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〃I　answered　you　that；〃　she　whispered；　〃when　I　told

you　I　loved　you。〃　　She　leaned　away；　and　looked　thought…

fully　at　him。　　〃If　I　had　not　told　you　about　myself；　would

you　have　　would　you　　〃



〃No；〃　he　interrupted；　〃I　would　never　have　let　you

know　I　loved　you。　　I　would　never　have　asked　you　this

　Norah；　will　you　be　my　wife？〃



She　wept　again。



〃Oh；　believe　me；　I　am　good　now　　I　am　no　longer

wicked！　　I　will　be　the　best　wife　in　the　world。　　Don't

think　I　am　　bad　any　more。　　If　you　do　I　shall　die；　I

shall　die！〃



While　he　was　consoling；　her；　she　brightened　up；　eager

and　impetuous。　　〃Will　vou　marry　me　to…night？〃　　she

said。　　〃Will　you　prove　it　that　way。　　I　have　a　reason　for

wishing　it　to　be　to…night。　　Will　you？〃



Of　one　of　two　things　was　this　exceeding　frankness　the

outcome：　either　of　importunate　brazenness　or　of　utter

innocence。　　The　lover's　perspective　contained　only　the

one。



〃The　sooner；〃　said　Lorison；　〃the　happier　I　shall　be。〃



〃What　is　there　to　do？〃　　she　asked。　　〃What　do　you

have　to　get？　　Come！　　You　should　know。〃



Her　energy　stirred　the　dreamer　to　action。



〃A　city　directory　first；〃　he　cried；　gayly；　〃to　find　where

the　man　lives　who　gives　licenses　to　happiness。　　We　will

go　together　and　rout　him　out。　　Cabs；　cars；　policemen；

telephones　and　ministers　shall　aid　us。〃



〃Father　Rogan　shall　marry　us；〃　said　the　girl；　with

ardour。　　〃I　will　take　you　to　him。〃



An　hour　later　the　two　stood　at　the　open　doorway　of　an

immense；　gloomy　brick　building　in　a　narrow　and　lonely

street。　　The　license　was　tight　in　Norah's　hand。



〃Wait　here　a　moment；〃　she　said；　〃till　I　find　Father

Rogan。〃



She　plunged　into　the　black　hallway；　and　the　lover　was

left　standing；　as　it　were；　on　one　leg；　outside。　　His　impa…

tience　was　not　greatly　taxed。　　Gazing　curiously　into

what　seemed　the　hallway　to　Erebus；　he　was　presently

reassured　by　a　stream　of　light　that　bisected　the　darkness；

far　down　the　passage。　　Then　he　heard　her　call；　and

fluttered　lampward；　like　the　moth。　　She　beckoned　him

through　a　doorway　into　the　room　whence　emanated　the

light。　　The　room　was　bare　of　nearly　everything　except

books；　which　had　subjugated　all　its　space。　　Here　and

there　little　spots　of　territory　had　been　reconquered。　　An

elderly；　bald　man；　with　a　superlatively　calm；　remote　eye；

stood　by　a　table　with　a　book　in　his　hand；　his　finger　still

marking　a　page。　　His　dress　was　sombre　and　appertained

to　a　religious　order。　　His　eye　denoted　an　acquaintance

with　the　perspective。



〃Father　Rogan；〃　said　Norah；　〃this　is　he。〃



〃The　two　of　ye；〃　said　Father　Rogan；　〃want　to　get

married？〃



They　did　not　deny　it。　　He　married　them。　　The　cere…

mony　was　quickly　done。　　One　who　could　have　witnessed

it；　and　felt　its　scope；　might　have　trembled　at　the　terrible

inadequacy　of　it　to　rise　to　the　dignity　of　its　endless　chain

of　results。



Afterward　the　priest　spake　briefly；　as　if　by　rote；　of

certain　other　civil　and　legal　addenda　that　either　might　or

should；　at　a　later　time；　cap　the　ceremony。　　Lorison

tendered　a　fee；　which　was　declined；　and　before　the　door

closed　after　the　departing　couple　Father　Rogan's　book

popped　open　again　where　his　finger　marked　it。



In　the　dark　hall　Norah　whirled　and　clung　to　her　com…

panion；　tearful。



〃Will　you　never；　never　be　sorry？〃



At　last　she　was　reassured。



At　the　first　light　they　reached　upon　the　street；　she　asked

the　time；　just　as　she　had　each　night。　　Lorison　looked　at

his　watch。　　Half…past　eight。



Lorison　thought　it　was　from　habit　that　she　guided　their

steps　toward　the　corner　where　they　always　parted。　　But；

arrived　there；　she　hesitated；　and　then　released　his　arm。

A　drug　store　stood　on　the　corner；　its　bright；　soft　light

shone　upon　them。



〃Please　leave　me　here　as　usual　to…night；〃　said　Norah；

sweetly。　　〃I　must　　I　would　rather　you　would。　　You

will　not　object？　　At　six　to…morrow　evening　I　will　meet

you　at　Antonio's。　　I　want　to　sit　with　vou　there　once　more。

And　then　　I　will　go　where　you　say。〃　　She　gave　him　a

bewildering；　bright　smile；　and　walked　swiftly　away。



Surely　it　needed　all　the　strength　of　her　charm　to　carry

off　this　astounding　behaviour。　　It　was　no　discredit　to

Lorison's　strength　of　mind　that　his　head　began　to　whirl。

Pocketing　his　hands；　he　rambled　vacuously　over　to　the

druggist's　windows；　and　began　assiduously　to　spell　over

the　names　of　the　patent　medicines　therein　displayed。



As　soon　as　be　had　recovered　his　wits；　he　proceeded

along　the　street　in　an　aimless　fashion。　　After　drifting　for

two　or　three　squares；　he　flowed　into　a　somewhat　more

pretentious　thoroughfare；　a　way　much　frequented　by　him

in　his　solitary　ramblings。　　For　here　was　a　row　of　slops

devoted　to　traffic　in　goods　of　the　widest　range　of　choice　

handiworks　of　art；　skill　and　fancy；　products　of　nature

and　labour　from　every　zone。



Here；　for　a　time；　he　loitered　among　the　conspicuous

windows；　where　was　set；　emphasized　bv　congested　floods

of　light；　the　cunningest　spoil　of　the　interiors。　　There

were　few　passers；　and　of　this　Lorison　was　glad。　　He　was

not　of　the　world。　　For　a　long　time　he　had　touched　his

fellow　man　only　at　the　gear　of　a　levelled　cog…wheel　　at

right　angles；　and　upon　a　different　axis。　　He　had　dropped

into　a　distinctly　new　orbit。　　The　stroke　of　ill　fortune　had

acted　upon　him；　in　effect；　as　a　blow　delivered　upon　the

apex　of　a　certain　ingenious　toy；　the　musical　top；　which…

when　thus　buffeted　while　spinning；　gives　forth；　with

scarcely　retarded　motion；　a　complete　change　of　key　and

chord。



Strolling　along　the　pacific　avenue；　he　experienced

singular；　supernatural　calm；　accompanied　by　an　unusual　a

activity　of　brain。　　Reflecting　upon　recent　affairs；　be

assured　himself　of　his　happiness　in　having　won　for　a　bride

the　one　he　had　so　greatly　desired；　yet　he　wondered　mildly

at　his　dearth　of　active　emotion。　　Her　strange　behaviour

in　abandoning　him　without　valid　excuse　on　his　bridal　eve

aroused　in　him　only　a　vague　and　curious　speculation。

Again；　he　found　himself　contemplating；　with　complaisant

serenity；　the　incidents　of　her　somewhat　lively　career。　　His

perspective　seemed　to　have　been　queerly　shifted。



As　he　stood　before　a　window　near　a　corner；　his　ears

were　assailed　by　a　waxing　clamour　and　commotion。　　He

stood　close　to　the　window　to　allow　passage　to　the　cause

of　the　hubbub　　a　procession　of　human　beings；　which

rounded　the　corner　aid　headed　in　his　direction。　　He　

perceived　a　salient　hue　of　blue　and　a　glitter　of　brass　about

a　central　figure　of　dazzling　white　and　silver；　and　a　ragged

wake　of　black；　bobbing　figures。



Two　ponderous　policemen　Were　conducting　between

them　a　woman　dressed　as　if　for　the　stage；　in　a　short；　white；

satiny　skirt　reaching　to　the　knees；　pink　stockings；　and　a

sort　of　sleeveless　bodice　bright　with　relucent；　armour…like

scales。　　Upon　her　curly；　light　hair　was　perched；　at　a

rollicking　angle；　a　shining　tin　helmet。　　The　costume　was

to　be　instantly　recognized　as　one　of　those　amazing　con…

ceptions　to　which　competition　has　harried　the　inventors

of　the　spectacular　ballet。　　One　of　the　officers　bore　a　long

cloak　upon　his　axm；　which；　doubtless；　had　been　intended

to　veil　the　I　candid　attractions　of　their　effulgent　prisoner；

but；　for　some　reason；　it　had　not　been　called　into　use；　to

the　vociferous　delight　of　the　tail　of　the　procession。



Compelled　by　a　sudden　and　vigorous　movement　of　the

woman；　the　parade　halted　before　the　window　by　which

Lorison　stood。　　He　saw　that　she　was　young；　and；　at　the

first　glance；　was　deceived　by　a　sophistical　prettiness　of　her

face；　which　waned　before　a　more　judicious　scrutiny。

Her　look　was　bold　and　reckless；　and　upon　her　countenance；

where　yet　the　contours　of　youth　survived；　were　the　finger…

marks　of　old　age's　credentialed　courier；　Late　Hours。



The　young　woman　fixed　her　unshrinking　gaze　upon

Lorison；　and　called　to　him　in　the　voice　of　the　wronged

heroine　in　straits：



〃Say！　　You　look　like　a　good　fellow；　come　and　put　up

the　bail；　won't　you？　　I've　done　nothing　to　get　pinched

for。　　It's　all　a　mistake。　　See　how　they're　treating　me！

You　won't　be　sorry；　if　you'll　help　me　out　of　this。　　Think

of　your　sister　or　your　girl　being　dragged　along　the　streets

this　way！　　I　say；　come　along　now；　like　a　good　fellow。〃



It　may　be　that　Lorison；　in　spite　of　the　unconvincing

bathos　of　this　appeal；　showed　a　sympathetic　face；　for　one

of　the　officers　left　the　woman's　side；　and　went　over　to

him。



〃It's　all　right；　Sir；〃　he　said；　in　a　husky；　confidential

tone；　〃she's　the　right　party。　　We　took　her　after　the　first

act　at　the　Green　Light　Theatre；　on　a　wire　from　the　chief

of　police　of　Chicago。　　It's　only　a　square　or　two　to　the

station。　　Her　rig's　pretty　bad；　but　she　refused　to　change

clothes　　or；　rather；〃　added　the　officer；　with　a　smile；

〃to　put　on　some。　　I　thought　I'd　explain　matters　to

you　so　you　wouldn't　think　she　was　being　imposed

upon。〃



〃What　is　the　charge？〃　　asked　Lorison。



〃Grand　larceny。　　Diamonds。　　Her　husband　is　a

jeweller　in　Chicago。　　She　cleaned　his　show　case　of　the

sparklers；　and　skipped　with　a　comic…opera　troupe。〃



The　policeman；　perceiving　that　the　interest　of　the　entire

group　of　spectators　was　centred　upon　himself　and　Lorison

　their　conference　being　regarded　as　a　possible　new　com…

plication　　was　fain　to　prolong　the　situation　　which

reflected　his　own　importance　　by　a　little　afterpiece　of

philosophical　comment。



〃A　gentleman　like　you；　Sir；〃　he　went　on　affably；

〃would　never　notice　it；　but　it　comes　in　my　line　to　observe

what　an　immense　amount　of　trouble　is　made　by　that　com…

bination　　I　mean　the　stage；　diamonds　and　light…headed

women　who　aren't　satisfied　with　good　homes。　　I　tell

you；　Sir；　a　man　these　days　and　nights　wants　to　know　what

his　women　folks　are　up　to。〃



The　policeman　smiled　a　good　night；　and　returned　to

the　side　of　his　charge；　who　had　been　intently　watching

Lorison's　face　during　the　conve