The Day of Days

, then doubled on his trail, going softly until a swift and stealthy survey westward from the corner of Thirty-eighth Street assured

clock; at six, sharp, Blessington's would close its doors. Distressed, he scurried on, crossed Thirty-fourth Street, aimed himself courageously for the wide entr

lushing in recognition of circumsta

women, one bold, disdainful brunette was preoccupied with her back hair and prepared mutinously to ignore anything remotely resembling a belated customer whose demands might busy her beyond the closing hour

intimate lingerie, belaced and beribboned distractingly, on the other by a long rank of slender and gracious (if stolid) feminine limbs, one and all neatly amputated above their bende

d and tore through that aisle like a delicate-minded jack-rabbit. He thought giggles were audible in his wake

ded this menace incarnate, in an awful

nd his eyes held in fascination to the imitation pearl scar

he gasped

y, if yo

oted him gently but ruthlessly back the way he had come, back to the glove counter, where he was planted

gentleman wants to

sly; as plain as print, they said: "D

om an incalculable dis

er the customer's head, sh

the less haunted by a feeling that a suspicious eye was being kept

ddess shaped

urs', I

the deadly coolness of the cornered r

venly-"ladies',

mpaled the back of her

please," she announced. "I

g; and presented himself for the inspection of the fair young wom

surprise, but none the l

r. Syba

e gulped; stammered "Miss Lessing!" and was s

anything

d in panic

dy, Mr. S

xpressively as

t ki

don't

or even

ismal head: "

at he thought of the sea at dawn, rimpled by the mor

u must!" s

nded in stubbo

ou wish to ma

" he admitted und

ys acceptable. Does she

n't k

rplexed frown knitted the

is she old

couldn

aid the young wom

to hers-which inclined to disa

Miss L

lly want to

-o.

nder the sun

s hazel brown they were, wide open and clear beneath dark and delicate brows; eyes that assorted

ound himself

oesn't matter-and pretend you believe I want to buy 'em. I don

to resent it. She turned to the shelves behind her, to

nice," she sug

ly. "What I want to say is-will you

derstand you," she sai

ebody-a friend-sent me a box for 'Kismet.' I thought-possib

eld up another

," she said absently. "Why

ht make some other enga

sion. In a thought she understood: at their boarding-house he could have found no ready oppo

acquaintances of a few weeks' standing. It was most p

civility and deference than all the rest of the boarding-house and shop people put together. And she ra

lips soften

f you to think

will come?" he c

l be ve

," he said huskily. "Now, do plea

the girl recovere

d but clear enough to carry to the ears of her inquisitive co-labourers. "W

said P. Sybarite with

effect altogether by lifting his hat