The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1905-08-06

tanned TO them would be a memory
Iapsing. losing detail with every year
The thought frightened her. She raised
her voice.
Johann. where did they come from
these Iogs?"
He made deprecating sound. you
lhaye often said how fine the wood fires
are. A ship with timber came in today;
I heard Of it-and I remembered. 1t was
very simple" Re stopped.
| Anna stiffened her hands.
| And you carried the wood homer"
of course. It was very simple
There was wait. burning coal
dropped with a little crash Anna raised
her head.
The stairs were cleaned today; I saw
as came in. Who cleaned them?"
| i cleaned them
| A groau rose to Annals lips. but did
not escape. She looked before her at
the cracking fire.
! Johann
Yes. Anna"
| It was the old formula. The question
sharp and decisive; the answer ready.
anticipating. hurgering 10 comply.
Johann, you have done the work of
the whole house while l have been
away When will you do your own
work, all the tedious work that father
sets your
Johann was silent and embarrassed.
Johann. when?'
Z shall find time
She changed her position. Dropping TO
the edge OF the fender she turned
round Johann, you mean that you
will sit up half the night-that you slave
that you do your own work and mine
as WELL while / stand by and do Moth
Ilng-nothing at ALL" The words dropped
separately. incontestabIy; for the first
time in weeks. facts. naked and cold.
Istood shivering in the light. She saw
/ johann and she saw herself Suddenly
she rose.
Johann" her eyes were direct. her
hands were clasped behind her. Johann
why do you do all this for me?''
There was an acute silence; then a
lcup slipped from Johanns hand. He
fstooped and fumbled on the floor. Some
thing within him was leaping in
answer to her words; somewhere N his
Inner consciousness voice was crying
Nov. Now" It echoed through him,
lit reeled IN his brain He lifted him
iseif laboriously to one knee. His pulses
were bounding. The gates of life seemed
Iajar. needing but a touch
Johann. tell the truth"
The voice sent the blood 70 his fore
head; he caught the table and drew him
self slowly up. then he turned to her.
His face was in the shadow. hers was in
the full light The arrangement was
prophetic 1t struck him with a chill.
He steadied himself and felt the tide
of blood recede.
Anna he began. then paused She
stood unconsciously typifying Fate The
red crown OF her hair. the darkness of
her eyes-each was symbolic.
He drew a long breath. such a breath
as he had drawn on the first night, at
his first sight of her.
Johann. she said again, why do you
do it?'
There was a space of indecision. a
moment fraught with hesitancy; then
he spoke. his face still averted-
why does one serve God?''
Anna stirred. laying her fingers on his
arm \ faint shiver passed through
him, but he did not move.
Some serve God for payment. That
is not what you mean
He was silent.
Johann She jerked his sleeve.
Suddenly and awkwardly he turned
his eyes were full of pain. No.. he
said, that is not what l mean, There
| is another service. Anna, besides that.
He steadied himself There is a service
that gives and gives-because it must.
He thrust out his hand and caught hers
"A service of the heart, not Of the head.
A service where the heart must give
1 musS give-or must break" His fingers
frightened. his eyes burned Unfortunately
she drew back.
Ard that service. Johann-what is II
caned?"
He leant forward; the word trembied
on his tongue, hung on the air, then died
out unspoken. With a hopeless gesture
; he let her hand fall.
But her eyes still questioned.
= I'm saying God. Johann, do you
mean me?" A sense OF awe mingled in
! the words; the breath or something deep
and intangible brushed her; the shadow
of life fell on her in an impenetrable
cloud. Johann, you mean She paled
uncertainty.
[ Quite steadily he returned her glance
The glow had gone from his face as the
light from a quenched candle fes
that is what I mean. You saved me
you are God to me-
And II one lost God?" Her words were
T low ana ludlSJnCl. 1ouaHHI II one ipS
= God?"
He raised his shoulders automatically
t and again thrust out his hands. bu
r without touching hers. L have said
( With loss-the heart breaks" He caugh
s up piece OF bread and bending il be
= tween his fingers broke II in two; theI
l he crossed to the fire and dropped the
e pieces into the blaze
: ~ "
Anna stood bv the table. She was per
: fectly silent perfectly sun, she was night
ing inch by inch. No one who glanced
g | al her eyes could have seen the tumui
o behind them; no one who watched he
= ! first forward movement could haV
i guessed that with il castle tepple4
g summary from the skies. The BATH
- was vital. absorbed, intense. AT last re
;. luetantly, step by step, she crossed tn
= room.