Show on su such i ch A a night in in spring by RUPERT ROLLAND aj ORTON dinin dining galone alone at the little restaurant on his first night in new york fork after five years of mander ing remembered how bow often joe stia ney and he had sat at that very table on spring evenings and talked of romance and now norton had had his five years of strange countries and joe stickney bad married a brunette with long lashed violet e yes eyes lie ile would like to know what had happened to joe and his helen 8 so dol shing dinner norton korton sought out a telephone booth ile he found the beime mme and the number and a woman s answered his call this Is roger norton he be said mrs stickney joe and I 1 used to be damon and pythias five years ago im lonely ln in chis this big city may I 1 come up tonight please do mr air norton came the answer ive often heard joe speak of you A maid let him in at the apartment and showed him into a drawing room pleasantly illuminated by a single rose shaded lamp A slim dark haired woman with long lashed eyes held out hr her hand joe at home she said but im expecting him soon he jaent went back to his law office right after wed finished dinner 1 I hope he often do that said norton he works pretty hard poor boy but I 1 know hed want to eee you shall Shab we sit by this open window the airs so fresh tonight glit youve been away five years what Wha have you leen been doing 11 nothing so interesting as what joe has norton answered taking the chair slie she drew forward we both vowed five years ago that wed capture romance joe found it it but I 1 well Its always allays just over the next hill for roe ine joe was the sensible fellow a happy marriage yes the long lashes hid the violet eyes that were looking cit pt at the night sky norton caught the question in the low olce and wondered was joe like so many other men had he won this exquisite creature only to give her bodily comforts and spend all his hours working at his career on such a night in spring to be slaving nit at his office quickly he appraised the sl sit t bation money yes it was evident in the room in that simple gown dut but romance fled out of the window youre an idealist arent you it was the woman who was speaking yes I 1 am lie be answered defiantly we both were five fire years ago and Is the reason tot that you are still to be found in the tact fact that your romance Is always just over the next nest hill bill lie ile flushed she was looking at him and her eyes held his bis fascinated 1 I dont belle believe e it he said 1 I believe rd id still keep my ideals keep keel them more than ever affer id found what joe has 1 I talking of joe she reminded him with a little halt half lau laugh b 1 I know joe ery well vell even better belter perhaps than you yon do again ie angat that little note that hidu blok un oa der that piqued un nal d ins si rl aises lie ile looked d down n ut at ow alip ali allm hond that lav upon the chair arin gloo toni old ice foe he said 1 11 I ann pose a man does change and life lit in new york Is ig such a struggle but you vou have everything before you youre still free and unfettered yes what the bachelor says and yet when I 1 come back from my wanderings like ulysses having avoid ed the pitfalls I 1 find myself dreadfully lonely I 1 thought at dinner tonight that was a high price to pay poor roger norton she murmured vis best friend caught by the sirens there was mockery in her voice but something also that set get hla his pulses beating ng he looked at the lovely profile now cow turned again to the mrs etan it of the spring night and suddenly he be forgot himself 1 I wm wish id been caught instead he said bald td never have struggled loose i shi she faced him for a second her eyes startled then misty Por forgive give me he muttered you the night something has turned my head mine allne too im afraid the she said however and she brushed her ber hand across her gown as it if to wipe something away what do you mean he be demanded youre youre not lonely too in the balence that followed his question there came the sound of a key in a distant lock then steps in the hall norton got to his feet still fascinated lie gazed at the lovely dark head turned away from him someone came into the room well b by Y jovel cried the cheery voice of T toe oe stickney 1 I declare if it roger norton as large as eifel norton wheeled 1 i hla his face aflame mechanically be took the oie band that stickney held out to him my word but rm im glad to see you declared stickney sorry thit that helen Is away on a visit but I 1 gness my little sister ln in law ha ba you pretty comfortable sister in law I 1 echoed norton glancing gl at the girl by the window the young woman stood up tra afraid I 1 made mr Nor norton tonio so very comfortable she said ald avoiding that mans man s eyes something got into me ine tonight I 1 suppose its that old preng fever ever roger norton smiled tita im glad I 1 d along when I 1 did he be said bald spring fevers so much jollier wh when on ts ta reared ared with somebody tome body |