The Highflyers

more work for him that day. With the letter in his hands he left his drawing-board and went into his tiny office

cture her as she sat at her desk with the smolder of rage in her eyes. They two were in perfect sympathy, matching daring with daring, rashness with rashness, unrest with unrest. Both were driven by spirits that scorned repose, and a hunger for untrammeled fr

garding her he had reached an ultimate conclusion. As he sat with her letter in his hands he knew it was a conclusion from which he would never waver; that a thing had happened to him which was final; that something within him had taken a stand from which there could be no recession. This conclusion was that Hildegarde von Essen was the woman produced by the

his. The mark of his every finger was on her arm, she said.... Well, he would never do it again. Potter wanted to go to the man and batter him

thing he so burningly desired.... Suddenly he leaped to his feet, his eyes shining, his soul uplifted with sudden joy. He would marry her; he would take her for his own. That was a solution of all their problems.... In it he neg

do when he had helped Hildegarde to escape from her father's house. His common-sense told him that such escapades were looked upon askance by a staid and plodding world; his innate chivalry and decency and sportsmanship-and a solicitude for Hildegarde born of his love for her-impressed it upon him th

er: "I'll be home fairly early-probably before eleven. I wonder i

zed, for it was the first request of this ch

It was said of Potter that he was never late for anything and usually was a little ahead of time-and it was natural that he should be. He could not bear inaction, especially if some event were promised. He ha

ver on the time that must elapse. For several blocks he drove at a snail's pace, then he turned again and sped back over the icy pavement at a dangerous speed.

tions. But he did not follow; instead he applied the brakes savagely, skidded perilously, and headed in the other direction. It was bitterly cold, but he was hardly conscious of it; was conscio

and those dim. The place was quieting down for the night; servants would be in bed, o

fully he looked in either direction; no pedestrians were visible; the street was clear save for a distant automobile approaching from the city. He hesitated a second, then stepped from the walk into the sheltering shrubbery. With caution he dodged from dark spot to d

t behind a snow-shrouded bush and scrutinized it, rising cautiously to his feet and standing for an instant exposed to view. If Hi

whispered

," he

ly, holding out something black and bu

red how he was to get her down from her room, she climbed upon

d, with incautiou

uld be no waiting for her, no caution. She loosed her hold and droppe

?" he

said, "of

st across the street," he said, an

rubbery, the dark figure of a man arose, almost from under their feet, and scu

er burst out, angrily.

said Hildegar

e sneak into the grounds, and sneaked afte

er's house, but she held her peace. It was a thing shameful to her and one she would keep locked in the secret places of her heart. It strengthened her courag

d Hildegarde into his car. He pressed the starter button and th

going?" Hild

occurred to him that what he had to say presented some difficu

me the diminutive of her name, "you and

deed," s

ing at a thundering lot of parties and dances and that so

ve written that note

She must think well of him, must have a certain confi

ing me?" she asked

don't know if you've ever thought about me that way, but I've been bursting with you.... Yesterday morning when you came into the hangar I-I came pretty close to taking you into my arms rig

?" Hildegarde

out after the license and a minister. I can get the license fixed up

anything to

at aghast. He had

said, eagerly. "I love yo

m exceedingly, but she had not thought further than that. She had regarded him more in the light of an adventure; of an exciting pal, perhaps.... Now she regarded him from a far different point of view. He was asking her to marry him-to turn her running away from home into an e

confidence that he would be good to her, gentle with her, chivalrous toward her.... He was rich. That was but a passing thought, but it was present. He was handsome, a husband to exhibit with pride.... And marriage with him would solve

angry?"

she

Will you marry

she r

th the other he crushed her to him, panting

her; it was reality, yet, somehow, she was no

insisted. "Let m

Everything is so-so confuse

f.... But you've got to love me," he said, with

f protection in them, she was conscious of a pleasant contentment, of something more, perhaps. She looked up into Potter's face and smiled, nor did she avert her head as he pressed his li

omised. When Potter and Hildegarde entered the room

ng to be married to-night-here. That's why I asked you to sit u

older woman stepped forward and took the girl in her arms as her own mo

ored the emotions that moved within him. She sympathized with her son, loved her son.... And she knew, as she watc

ng Hildegarde at arm's-len

e sympathetic eyes, and spoke ho

knows you have carried he

"Nobody in the

ou will be very dear to me-if you really want to be my daughter when you have had time to consider.... But you haven't. You're marrying Potter because there seems to be no other way out of it.... That is bad, for him and for you.... I hope you can come t

way from my father," Hild

tage.... You're not being a good sportsman now. You're cheating-cheating Garde, cheating yourself, cheating Mr. von Essen.... If you married Garde in this way it would be a story to follow her for years. It would be twisted, falsely told, garbled. You would both know bitter regret over it

refuse," s

rtant of all, son, Garde must be given time to know her mind. To-night she doesn't love you. She has been honest enough to say so.... I know th

, mo

y a girl who do

unhappy, disturbed.

Is it right to marry

eyes evasively.... He understood. His mother was right, and

ome again. You

see that you can't stay here.... It is impossible for you to go anywhere else.... It wo

.." She could not finish. She stopped, too proud to beg, feeling her utter helplessness.... There was no place to go i

ood night, dear?" Mr

ed by Potter. She would not allow him to help her into th

to her apron-strings.... If I'm willing to marry you, that's my aff

y. "Mother was right.

not bring herself to declare a love she did not feel. Indeed, at the moment, she bel

o marry me?"

ther for you, and if he won't give you to me I

word?" Her voice

ded mi

out to open the door. Suddenly she turned on him, blazing with white fury. "You coward!"

ted her little hand and struck him across the mouth; then, sobb

he remained without motion; then slowly, very slowly, h