Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-06-11

dCEOSS inc SoutnEGn IOfIS, turned 10 pink
and pearl Soft thunder muttered among
the westward redOubts: silvery electric
stars prickcd the haze that yelled Valerien;
the river slipped past misty, meadowed
shores untroubled by a keel.
The house on the ramparts was very still;
Bourke sat in his room by the window read.
ing; Hardwood stood at his window looking
out over the valley. Below him, the Pro-
phet, tilted skyward. doomed, ominously
swathed in its canvas winding sheet. The
sentinel stood motionless on the parapet,
head turned toward the haZy hills where
thin column of smoke mounted straight
up into the still sky. Once a little whirl-
wind of bugle music from the Porte Rouge
filled the street; once the wind veered and
the heavy defamation of the cannonade set
the sultry air a-quivsr for a while.
The expectancy of evening brooded over
all. over the massive ramparts, over the
fresh grassy thickets on the glacis, in an
in.perceptible wind that freshened and
cooled the face, yet scarcely stirred a leaf.
Presently there came a clatter of small
sabots on the stairs outside, the discreet
paiter of stockinged feet. a knock happy
whisper. 1t was Red Riding Hood, come
for her evening visit. HARDWOOD kissed her
lstlessly.
You bring twilight with you, little ONE"
he said, turning back her thick black curls
THE scarlet ribbon-it is very becoming
do you know it?"
Monsieur Rourke gave It," said the child
nesting closer to him. Come let US sit
down, will your
HARDWOOD absently drew a chair to the
window; Red Riding Hood leaned against
his shoulder They looked out over the
valley in silence
Il might have been perfect said Red
Riding Hood presently, but Mile Hide
could not give me my lesson today"
HARDWOOD asked without turning. "Why?'
Il do not know" said the child with
little sigh. Hardwood bit his lips; his heart
turned sick with the futile bitterness that
foHowS-eoo late, the knowledge of conse-
quene4s. consequences that spread like rip
pies from d pebble in a troubled pool
Mile. Hide will hear your lesson tomor-
row. he said. looking from the window
tomorrow. repeated the child.
He said nothing more. Perhaps he was
thinking of those endless tomorrows. pass
ing, passing, each one troubled as the
spreading rings in TOol disturb the placid
peace that once reigned there. And he
had cast the stone.
Look at me- said the child
He turned his head, her dark eyes met
his own.
rs it a sadness?'' she asked
Yes. little one
She held his hand moment then let it
drop. He scarcely noticed L. A moment af-
terward he heard the click. click, of her
Ettle sabots down the stairs outside An
hour later, bitter hour he followed de-
scendinS the worn stairs silently, fearing
the very silence that he dared not break
1olette moved about the dining room
singing to herself in undertone. He
passed into the hallway and out to the
Gifd store, where Hide knelt among the
wicker Cd ges.
When she saw him she rose to her knees.
hidlng her burning face in her HANDS He
bent close TO her and touched the flushed
checks between the hands. One by one he
UNFINISHED the slender fingers, closely inter
E.4l
his. But she would not look at him, her
sealed lids pressed the lashes tightly to
her cheek
Why have you hidden away all days?..
he said.
Presently she answered: Can you ask?"
He raised her from her knees: her ewes
were still closed. but her white hands stole
around his neck There was silence When
al last he released her and the quiet tears
had dried in her eyes without falling she
went To the open door and stood there
looking out into the west. Earth came back
70 her slowly through the heaven of their
kiss-sounds grew through the music of his
voice; she heard the cannonade's dull triple
II rob. she saw green tree tops stirrinf, in
the sun. "
He came and stood beside her. Loves
lassitude hung heavy on her limbs He
took her unresisting hand-that little hand
SO small, so smooth, fragrant and fraught
with mystery, cool white blossom with
five slim petals tipped with pink.
The beauty of life was upon her the
loneliness of the world was in her Ewes
the world SO kind TO her-so kind 10 all
TO all
In the red west a flaming belt of haze
sirdled the horizon; in the north plumed
clouds suspended from the zenith hung
motl9niess' the glass of the stream mir
rered single tree.
When their silence grew too heayv too
sweet Tor such young hearts. they broke
II; ana II broke unsteady. with the melody
OF half-caught questions sigh a Ii-tIe
laugh Te-echoed pure as the tinkla of two
crystal slasses touched dlscreetly The
sCftest drumming of the guns stirred the
pd4sating air like the distant drumming of
partridge; the gemmed azure. veiied With
haze. swan and shimmercd with lis mil
non brilliant atmospheric atoms tiny
points OF herce white busting the blue like
diamond dust.
When the sun was very low and the level
meadows ran molten gilt in every harrow
the sparrogs, gathered for the night on
Tree nd roof, filled the street with restless
cElrpinS that stirred the CO ged birds in The
shop LinDet answered thrush. fnches whis-
ted wistful answers 10 the free twittering
OF the sparrOws; a little lark rustled and
ruined; biackbird uttered still, thin
plant.
And Hide. who. when her own heart
Was free. had never understood captivity
now. when she listened, understood. aud
her own imprisoned heart answered the
plant of wild Gagged things
To her half-spoken thought he answered:
together they gathered all the fea thered
thils- mo one great wicker
Inc parrots pale eye was yelled in scorn.
the monkey houted freedom with n girl
race. shivering and mounting as the hun
cred wings beat at the wicker bars
HARDWOOD took the cage; Hide walked
beside him. in ecstacy at the thought OF
freedom given by those who know that
something else is sweeter. There was a
SHRUB In flower on the glacis-some late
blooming bush, starred with waxen bios
8. ms. breathing perfume. Under this they
placed the cage.
When Hide opened the cage a feathered
whlriwind circled about her head; there
came a rush Of wings. a thrilling whir-r,
ana she clasped her hands and stepped for
ward Out over the valley the bird flock
fIshed bore to the left. circled rose
swung back on returning curve but al
ways rising higher, higher, until far Up
IN the deepening evening sky they foated
ara chose their course due south
she watched them driving southwark
She could tel! the finches by their unduIat-
ing nlSht, the thrushes, the cean-winged
starlings. She sighed contentedly She had
opened the door OF pity when love opened
the door TO her heart
Look" whispered Hardwood .th-re ia
one little bird that will not leave u.s.
1t Is dead-GOd forgive me-" faltered
A rftzh of fem ind