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m the banisters, heralds of a joy that never was to be hers. Half an hour later she entered Renti's. And her heart leaped as she saw the well-remembered figure, sol itary at the far table among the lights, in the midst of the gay crowd. And the years that were past seemed like a dream to her. He did not even start when she approached him, threw back her cloak and sat down facing him. "Nina, I dared dream that you would come to me," he said. "I willed it with all my power." "I had to come," answered the girl. "I could not start on the new life after I got your letter without let ting you know " "What?" he asked gravely. "That I loved you in the old days," she answered. "I should not be say ing this, but my marriage is not of love on either side." "And you will go through with it?" "Yes," Bhe answered. He looked at her In approbation. "You never were a quitter, Nina," he answered. They dined together. It was as merry as in the old days, for they re solved to banish all care or resem blance of the present evil from their hearts. And he told her of his suc cess and of his friends; some mar ried, one dead, one traveling abroad. After the meal he lit a cigarette and they sat closer together, heedless of the passage of time. "I 'am glad to have seen you, Nina," he said at length. "We had a good time together. This will re fresh my memory to carry it with me the rest of my days." Shfe looked at him Inquiringly. "Do you mean to say, Jack, that you still care as much as that?" she asked incredulously. He nodded. "But it's all right, my dear," he answered. "The tfme to fight was five years ago. I lost you then I deserved to lose you." She was thinking very hard. The Incredible thought Went through hdr 1 mind that if she stayed here, if she Just stayed with Jack, whom she loved, nothing could ever harm heri nobody would even know. If she stayed " T She glanced at the clock and was horrified to see that it was midnight. She sprang to her feet in alarm. "I must go, Jack," Bhe said. He conducted her gravely from the restaurant. They were the last tft leave. The yawning waiters watched them reproachfully as they went out. The street was brilliant with revolv ing signs. Crowds hurrying from the. theaters blocked them. There cam$ the sound of music from the restau rants arid the voices of the diner&s "It was happy," said Nina wistfully; "Yes," he said. "I shall see you tq your door, Nina." ' She looked at him in alarm. "No!," she said. "I must go softly, Jack. I must steal in. I'can get on a car and then get off in front of the house. He took her hands in his, and at the vory last he lost his self-control "Stay with me, Nina," he whis,: pered. "Stay! You have no one you care for. Be my wife. I can't Io4 you now, Nina. Will you?" The temptation was terrible. Sh fought it down silently before she could answer. . "Only, Jack, I never was a quit ter, as you said," she answered. "It wouldn't be honorable that's all.1; He let her hands go and she turne away. Then a newsboy came racing along the street , "Great fire!" he yelled. "All abou the Suffitt fire!" j The headlines made her reel. Sh snatched a paper from the boy's hand. The Suffitt house was blazing. The fire engines were unable to con trol it. The entire block was threat ened." There was no further word be tween them. She sprang on a car and Jack took his seat beside her. Bui many yards from the house the cars were blocked in the jam. The house was a blazing ruin. Mail nmmmmmm