The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1897-01-25
JOHN INGERFIELD- Continue.

eyes so intent upon her work.
How the impulse came to him, where
he-grave, sober, business man john
learned such story book ways, can never
be known, but i'll one instant he is down
on both knees, smothering the houry
hand with kisses, and the next moment
Anne's arms are round his neck and
her lips against his, and the barrier be-
tween them is swept away, and the deep
waters Of their love rush together.
With that kiss they enter new life
where into one may not follow them.
One thinks it must have been life
made strangely beautiful by self forget
fulness, strangely sweet by mutual de-
votion-a life too ideal perhaps to have
remained for long undimmed by the
mists of earth.
They who remember them at that
time speak of them in hushed tones, as
one speaks Of visions. 1t would almost
seem as though from their faces in those
days, there shone a radiance, as though
! in their voices dwelt tenderness be-
yond the tenderness of man.
They seem never to rest, never to
weary. Day and night. through that lit
tie stricken world, they come and go,
bearing healing and peace, till at last
the plague, like some gorged beast of
prey, shrinks slowly back toward its lair
and men raise their heads and breathe.
One afternoon, returning from a some
what longer round than usual, John
feels WEAKNESS creeping into his
limbs, and quickens his step, eager tc
reach home and rest. Anne, who has
been up all the previous night, is asleep,
and not wishing to disturb her, he goes
into the dining room and sits down in
the easy chair before the fire. The room
seems cold. He stirs the logs, but they
give out no greater heat. He draws his
chair right in front of them and sits
leaning over them with his feet on the
hearth and his hands outstretched to-
ward the blaze, yet he still shivers.
Twilight fills the room and deepens
into dusk. He wonders listlessly how it
it that time seems to be moving with
such swift strides After awhile he hears
voices close to him, speaking in slow.
monotonous tone-a voice curiously IA
miliar to him, though he cannot tell to
whom it belongs. He does not turn his
head, but sits listening to it drowsily.
1t is talking about tallow-194 casks of
tallow, and they must all stand one in
side the other. 1t cannot be done, the
voice complains pathetically. They will
not go inside each other. 1t is no good
pushing them. See! They only roll out
again.
The voice grows YEARLY fretful Oh,
why do they persist when they see it is
impossible? What fools they all are
Suddenly he recollects the voice and
starts up and stares wildly about him,
trying to remember where he is. With
a fierce straining of his will he grips the
brain that is slipping away from him
and holds it. As soon as he feels sure OF
/ himself he steals out of the room and
down the stairs.
, In the hall he stands listening The
house is very silent. He goes to tn,
head of the stairs leading to the kitchen
and calls softly,to the old housekeeper
and she comes up to him, painting ant
grunting as she climbs each step. Keep
ing some distance from her, he asks in q
whisper where Anne is. The woman
, answers that she is in the hospital
"Tell her l have been called away
suddenly on business" he says, speak
ing in quick, low tones 81 shall bt
away for some days. Tell her to leave
here and return home Immediately
5 They can do without her here now. Tel
5 her to go back home at once. viii
, join her there"
He moves toward the door, but stop,
, and faces round again.
'Tell her 1 beg and entreat her no
to stop in this place an hour longer
There is nothing to keep her now. 1t il
D all over. There is nothing that canno
S be done by any one. Tell her she mus
a go home-this very night. Tell her i
S she loves me to leave this place a
a once. "
The woman, little bewildered b,
!, his vehemence, promises, and disappear
. down the stairs He takes his hat ant
cloak from the chair on which he hat
o thrown them, and turns once more t.
o cross the hall. AS he does so the doc
a opens and Anne enters.
s He darts back into the shadow
6 squeezing himself against the wall
!. Anne calls to him laughingly; then, a
: he does not answer, with frightened
y accent:
. "John, John, dear. Was not tina
o you? Are not you there?"
o He holds his breath and croucbes still
O closer into the dark corner, and Anne
S thinking she must have been mistaken
in the dim light, passes him and goe
6 up stairs.
Then he creeps stealthily to the door
81 lets himself out and closes it softly be
q hind him.
). After the lapse of few minutes tn
o old housekeeper plods upstairs and de
O livers Johns message. Anne. finding
o altogether incomprehensible subject
g the poor dame to severe examination
. but fails to elicit anything further
: "What is the meaning of it? Wha
" business can have compelled John