Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-07-29
CHAPTER xxxIV.
The Shadow of the River.

1t wanted an hour of dawn when Evelyn
quilted the lonely house. Sne had given no
instructions to the driver, nor did he appear
to expect any. In truth, his orders were
very far from being in accordance with the
old gypsy's promise. A deed of blood had
been done and the daylight would discover
It. The woman who could tell something
of the story would tell it at once if liberty
were given her So said those who en-
trapped her and, desiring to with
hold liberty as long as might be. they sent
the carriage westward, away toward Har-
row and the villages.
Evelyn herself did not suspect this, nor
would it have alarmed her had she done
So AS one awakened from a dream of
death she tried to shut the picture Of the
house from her heavy eyes, to drown the
cries she had heard, to forget the humilia-
tons Dark and lonely as the way was,
the black shapes of the trees seemed en-
blems OF her liberty; the silent houses so
many tokens of the world regained. She
cared not where or why, SO long she
might breathe the sweet air and tell her
self that Gods mercy had saved her. For
Gavin would she lve-her whole life should
be spent in quest of the man she loved; OF
one who seemed to call her even from the
darkness. And of Gavin were her thoughts
when the carriage stopped at last and the
driver babe her descend.
She perceived him to be an African of
pleasant face and stariike eyes. To all
her questions, however, he did but shake
his head and show grinning teeth which
would as well become a snarl as laughter,
she thought. 1t was dawn then and there
were gray mists drifting above the hedges.
They had stopped in lane and nothing
human was in sight
Very sorry, missy-go back now No
far to go, master says So"
Where are we, where have you brought
me?'' she asked, obeying him in some fear.
He answered her. still grinning:
you get back to London, quick. missy.
Master says so. Dis am his carriage.
Very sorry. missy.
would contend with him no more. Still
nodding his black head and showing his
white teeth, he turned the carriage about
and disappeared down the lane. When the
rolling sound of the wheels had quite died
away Evelyn began to walk along the lane
in that which she believed to be the direc-
ton of London. The mists lifted the
sun began to warm them. She was terri
bly, cold, chilled to the very bone, and ex-
hausted both bodily and mentally; but she
pushed on brayely and presently out of the
mists a cottage appeared and then another.
Yet hundred yards farther GOWN the lane
and she espied some modern villas in the
Queen Anne style and after that quite
considerable village lying in the hollow.
II would have been about O'clock OF the
morning by this time; and workmen passed
her with the firm tread and the CHEEKY
"Good-morning miss" which are still to
be seen and heard within ten Macs OF the
metropolis At first she scarcely had the
courage to ask where she was, for she
realized how strangely the question must
fall upon other ears at such time and
under such circumstances; but plueking
up her courage presently as lad approach
ed her she stopped him and learned that
this was the village of Primer and that ii
lay just thirteen miles from London.
.Yonder's station, miss, just around
there to the right. / suppose you've walk
ed over from Harrow. Lots of ladies do
now they've took to hockey don't like
that-not me. It hurts the shins unless
you've got thick 'uns like the new girls
has"
He was quito conversationaist. the
boy, and he rambled on with a precise ac-
count of his own intimate affairs, dating
from the happy anniversary of a present of
Ave shilliugs from a gentleman In broke
in-half'' motor car to the recent arrival OF
q little sister, with whom he expected he
would shortly quarrel One of his most
cheerful items of information was that
which revealed the near proximity OF an
inn, styled by him "a public, but which,
nevertheless, brought to Evelyn such vts-
IONS of hot, steannine coffee and new, warm
bread and a fireside whereby she might
thaw her frozen hands that she bestowed
whole shilling upon him willingly, and Tor
that he. as e true cavalier, Conducted her
imm ediateiy to the hosiery.
And DO hope you'll walk over from
Harrow another morning. and that 1 II meet
YOU In the lane" he said with an interested
and mercenary laugh delightful to hear. IL