The San Francisco call., 1905-03-12
CHAPTER XIV.

Give would not sit up all night with
Helena, but they spent hours Of the
day in the forest. and there was moth
ing funereal in his aspect when they
were alone. One morning Helenas
maid brought her a note when she
came to awaken her. Sc
My Dear Miss Belmoat ranl.
i am going away for a fe -
shall be back on Monday, al soa-.
Yours truly, OWN CLIvE.s
Helena stared at the abrupt, formal
missive in dismay for a moment: then
laughed She had seen men strug gle ia
ner net before She knew thas -
would keep his word and return aid
had perfect faith in the power OF her
seductive charm, no matter what good
away.
1t was a hot day, and her guests
were too tndolent to do anything but
lie about and smoke and read. They
did not want to be entertained, and she
let them alone and spent the day In
the rose garden in the shade Of the
oaks. She rather enjoyed thinking OF
Give, for variety. and anticipating his
return. She eOncOcted clever argu-
ments and convincing apneals
The next day she sat on a ledge be-
low the crest OF the cliffs and stared at
the huge restless waves of the Pacific
rearing against the outlying rocks,
falling with their baffied roar. There
was neither peace, nor reason. nor
power Of anticipation in her. She was
insenSible or any instinct beyond an
insufferable desire for his physical
presence.
That night she went to bed glad with
the thought that she should see him in
sixteen hours. and pictured their meet
ing so often and variOusly, and struck
match to look at the clock so many
times, that she slept little. The next
morning she was so nervous and ap-
prehensive that the placid conversation
of her guests was intOlerable and she
would not drive with them. After
luncheon she went up to a favorite
spot in the forest, directing one of the
Chinese servants to conduct Give to
her when he returned.
As the afternoon wore on her gloom
lifted and passed. She grew light
minded and humorous, almost indiffer-
ent. She took herself to task in some
dismay. in the fitness OF things she
should be passiOnately serious when he
arrived Are there really no great
crises in life?" she thought. Are we
ali comedians gone wrong, personifed
JOkes?'' But she was helpless; the re-
action was inevitable.
Give was late. He was always late.
Helena felt no uneasiness, but sat idly.
wondering how they would meet. her
mind occasionally drifting to other
things She had carried a large hat
lined with white and covered with
white plumes, in a box through the
damaging brush, and hidden the box
in a hollow redwood The hat, pushed
backward on her brilliant hair. en-
hanced the oval colOrcus beauty Of her
face. She took 1t off suddenly and
threw it on the ground; the attempt
was too evident; all men were not con-
sistently dense.
She heard a cracking in the brush on
the other side Of the creek, then the
Chinaman's protesting voice.
Cant hully when catchee pigtail
alice time, Mister Give. Me got thlee
velly bad sclatches, and clothes alice
same no washee."
There was no answer from Give. but
he was in view presently. The China
man retreated hastily. wrapping his
pigtail round his neck. Helena rose
and went forward.
She felt suddenly resentfuI and
naughty.
After ALL it was presumption in a
man to take upon himself the deciding
of a question which was as vital to her
as TO him She wondered II she really
did love him; certainly sne felt neither
tenderness nor tolerance at the mo-
mlent.
Give walked slowly across the felled
redwood which served as bridge be-
tween the high banks of the creek. An
he approached Helena forgot herself
and her moods
He has suffered horribly" she
thought. What am to do that did
not know he must?'
And then she realized that she could