Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-07-22
PART w.
DAWN
CHAPTER I.
A Thread Breaks.

1t was not until the Sunday evening fol-
lowing Tremaine's departure that 1 found
myself alone with Cecily and in posi-
ton to begin that conversation from
which l hoped so much
In the morning had taken her to mass
at the cathedral where she had listened
with rapt countenance. In the afternoon
the weather being very pleasant, we
drove out to the Bronx to see the animals
and the Conservatives. in which she was
as interested as any child. In fact, found
myself treating her more and more as a
child. She was essentially one in charac-
ter-self-willed, easily downcast and as
easily elated; and though she was re-
Ilgious to degree amounting almost to
superstition, it seemed never to have oc-
Cured to her that there was ANYTHING
wrong or irregular in her manner of life
She was frankly Tremaine's mistress, evil
IDENTIFY cherished deep affection for him.
and, doubt not would have been faith
full to him under any but the most extra
ordinary temptation.
She had arrayed herself that Sunday
evening in the same garments she had
worn the first night [ had met her-the
gorgeous costume of the belle affranchie
in which she was most at home-but
mad grown more accustomed to her and
sat down near her without any great be-
daZzlement. She was lying on the couch,
engaged in rolling cigarettes with re-
markab!e skill and celebrity, and had quite
a pile on the tabouret beside her. / sat
and watched the supple fingers and the
red, red lips, and the dark face, changing
with every wave of feeling.
There, she said at last, in that queer,
Clipped, soft creole, which defes tran
scriptOn, and she pushed away papers
and tobacco. THAT will do for this even
ing. Take one, che"
l took one and lighted 1t. 1 knew that
the term OF endearment had no meaning.
ri erl,A Il Il
to me with intent gaze, do you know
where doudouN has gomez"
No" l answered he did not tell me.
He said only that his business was call
ing him away"
"Business Ohe! And you believe that?"
Why shouldn't believe it, Cecily?"
IF it were merely business he could
have taken me along. Tambou! l would
have hidden in some little. little corner
I would not have been in the way.
She flung her cigarette from her with
swift fury, not looking to see where 1t
struck I got up and stamped it out. She
burst into sudden laughter as she watch
ed me-the mirth of the careless south at
the careful north.
"All the same" she said, with convic-
ton he is growing weary of me- 1 an
noy him; l can see it. 1t was. of
course, inevitable. Soon he will be send
ing me away Ohe"' and she stretched
her arms above her head with that
gesture 1 had seen before. All
weIli damour, de rires, ct doublis! and
she laughed but 1 fancied there was sob
beneath the laughter. AT least, l shall
be again at st. Pierre
And you still long for it?
"Oh, long for it, So would you. che, If
you had ever lived there
a line from Mandalay flashed into my
head
eff you've card the east a-callin, why,
you don't 'eed nothin else
and looking at her, l caught glimpse OF
that compelling fascination Preachers and
. fi,,cr hot.
great nation ever came from the tropics
but the people who live there have their
compensa tons.
Suddenly there came soft Kissing from
the little cage over the radiator.
"Ah, l must feed Fe-Fe-she IS calling
me- she cried, and she sprang up, ran to
the next room, and came back with little
wine in a glass.
greatly impressed. Fe-Fe seemed very
harmless and lethargic-evidently the eli
mate of New York, even though mellowed
by the radiator, did not agree with her.
shes not at all WELL" said Cecily. 'as
she put her back into her cage. 1T Is only
the warmth of the wine that keeps her
alive. l shall take her back to- st. Pierre
with me-there she will again be happy.
Tembou and so shall l! One is always
shivering here-the whole world Is so cold
the sky. the sea, even the SUM-"
"Of course Tremaine will go back with
you" I assured her; / was wondering If she
really suspected his intention.
mo. he will not she said decidedly;
but" she added. with an electric flash OF
the eyes, "he may come in time"
I lighted another cigarette
Where did you meet him, Cecily?'
He came to St Pierre three, four years
ago. He saw me one day standing at the
door of my house in the Rue Pysette."
"Do you know where he came from?"
mo: it mattered nothing to me-
''He never talked about his past?"
His past? No. no What was 1t to US?
We had a pretty. pretty place at Fond
Core Tamboui l wish 7 was there now!'
You were happy there?'
''Ycs-except for the times doudoux was
in his black spells"
His black spells?''
"Yes-oh. then every one ran from him
ms Missile Johnson"
Johnson" l repeated with sudden
lear of the heart. who was he Cecily?"
'rHe was doudouxs zombi." she answered
with conviction. and crossed herself.
Then he didn't live at Fond-Corre?'
AT Fond Core? Oh MOI He was a
7onibi-in the air. in the earth. everywhere.
Doudoux would fight with him an hour at
a time Oh 1t was terribler'
I leaned back in my chair and watched
the smoke from my cigarette circling up
ward. I remembered the letter that had
been tattooed on the arm of the man killed
in suite fourteen. So Tremaine had some
cause to hate him-he had helped him. had
supplied him with whisky, with money
through fearsand not through friendship.
To establish that was to take another step
forward.
Ibid he have those spells often, Ceciiy?"
I asked. at last.
ooh. no; sometimes not for months. Then,
phutI the zou1bi would charm him
Charm hnl?"
with a little scrap of paper. yes. There
would come a letter: doudoux would open
It: always In ii there would be little piece
of paper Sometimes 1t had writing on II.
sometimes printing. though 1t had been
cut from a newspaper. Then tambou, dou-
doux's face would grow black. he would
tear the pane into little. little bits, utter
ing curses the most terrible, and we would
all runr'