The San Francisco call., 1905-02-26

10 say ribald, laughter and jests which
had strong flavor of personalities.
The prologue lasted ten minutes.
Then the mummers crowded back
ward and faced the pyre. Again the
heavy silence fell. The priest went
forward and raising his clasped
hands and set face to the moon,
stood. for a moment. like a statue on
a monument, then turned slowly and
beckoned. The acolytes formed in
line and marched with solemn preci-
sion 10 the other side of the pyre.
walking with halting steps, their
heads bowed. chanting disnally. On
their shoulders they carried long
bier. on which, apparently, lay the
corpse of a dead giant The priest
sprinkled the body, then turned away
with a gesture OF loathing- The AGO.
lytes carried ii by the torchbearers,
who spat uJon ard eXecrated il; then
slowly and laboriously mounted the
pyre and. dropping the bier on its
apex. scampered indecorously down
with savage grunts of satisfaction,
their white garments fluttering along
the dark pile like a wash on a windy
day The corpse lay long and white
and ho-rid under the beating moon
lytes reached the ground the rest OF
the company rushed simultaneously
forward and, with a hideous yell,
flung their torches at the pyre. There
was the hiss of tar. the leap OF one
great faSlle, an angry cracking. A
moment more and the forest would
be more vividly alight than it had
ever been at MONDAY. Give. feeling
as uncomfortable as an eavesdropper,
but too fascinated to retreat, stepped
behind & large redwood. With his
eyes still fixed on the strange scene
he did not pick his steps and coming
suddenly in contact with a pliable
body, he nearly knocked it over. There
was q smothered shrek, followed by
Give mechanically lifted his hat.
II beg your pardon" he said. ad-
dressing tall lad. whose face was
partly concealed by the visor of a cap.
Il hope have not hurt you
II am not so easily hurt" said the
lad, haughtily.
The masculine man never lived who
did not recognize a feminine woman
in whatever guise, If within the ra
dius CT her magnetism This young
masquerade interested Give at once.
Her voice had a warm huskiness. The
mouth and chin were classically cut,
but very human. She had thrown
back her head and revealed a round,
beautiful throat. The loose flannel
shirt and jacket concealed her figure,
but even the slight motions she had
made revealed energy and grace.
Give offered her a cigarette. She
accepted it and smoked daintily.
Withdrawing as much as possible into
with her hand. He leaned back
against the tree and lit a cigar.
What on earth is the meaning of
this scene ?'' he asked.
That is the great midsummer jinks
ceremony of the Bohemian Club. They
have it every year and never invite
outsiders. So l was bound I'd see it,
L wonder you don't become a
member"
"Oh, Tnl<too young" promptly.
TELL me more about it, What do
these ceremonies mean?"
"Oh. they put all sorts of things
into that caldron-the liver of
grasshopper with one of Harry Arm
strong's jokes; the wasted paint on
somebody's last picture with the mis-
shapen feet of somebody else's latest
verse. The corpse is an effigy of Care,
and they are cremating him. Now
they'll be happy-that is to say, drunk
till morning, for Care is dead. I'm
going 10 stop and see il out.
i think you had better go home.
-Indeed?" Give saw the hand that
shielded her face jerk.
Did you ever see, or rather hear
lot Of men on a lark when they fancied
that no women were about"
No; but that is what I wish to do
Which you are not going TO do to-
night
There was a sudden swapping of dry
leaves.
A small foot had come down with
emphasis.
What do you mean?"
That this is no place for woman,
and that you must co.
Pm not-well. / am, and / don't care
in the least whether you know it or
not l wish you to understand, sir,
that / shall stay here, and that / am
not in the habit Of being dictated to-"
You are Miss Belmont. 1 suppose"
An instant's pause. Then she re-
piled, with a naughty pluck which de-
lighted him: Yes, / am Miss Bel
mont, and you are an insolent English
man."
How do you know that 1 am an
Amy one could tell from your voice
and your OVerbearing manner"
We'll, / am" said Give, much
amused.
Il detest Englishmen."
Smoke q little, or 1 am afraid you
viii cry"
She obeyed with unexpected docility,
but in a moment crushed the coal of
her cigarette on a damp tree stump.
Then she turned TO him and folded her
arms.
4 am not going TO leave" she said
evenly. What are you going to do
about it2"
How did you get here?"
''On my horse"
Where is he?"
''Tethered off the road
Very well; if you are not en- that
horse in five minutes. 1 shall carry
you TO it, and what is more, I shall
kiss YOU"
She deliberately moved into the light
and pushed her cap to the back of her
head, disarranging d mass of curl
ing dark hair. Her colOring was in
definable in the red light, but her eyes
were large and long, and heavily
lashed They sparilled wickedly. The
ncstrils Of her finely cut nose were
dilating; her short upper lip was lift
ed. Give ardently hoped that she
would continue to defy him. Her whole
attitude was that of young wording,
delighting in an unforeseen adventure.
FsKEho are Won anVhOxv 2'' she de-