Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1899-03-17
CHAPTER XXIII.

CHAPTER XIII
a man on horseback appeared at the
head of the road leading from one of
the cup shaped hills to the fazenda Ri
rardo in S. Paula dc Muriahe, in the
province of Rio Janeiro He wore q
short. white coat and nankeen trousers.
A blue scarf, loosely knotted, showed o
few inches of darkly tanned throat. A
wide leafed straw hat, evidently of Bra
lillian manufacture, was pulled over his
eyes. Even in shadow the eyes were I'M
mistakably Donald Sefain's.
He pulled in his horse and remained
lost i'll u study Of tho scene, while the
sunlight of "a Brazilian January bathed
him in an intense flood.
On every hand as far as the eye could
see the land was PROSTATE under the
stare Of pitiless sky. There was no
shadow near him save that Of his horse
and his own broad hated figure Half
way down the hill one bushy headed
palm and the prongs Of some cacti lay
patterned sharply on the bare and daz-
cling earth. Below, in the middle dis
lance. he saw the fazenda, the ugly fac
tory, the unsheltered square and cluster
Of outbuildings. Behind him lay the
waving line Of hills ON which the coffee
shrubs iourished and from which the
soft, monotonous chant and quavering
Of the negroes came to him.
This scene made his life-the coffee
hnariny hills <la L.
ing between them. Ugly, arid. lonely.
were the words that rose in his mind az
no paused there. The very truth and
force vi the artist in him made his heart
rise in hot revolt. Hatred and longing
were in his steady gaze.
In a few moments another rider came
out of the plantation and drew up be-
side him. He was q big, fair haired
man, his light blue eyes strange anon.
ally in his SIENNA brown face. When he
spoke, his broad, musical accent conjur-
ed vision Of English fields on spring
morning instead Of the hot, slothful
land blazing around him.
waiting for me, Sefain?'
mo. was thinking. I knew you'd
follow"
The Englishman looked at him, hest
tated and at length spoke:
"Sefain, you're making a hard fight
here. aren't your" He asked the ques-
ton abruptly as they moved ON at q
crawling pace.
"Why?" and Donald's uncommunica-
tive soul, aroused to interest, looked for
q moment speculatively from his bril-
liant eyes.
"Oh, can see it. You hold your
tongue better than any man I've ever
met, and I've knocked about a bit in
this contrary world. But ! know you
are simply sickening for a sight Of
homeland some woman"
The words sent dark flush up Don.
AIDS cheek and his silence was cold.
Fact. But don't suppose I'm trying
to force your confidence, my boy" He
laid his hand ON Donald's wrist. II
speak this way, because-well. because
I'm deuced sorry for you"-
you're wasting your pity then.
What the devil do you mean? One
would think I'd been playing the part
OF sentimental fool"
Hold on, mi amigo Let not the
Inglez' quarrel and set q bad example
to these brown beggars here" and an
imperturbable smile distended Armi.
tage's full cheeks. ~ haven't finished.
I'm sorry, and I'm envious at the same
time. Godi To be not yet 80 and in
love. To know the world-only in one
pair Of eyes and comprehend heaven in
the touch of five slim fingers. What
wouldn't give to feel this, tell myself
fondly was 3 fool and be glad I was!
Hug your misery, my boy. Be such
fool. Some day, maybe, when you're
like me and not living thing is really
necessary to you, when You know only
the sleek and deadly level Of practical
self content, you'll remember and wish
the longings which tear you now could
come again and hurt you. That man
only is blest whose happiness depends
upon another human being"
Donald looked at him in Armament.
He had never heard words like these
from Armitage. They touched him too.
Over his lean, brown face dreaminess
stole. and just as they crossed the fan
like shadow Of the solitary palm upon
the roadway he moved his companions
hand from his wrist and gripped it.
"Armitage. he said, reused for the
moment out Of his self reserve, II al
most wish, then. You could love q wom-
an as miserably. as passionately, per-
haps as hopelessly. as do. She is the
desire Of my life and its greatest good. I"
II knew it. The signs never fail. And
now I want to talk to you. We might
"a well here as at the fazenda. Why
don't you sell out to me or to Morgan,
take what you've made and go homer"
"Home?" echoed Donald, unable to
repress the note Of hope and yearning
in his voice at sound of that sweet word.
"Why?"
"Do you think this''-with con.
temptuous gesture toward the group Of
low. tiled roof buildings and the bare
land-'pays for the pain in the heart?
As for the money you make, it's not
much for the struggle. The days are
gone when big fortunes were made in
coffee planting. It doesn't matter much
whether my bones eventually lie under
this sun or Korea's, and it's the same
with Morgan. But you-well, there's q
woman you love far away from this
wilderness For Gods sake. seize your
happiness. sell out and go to her"
II WON'T" said Donald quietly.
"I've task to accomplish.
"Other than the averaging Of profit
OF 8 shillings and tuppence ON bag Of
80 kilograms?''
"Other than that ! am content with
these medium profits. came here not
only to conquer or at least disarm for
tune, but to conquer myself. I'll stay
the time intended"
They rode on silently. An old negress
with child on her hip stopped in the
middle Of the road, her palm out
stretched. and, following curious Gus.
tom. cried in Spanish:
"Bless me!''
"God bless you'll" said Armitage, and
Ghe went on.
A cart drawn by goats and filed with
f1rawOOd nassed them Rlach. vuIturoo