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Harold Ford been a hero, a
knight of chivalry, he would not
have Stopped in his quest until he
had found the source of those two
tears; he was, however, only a
very busy man of today. Not that
the two are altogether incompat
ible, but that the combination is
rare, and Harold did not happen
to be both in the fullest sense;
furthermore, he was deeply ab
sorbed in an immediate practical
affair. It was striking eleven,
and time for him to leave her.
"Though he said no more, and his
good-night Salutation lacked
nothing outwardly, there was a
"mental reservation which, to the
psychic sense of Helen, robbed it
of its fullest bliss.
"Six o'clock tomorrow, dear,"
he" repeated, as lie went out the
'door. "Six" o'clock tomorrow,"
she answered.
Did her voice quiver, or was it
fancy? He was conscious of say
ing to himself, as hepassed ddwn
the steps : "Are all women alike,
I wonden after all-ptears " and
moods?"
The following afternoon, in the
gathering dusk, he mounted the
steps again. His attitude had
changed. The stress and irrita
tion of an absorbing effort had
given plaice to a buoyant reaction.
He had won his caseand won it
in 50 brilliant a way that the tri
umph vf&s the smallest part of his
self-cohgratulation. Even the
judge had said words to make a
young lawyer's heart take cour
age. But what were the words,
what were the triumph, what was
anythingr until he had shared it
with Helen? .He could see her in
the gathering dusk, as he waited,
her eyes glistening delight 1 He
could hear her vibrant "Harold 1"
Poor child, had he been harsh last
night? Ah, no, only impatient
for a moment and frank to
make her the utmost that she was
capable of heing. If he had unin
tentionally hurt her, he knew 'a
potent balm to heal with, to make
her rejoice. Why was the ser
vant so eternally slow in opening
the door? How long they were
making him wait! He rang again.
"Tell Miss Fairfax lam here."
"Yes, sir." The servant stood
silent and awkward.
Harold wanted to quicken him
with a shove; what was the mat
ter with the fellow.? He walked
into the library; the' light was
burnipg low; the servant follow
ed him, and closed the door with
an air of mystery' that gave Har
old a mingled shock of im
patience and df fear.
"I was to give you this, sir,
when you came," and" the man
held out a letter.
"Is Miss Fairfax not at home?"
"She is at home, sir." ,.
"Then tell her at once 'that I
am here."
"Yes, sir."
Harold was alone with his let
ter; he opened it and read:
It is midnight, you have gone,
and yet it seems as though you
are, still here so close tp me that
I can see your eyes and feel your
touch Harold. Forgive me that
I was not more as I should have
been this evening, but I was a
CQward- Dear, I have not been
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