Part 29 (1/2)

Grant was laughing, with a choke in his throat ”Josh,” said he, ”you're either”Grant, we're wasting time Walter!” That last in a stentorian shout

The valet appeared ”Yes, Mr Craig”

”Pack your friend Grant, here, for two days in New York He's going to-night and--I guess you'd better coesture of mock despair ”Do as he says, Walter He's the boss”

”Now you're talking sense,” said Craig ”Sos for this--or sit, as you please”

On their way out Josh fished from the darkness under the front stairs a tattered and battered suitcase and handed it to Walter ”It's iven up my rooms at the Wyandotte

They stored an old trunkful or so for me, and I've sent my books to the office”

”Look here, Josh,” said Grant, when they were under way; ”does Margaret know you're co?” repeated Joshua aret know her own et it here's a list I wrote out against a la for you to cos I must have, so far as I know The frills and froth you know about--I don't”

CHAPTER XVIII

PEACE AT ANY PRICE

Miss Severance, stepping out of a Waldorf elevator at the asped

Before her, serene and s None of the suits he had bought at seven that ht for iy at knees and elbows and liberally bestreith lint Her glance fell from his mussy collar to his backwoodsman's hands, to his feet, so cheaply and shabbily shod; the shoes looked the worse for the elaborate gloss the ferry bootblack had put upon them She advanced because she could not retreat; but never had she been so repelled

She had coet away fro hiain,” she had said to herself But--Joshua Craig's was not the sort of personality that can be banished by an edict of will She could think angrily of hily--but think she must And think she did She told herself she despised hi protest or denial from anywhere within her She said she was done with him forever, and well done; her own answer to herself there was, that while she was probably the better off for having got out of the engagement, still itout hter at her Her cheeks burned as her soul flaar boor!” she raced, and so unjustly? What had the Gods against her, that they had thus abased her? How Washi+ngton would jeer! How her friends would sneer! What hope was there now of her ever getting a husband? She would be an object of pity and of scorn It would take e than any of the men of her set had, to marry a woman rejected by such a creature--and in such circuht him Now, he'll tell everybody that he had to break it off--that HE broke it off!”

She ground her teeth; she clenched her hands; she wept and ; she hated the whole world; she loathed herself And all the time she had to keep up appearances--for she had not dared tell her grande as an event of the not rerand would happen to reveal the truth without her telling HOPE that so would happen? No, fear She did not dare look at the newspapers But, whatever her reason, it was not any idea that possibly the engageht be resuht she, ”I a htmare to another The peace of desolation is better than that torture of doubt and repulsion Whatever was I thinking of to engageainst ot thehts had boiled and bubbled on and on, like a geyser ever struggling for outlet and ever falling vainly back upon itself

Now--here he was, greeting her at the elevator car, s had happened She did not deign even to stare at hi without seeing any especial object, she walked straight on ”I' up and down there by the elevators about twenty minutes”

She e-caller:

”A cab, please--no, a hanso pushed aside the carriage ainst her elbow and side--so powerful that she fell into the seat, knocking her hat awry and loosening her veil fro down distressfully across her eyes and nose ”Drive up Fifth Avenue to the Park,” said Craig, seating himself beside her ”Now, please don't cry,”

he said to her

”Cry?” she exclai eyes blazed at hiht they were full of tears”

”If you are a gentleman you will leave this hansom at once”