Evening journal., 1905-06-08


saw me risking your precious neck
on a horsew he laughed 'He could
not lift a kitten"
"You are cruel" said Elizabeth
hotly. Cant you possibly enjoy
your own strength without saying
such things? ?"
Gone says what one thinks about
ones relations. That's a family
privilege"
GAS you please! But you shall
not sneer at my husband" =
"Noy ! say, Elizabeth, don't be
angry. ] do care for old Paul
more perhaps than you think. Be
good, and I'll sing to you when we
get home. What Paul didn't tell
you Ising? Nasty Of him, call it,"
And, indeed, Elizabeth herself
wondered her husband had not re-
ferred to it as. an hour later, Bever-
ly's magnetic, compelling tones
brought before her the desert chief
speeding to his rendezvous
/ love thee-I love but thee
With love that shall not die.
The wind of the desert brushed
her cheek. AS She listened a new,
overwhelming, passionate Joy Of
mere living seized her. She was in
explicably free, she and Beverly
TIL the stars are old
And the sun grows cold
And The leaves of the judgment book
unfold
The word Judgment" shocked
her back to herself. The vision
faded. In it's place Beverly rose
from the piano and came swiftly to-
ward her, his eyes ahame.
Elizabeth stood still. She must
face this man coolly, indifferently.
lie must not guess that she, the up
right Elizabeth, longed to crawl
across the room to him and lay her
head on his shoulder.
''Please go away, Beverly" she
said bravelv, locking her hands to-
gether because they wanted so much
to rise to the throb in her throat.
'Nou are not enjoying yourself
here"
LET us forget his existence for a
week at least"
@Forget Z"
"Don't you understand, you love
ly simpleton?" lie slid from the
table and caught her hands in his.
She wrenched them loose, staring
at him with wide, Mortified gaze.
Don't look at me like that, Eliz-
abeth You love me. Why deny it
I'm rich, Elizabeth. Leave this
stupid place with me. Let him scold
his parrot and his valet alone"
ooh, you shouldn't have said it;
you shouldn't have said itw she
cried in a harsh, strained voice.
"That was all l had--my self re-
spect."
lie was so close now that his
breath warmed her cheek, his exult-
ant personality radiated power. She
grew faint with dread of him, that
abysmal dread which only those we
love have power to create in us.
Then from its spoiled city Of
peace her better self rose blindly,
She could not ask him to leave her.
She had for the moment lost all
power of speech, but she caught a
carved ivory fan from the mantel-
piece and struck him heavily, cruel
I ly, across the face blow that made
him stageer back from her.
Then she found speech.
"You're Il cowardl He's no
match for you. That's the reason
that / will never wrong him. He
trusted me-and youp she added,
with exceeding bitterness.
Beverly, wiping blood from lis
face, received the blow very strange
/ ly. His eyes shone as those of low
ers do who have been granted a kiss.
His action was stranger. He tore
the covering from his right shoul-
der, exhibiting a peculiar long red
scar.
"Don't you know that, Eliza
beth? And here's the hole where
Hilaire spilled that acid on me"
"You-you" - stammered Eliza
beth. "Oh, you are madr'
''Not mad, you great hearted,
beautiful womanl Oh, Elizabeth,
don't you understand? Why, Eliza
beth, you are awfully stupid, dear
est l had no brother. l spoke OF
myself, Of the man I used to be.
And a friend, a common servant,
fairly dragged me into salvation
III never be able to repay him.
I'm Paul Beverly Vandermore
Don't stare like that; you frighten
me. Listen, lookp
He dropped into an armchair, let
ting his chest cave inward and his
shoulders SLOUGH with feigned weak
ness, while he said in impatient,
querulous tones:
"Give me my drops and gol The
carriage has been waiting this
hour"
The transformation was perfect
Elizabeth, half swooning, threw her
-o1e ,,4, Ior b,,r rbo,,1,r oo,r,-. .,|,,,,s