-cut draperies, of skirts trans- parent to the knees, with ribbon- laced slippers Joweiled at heel and buckls glancing through the thin veil of tinted chiffon or lace, The scene had an Oriental frank. ness without being biatant or coarse, At the tables there Was muob drink. ing of wines and liqueurs, but as yet no rent intoxication, Some of the women who were not dal DK smoked reves as they chatted with their companions; not a few of these had white hair and were obviously ma- trons respected and self-respecting “Wheat do you think of it? Aart ance inquired, after watching his wife with mischief in his eyes, “L don't. know,” she slowly con- teased, “You know, 1 am an oute lander, But Lam not #o stupid as to misunderstand too badly, These people are—all right "Ya most of them. This is the after-theatre crowd, Som are from t stuee, me from audience, That lady in green chiffon who looks a she bad forgotten to put on most her ele ja the wife ft one of my fat business associ- ater Diet you eh iiaband ho to Us As We came je black eyed girl in the black vel walking Bult, at the te, is La Tanagra, who does classic dances in a yard of pink veil, She is a very nice gir » Of course, some of ther shrugged wy Muse Blopped, Through a press of laughing, Nushed people re- turning to their tables a walter wound & ditheult passage with the first course of the supper Adriance had ordered, iw # entered the room in a thim constant stream aa the hour ad. Vaneed, But there was no sign of Masterson, Elsie woldered what ht would say on finding ber with An- thony, Would he be angry, indiffer- ent, disconcerted? Perhaps he would not come alone A sharp, imperious clung of eym- bale rang out abruptly, hushing the murmur of voices and laughter, Elale HUBBY DEAR! See HOw THIN 1AM! 1 CAN Go THROUGH THE KEY-HoLE ! @arted from her abstraction, and saw all eyes turned towaru the centre of the room, “Demonstration dan smiled Ad. riance, “Now you'll see something!" A short, dark man and a woman in auze through which showed dimpled knees, stood alone on the floor, At @ second clang of cymbals they floated with the music into @ strange, half-Spanish, hait- savage dance a dance vigerousiy, eveu erugey alive and swift as 4 fight. The woman was not beautiful but she was incredibly graceful, Her siiall, arched, Hashing feet in their gilded slipp recalled a half-forgot- ten line to Elsie, nd her sandals delighted his ey she quoted aloud, Do you remember that, Anthony?” ul Adriance was laughing at her, “Infant!” he mocked, “Wait woul you've sven it as often as 1 have, and then you will not let yo supper Brow Cod, ‘There, Its ov It was. The dance enued with the daucers in each other's arms, glances knit, lips almost touching. Lhe ap- plause Was courteous, The audieace, Hike Adriance, Was too suphisticaced to be readily ‘excited. It really pre- ferred to do its own dancing. ‘The preference was graufied dur- ing the next half hour. One-step, fox-trot and a Lulu Fado followed in smooth succession, The room was very full now, One or two partics began to snow too much exhilaration, “1 wish Fred would come," Adri- ance remarked, with a restive glance at the noisiest group. “I don't want you to be here much after midnight, 1 wonder" He was Interrupted by a second crash of bragen cymbals that struck down the chatter and inovement of the crowd, With the harsb, resonant clang, and oontinuing after it had ceased, came the soft chime of a clock striking twelve, his ume a more decided Interest Greeted the announcement, In fuct, a distinct thrill ran through the room. Men and women abandoned forks and turning eagerly toward the A marked hush continued e plac celebrit patiently, terson's whims—-wh seen me at home? in until this is over, The music had commenced—a trip- Adriance inter- “Confound Mas- couldn't he have Now he can't get ping, languorous ballet suite from @ famous opera, Into the large, square arch of the doorway a girl drifted rod, ve was a guilen, magnificen ture, as t erea- » faced the audience. Her full, red mouth was straight-lipped, returning no smile to the welcom- K applause, It was not possible to imagine a dimple breaking the firm curve of her rouged cheek, Elate thought never had sven a woman so indixputably handsome, or so ute terly lacking In inine allure H of satin-black hair framed her face and were held by jewelled bandeaux; her corsage was danger- ously ned in place by nar- row strings of brilllants over her strong, smooth, white shoulders, Her skirts Were those of the conventional ballet—billows of spangled rose-col- ored tu As she began to dance, her eyes, very large and dark behind r darkened lashes, swept the spec ors with @ Hombre alertness: inie felt the hee pass across yer and vest on Anthony, Yes, rest there, for an instant of fixed atten- lon! But Adriance showed no change of expression to his wife's questioning regard; he watched the dancer with a placid interest, without evincing any sign of recognition it was @ curious dance, as singu- WAKE UP | You ARE DREAMING! By Maurice Ketten Thursday, February 10, 1916 IF YOU SHOULD LOSE YOUR JoB— What would you do? It’s safe to say you wouldn't follow the same strange course as did the hero of || THE LAIR CF THE SUN DOGS By BERTRAND W. SINCLAIR THIS WILL Bf NEXT WEEK'S COMPLETE NOVEL IN THE EVENING WORLD i It Is @ Love-and-Mystery Romance of the Frozen North ‘The author also wrote “North of Filty-Three” and } “Roaring Bil! Wagstaff,” which were se popu- lar with Evening World Readers. | § “THE LAIR OF THE SUN DOGS” ts Perhaps His Very Best Neve: IO ARKO KOK OC jarly stripped of womanly allure as the girl's beauty. Yet it was grave. ful and clever, She bent forward and sWayed through the measures, cir- cling th m with a studied co: quetry cold as indifference; posing now and then with a rose she lifted to touch lips or cheek. The audience looked on with a sustained tension of interest that the performance did not seem to warrant. Elsle noticed that the men laughed or evinced faint embarrassment if the dancer leaned toward them, but the women clapped enthusiastically .nd sent smiling glances. What was it that these people knew, but which she and An- thony did ‘not? There was some- thing— Just opposite the Adriances’ the dancer had slipped tn executing an tn- tricate and difficult step, She stag gered, catching herself, but not be fore she had reeled heavily against Fisie’s chat “Pardon she panted, her voice low. “The floor ts too polished!" For a moment her eyes looked full into Elsie’s and they were not dark, but a very bright blue. Tho brush of her naked arm and shoulder left ® streak of white powder on the other's s'eeve; a heavy fragrance of hellotropa shook from her garments. Before Adriance could rise she was ‘onfounded clumsiness he ex- claimed, with suppressed anger, “Did sie burt you, Elsie?" Oh, no! Anthony, I know her—I knew her eyes.” He stared at his wife, “I recognized her eyes. I do not know who she is, I cannot think; yet I know her, @ knew me, too; I saw it In her face. And I believe she knows you." “Elsie! ae looked——- Wait; she ts finish- The musio was indeed rising to a finale, The dancer glided to tho central arch through which she had entered, poised on the verge of tak- ing Might, then raised both hands to her head, Tho black wig camo off with the sweeping gesture. The dancer was a man, Whose short-clipped auburn hair tumbled In boyish disorder about his powdered forehead. But there was no look of Loyhood tn his fa ax he turned it toward Adriance's table; tho familiar, reckless face of Fred Masterson. The room was in an uproar of ughter and applause, But the dancer disappeared without acknowledging or pausing to enjoy his success; in- deed, as if escaping from it, When Elsie ventured to look at her husband, he had one hand across his es. He dropped it at once, but avolded her gaze as if the humiliation Were his own, Hinisn your coftee,” he bade, bis voice roughened by a dry hoarseness, "I want to get out of this—to get home “We have not spoken to Mr, Mas- terson,"” she hesitatingly reminded him, “He asked us to meet him." “L suppose I have seen what he wanted me to see." The walter was beside t wain, cking her answer, weomed to Elsie that the man eyed Anthony with a furtive and malicious compre hension, Had he ever seen Tony Ad- rlance with Mra, Masterson, she won- dered? Did he. imagin auway the thought, ‘After all, dear, aren't we preju- diced?” she essayed, with uncon- vinced d unconvincing reason “Isn't it really as tf he were an actor?” ne—she thrust ~ “No, it isn't! You know it's not. It isn’t what he does that these peo- ple applaud; they applaud because he does it. He succeeds by making a show of himself, his me, his posi- Lon, ‘The grotesqueness of his being here succe not his work. Well—are you ready “Yes,” she answered, submiasive to bis mood, He paid the check, and they passed out. Elsie overed her hat and coat from the maid in the dressing room below. She was too prevocupied to notice the attendant’s inquisitive scrutiny, or the frank stare of a fair- hatred girl who was making up her complexion with elaborate care be- fore one of the mirrors, It would not have occurred to her, if she had, that word had passed down the staff of servants that the quiet girl in black was Mrs, Tony Adriance, But without knowing her own plain attire had the reflected lustre of cloth-of-gold, she was too feminine not to embrace with a glance of Aintly wistful admiration the furs, velvets and shining satins of the aps left in this place by the other nen. No preoccupation could quite ignore that array. There was one coat of gray velvet that matched her own eyes, lined with poppy-hued silk that matched her lips, A trifle dismayed by her own frivolity, she hastened out from the place of temptation, Anthony was waiting for her, CHAPTER IX, The Other Man's Road. HE damp cold of a Maroh night closed chillingly around the two, as they passed through the revolv- ing door Into the street, The restaurant did not face on Broad- way, the street of @ million iignts; for @ moment they seemed to have yped Into darkness, after the daz- ale of Heht Just left, Adriance turned away from the vociferous proffers of taxicabs, with an nomy prompted by Bisie's guiding band rather than his own prudence, indeed, his great Amazemont and vicarious shame for Masterson left him with slight atten- tion for ordinary matters. Hut they were not allowed to reach the subway and return as they had co As they neared the station entrance, & limousine rolled up to the curb and halted across their path, The car's occupant threw open the door before the chauffeur could do so and leaned out. “Come tn, commanded, rt than invited Masterson's voice. “You didn't wait for me, so I had a chase to catch you, Put Mra, Adriance tn, ‘Tony, and tell the man where you want to go. The ferry, is It? “All right; tell him so," He spoke With an abrupt impatience and strain that excused much by tts account of bia sick nerves, Adriance compiled without objection, Before she quite reailaed the situation, Elsle found herself seated beside him, op- osite Masterson in the warmed in- r of the car he wir of the limousine was not only warm, but perfumed. Without analyzing their reason, it struck both the Adriances a peculiarly shocking that this should be so, Kisle identt- fled the white heliotrope scent worn y the dancer. ‘The globe set in the celling Was not lighted, but the street lamps shone in, showing the thigness of Masterson's flushed face a hageardness, entuated by amud, of make-up imperfectly removed. El- sie felt @ quivering embarassment for him, and @ desperate hopele. sness of finding anything possible to say. Sho divined that Anthony was experienc- ing the same feelings, but intensified, The car rolled smoothly around Columbus Circle and settled Into a steady pace up Broadway. The rush of after-theatre ‘-affie was long since over, the streets compara.ively clear Masterson spoke first, with a defiance that attempted to be light. “Well, haven't you any compli- ments for me? I've been told [ do it pretty well, That's the only thing | learned at college of uny uso wo me!" “How did you come?"-—~ Adriance began, brusequely. “I mean—what sent you there, to that? Why, STO Pi mme 1 thought it was you, Tony, until to-day," was tie dry retort. “I've thought so ever since I found out who was financing the case. Until this morning I believed Lucille Hed when she told me you were married, 1 suppose I should apologi e to you; ider It done, {f you like.”* Don't Adriance begged His hand closed sharply over bis wife's “We have been married since last November,” she gravely came to his aid, “I am sure Mrs, Masterson told you only the truth in that. Indeed, the announcement was published in the newspapers! Since then we have been ving where you saw me this morning; on a boneymoon quite out of the world.” “L don't read more of any newapa- pers than the first pages,” Masterson returned, "I see you do not read even 60 much, or you would hardly have been taken by surprise to-night Shocked, were you, Toy? I sup- nd I would have been, myself, once. OW! “Now?"-—-—-Adrianoe prompted, af- ter waiting. Masterson faced his friend with a sudden blaze of his hollow eyes. “Now, I am through with being shocked at myself, through with thinking of myself or sparing myself and other people. Can't you see, can't you guess for whom alone I would do this~or anything else? Have you forgotten Holly? I may not have a wife, but I bave a gon, And I will not have my son reared as [ was, married as IT was, and ruined as 1 a Iam going to have money, If I flsh {t out of the gutter, to take him away to some clean, far-off place. There T shall rear him myself, under- nd! He shall never know this Fred Masterson, Roughing it out- doors will put me in fit condition long hefore he ix old enough to erttictse He's got a fine little body, T rn have him as hard and straight as a pine tr Tl teach him to work What will I care for the squall of this corner of the world, when T have done that? Since Lucille divorced me, ['ve atripped my mind of a good deal of hampering romance.” He was interrupted by the exelam thon of both his listeners. “Divorced you?" Adriance echoed, stifled by the pressure of warring emotions. “Divorced you, after all?” uy vt mean to say you didn't know?" He studied the two faces with credulous astonishment; then, convinced by their patent honesty, shrugged derision of himself. “Con celted lot, all of us. We think tf our teacups drop, the crash is heard around the world. Yes, [ have been 4 single man for three months, have been away for six, remember. Rut it went through very quletly Lucille {# strong for propriety and onventions. She even," his face darkened with an angry flood of bit- You terness startling a seif-betrayal, “she even is willing to pay pretty highly for them. Holly" | ‘The sentence remained unfinished. Elsie's memory returned to thi morning, when Masterson told her that he had lost Holly, She giimpsed ) his meaning now. The automobile had long since left | behind the flash and glitter of theat- tee Broadway. W! the gilding silence of the progress was denly |broken by @ blast of the car's elec- | trie horn sounding warning to some late pedestrian, the three within started as if at at an unnatural hap- pening. | “It went through quietly,” Master- son sullenly picked up the broken thread, “because she bargained with me. She sald that if I made no de- fense she would let mo @ Holly. Well, L kept my word; [ stayed away jfrom the whole business and didn’t even get a lawyer—like a fool. I don't even know what they said about mo, I didn't care, siuce she wanted it, And then she asked the court for the custody of Holly; and got him, [t was only for the boy's good, she say: IT was not ft to have charge of him.” “On!” Elsie gasped. Masterson lighted a cigarette with an attempt at unconcern. He had a singular difficulty in bringing the burning match in contact with the end of the little paper tube— lack of coordination between the nerves ;and muscles that held a sinister | menaias for one able to interpret the signs. Thanks,” he acknowledged the un- worded sympathy. “Maybe you know I was fit, then; or, at least, would have been fit if | had had him Not having him, [ wrote to—1 beg your pardon, Mrs, Adriance. —" Adriance essayed, The other man hushed him with a gesture. | “IL know what you are going to say, Tony, Don't! My wife, my late ‘wife and I have managed this busi- ness, Keep out of what doesn't con- corn you. Here, Ul give her due to her, too! If [ had not been weak, all this would never have happened. But if she had played the game, it would never have happened, either, Well, I lost, But Holly shall not pay for the game he had no share in. Lt am telling you two what I have told no one else, When I have enough money I shall buy Holly from his mother and take him to Oregon, Lucille always needs money. Phillips Is out there, Tony, Do you remember my Cousin Phil? Weil, I started bim out ther ten years ago; sold my first automo- bile to help him out of a bad scr 9. He says there is room for ma; work that will support any man who doesn’t want too much, They ratse square miles of fruit, IT only wish It was the other side of the world!” The limousine swung to tho left, Jarring a network of car tra turning down to . Elste nestled her hand into her husband's, divining his pain, “Nis medicine, thi Masterson , casually, “One thing, I'm not making @ gutter exit! You would not belleve what they pay me for my bit of college theatrical work, [ did it at first on @ bet, after a supper party [ gave to celebrate my fre dom: f think ft must annoy Lucille considerably, [t suits me; and there isn't any other way I could earn so quickly what [ ne The automobti d. Here we are.” had stopped, and the cLautteur threw open the door, ferry “The boat is just ho stated " ployer dismissed Mrs. Adrlance, you bad better stay In here until the boat docks; It is cold, to-night, Tony and I will go buy the tlekets.” “You might say Elsle, answered gently. "Y¢ always good friends.” “You are goof to sa, coming still,” abe know we were #0 now,” ho returned, ‘Phank you The two men did not buy the tickets; instead, they walked side by sida across the rough, cobblestone square in front of the ferry house, Adriance was pale, but steadily set of face and dotermination to have done, here and now with all deceit. “Fred, I've got to clear things be- us,’ forced the distasteful peech. “Before | met my wife, I did seo a great deal of Mra Masterson, You spoke a while ago of believing pensible fo her wanting a Once I might have done such a thing--I do not know, But, I did not. 1 went away, im order that I should not.” The other nodded, almost equally embarrassed by tho difficult avowal. “That's all right, Tony. | under- stand, But don't blame ime too much for my mistake, Do you know who paid all the expenses of the case, whose influence kept it out of the newspapers as much as possible—la short, who managed the Whole cain. puign?§ Except about Holly; that was a woman's trick! Do you know?" “Why, no How should 1?" The boat was in the slip; across the clank of unwinding chains, the fall of gangwayes and tread of men and 4, Masterson’ reply came: Your fath The amazing statement stunned Adriance beyond the possibility of re- ply. No outery, no denial of complie- ity could have been so convincing as the utter stupefaction of the reward he fixed upon bis friend, What had the senior Adriance to do with this af- fulr? What bad he to do with Lucille Masterson “Lt ts Masterson answered hig doubt, “Now you know why I did not believe you Were married, antil [ your wife, this morning. And,” he hesitated, “that 1s why, when I did understand, 1 brought you to see me to-night. I could not say so before Mrs. Adriance, but evidently your father {x not pleased with your mar- riage, since you're living like a lab- over, across the river, Make no mi take, Tony; your father never in his life did anything without reason. If he got Lucille her divorce, why, he knows you admired ber, once, And he always liked ber, himself, Bup- bose he Ligured that if she were free, you might wish to become so? Why now? © all know couples where both parties have been divorced and married several times, and no one says a word againgt them,” he recoil that shook Adriance was strong Physical sickness, Like a woman, was glad of the darkness, Divorce between Kisie and himself? could have Jaugava at the coarse absurdity of the idea, if it had not been for bis disgust and desire to get away from the subject, “We abail iniss (he boat,” he said curtly, “hank you, Fred, but that ie all nonsense, The truth of matter is that you are sick—aad no wonder! Come, man, pull it up and you'll get past ai this, Why, you are only twenty-eight; start over again here! Drop everything and come home with else and me for a while, You saw bow we live; it isn't muoh, perhaps, but you would gut back your health, And we oan Mrs, Masterson to let you have iy part of the time, at least.” “I gaw the way you live,” Master- son repeated, “Yes. And you see the way I live. ['m no preacher, but measure them up and choose if ever ou feel discontented, Tony, As for ing me home, neither of us eould stand it. | drink all day to keep my- if merry enough to stand that res- taurant, and take morphine at night to keep myself asicep, No, we will not talk that way about it, [ must put this through in my own way, and then leave this part of the qarth, I can drop all this at onee when I am ady. Lam no weakling physically.’ The two walked back to the our Just before they reached it, Masterson closed the discussion, 2 “Think over what I've told you. You can't love your wife any more than [ did Lucille.” My iveréd in the damp alr, drawing bis fur-lined coat closer about him. “I couldn't keep her, though | tried hard, at first, Wish you better luck.” It was 3 o'clock in the morning when Adriance sipped his key inte the clumsy old lock of his house door, while Elsie perched herself on rall- ing of the porch. Within they his dog barking boisterous weloome. “Up to work at 7,” be commented, as the clock struck simultaneously with the opening of the door, But there was no complaint in hig tone. He threw bis arm around Elsie and drew | across the threshold with uw deep vivath of relief. “Let me light the lamp,” #he of- fered. il Hgbt it." He held hor closer. “Wait a moment; the hearth gives a giow eough. 1 have been ir it should be a boy, I would to call our son after that jolly old ancestor of yours: the blaeck-sloop man, Martin Gaives, Not Anthony © brevity of the answer silenced She gave her consent more delt- cately than in words. But still Adri- ance did not move toward the lamp, or reease his companion, “Eine, you are bappy, aren't you?” “More than happy, “Lt ever you are not, If you want anything you have not got, tell me, You know | am not going lo keep you in this poor place always, or let you work tor me; | am working toward better things for you, now, I have not told you, yet—l was promoted to 4 uew position to-day, I bave work Inside the factory, and some indl- viduality, Lam no longer just one of a troup of chaufteurs, And, of course, this is only @ beginning. It ts» all for you, everything, will you remember? If ever—I'm often stupid and, well, a man!—{f ever you find me lacking, you will tell me, won't you?” She clasped her hands over the hand that held her. This ending the day of doubt and anxtety cl her round with a hush of deep con- tent. She wanted to cry out ber love and bappiness and fraticud for bis tenderness, to exalt him above hersalf. But with a new wisdom, she did pot. Where he had placed her, she stood, CHAPTER X. The Guitar of Alenya of the Sea. HAT one day, in @ mood ef fierco impatience, had o seized upon Anthony Ad. driance and hurried him through a range of feeling and experience such as Time usually brings in lelsurely sequence, spaced apart, From Elsie’s confidence in the morning, with ite moving love and pride and awe he in nowise was afraid to name holy, he had gone to the spectacle of his friend's degradation in the tawdry restaurant. And as a completion, he had been confronted with the new and ugly vision of @ father he could not honor, Ho always had ted his father very sincerely, and felt more affec- tion for him than either of them ever realized. He bad admired the success of the elder Adriance, and secretly regretted that he was not allowed to work with him or share it exeept by spending its proceeds. His ofa reconciilation had not been all mer~ cenary. Now all that was thrown down, ap image overturned and shat~ tered. He saw only a selfish, norrow-mind- ed man, eming to divorce @ pretty woman from her husband tn order that she might be free to come be- tween his son and the unwelcome wife he had taken, For, of course, Elate was fudged by the servant's position she bad held; there was no one to tell of her featie birth and breeding. Anthony bed undereincd this, and had looked ori eager anticipation to enlightening his father some day when bis other plane were quite ready. (To Be Continued.) ry