irm
mouth. What at once attracted attention was his hair which was dark
and unusually thick and bushy and a peculiar characteristic was a
solitary white lock in the center of his forehead. Such a phenomenon
of the capillary glands was not uncommon, but as a rule, the white hair
is on the side of or at the back of the head. In Kenneth's case, it
was the very center of the forehead and imparted to his face an
individuality quite its own.

When on leaving college, he had been forced, like other young men, to
choose a career, he was unable to decide what he wanted to do. Doctor,
lawyer, architect, author--none of these suited his nervous, restless
temperament. He craved a more exciting life, and at one time thought
seriously of entering the army with the hope of seeing active service
in the Philippines. But Aguinaldo's surrender put a quietus on this
project, and he entered a broker's office in Wall Street Here, in the
maelstrom of frenzied finance, his pent up energies found an outlet.
He went into the stock gambling game with the feverish energy of a born
gambler. Months of excitement followed, luck being usually with him.
He was successful. He doubled and tripled his capital, after which he
had good sense enough to stop, withdrawing from the fray before the
tide turned. But he could not give up the life entirely. The business
of stock promotion was the next best substitute. It was about that
time he met the woman he married.

It had been an ideal union in every way, but even Helen herself could
not have guessed that day now three years ago when she left the church
a bride, how completely, how entirely this man whose sterling
qualities, good nature and charm of manner had won her heart, would
take complete possession of her, body and soul. Instead of the romance
flickering out after the first sudden blaze of fierce passion, as it
usually does after the first few months of married life, on her side,
at least, the flame had gathered in strength until now it was the one
compelling, all absorbing interest in her life.

She recalled how they had first met. It was in the Winter time. She
was skating in Central Park. A thaw had set in and the ice was
dangerous. Suddenly there was an ominous crack, and the crowd scurried
out of harm's way, all but one child, a little nine year old girl who,
in her eagerness to escape, stumbled and fell. The next instant she
was in the water, disappearing under the ice. Just a