The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1906-12-30
CHAPTER xvIII-continued

Then Squire BuckaleW dared to tempt
him Eskew's faded eyes showed blue
CLEAN. but he withstood speaking of
Babylon TO the disparagement of Chi
cago. They sought TO lead him into
what he evidently would not. employ
ing many devices; but the old man was
willy and often carried them far afield
by secret ways OF his own. This hot
morning he had done that thing. They
were close upon him, pressing him
hard: when he reused that outburst
which had stirred the idIers on the
benches in the courthouse yard
? others but squarely at Eslew) had vol
squire Buckalew Csideiong at the
suffered the information that Cory
was a reformed priest. Stung by the
mystery OF Eskews silence. the
Souire's imagination had become mag
3caIly gymnastIc; and il anything under
heaven could have lifted the veil. this
was the thing. Mr. Arp's reply may
BE reverenced.
Il consider" he said. deliberately,
s"that James G. Blaine's furrin policy
.Eas childish, and, what's more, l new
.er thought much of him."
This outdehled Ajax. and every
trace OF the matter in hand went to
the four winds Eskew. like Rome.
was saved by a cackle. in which he
-soined. and few moments later. as
Abe bench loafers-saw. was pulled down
ssnto his seat by the Colonel
= The voices Of tho fathers fen to the
pitch OF ordinary discourse. the
whine OF the planing-miil boring its
sway through the sizzling air to every
weakening ear. Far away. on a quiet
street IL sounded family. like the hum
OF bee across creek. and was
drowned in the noise OF men at work
2 on the old Tabor house. II seemed the
only busy place I'm Canaan that day;
the shade OF the big bench trees which
surrounded it affording some shelter
from the destroying sun to the drip
- ping laborers who were saving. ham
mering, painting, plumbing, papering,
and ripping open old and new packing
boxes There were many changes in
the old house-pleasantly in keeping
with its simple character: airy enlarge
ments now almost completed so that
some OF the rooms were already fin
ished, and stood, furnished and i'm
rnaculate. ready for tenancy.
in that which had been Roger Ia
boris studio sat Ariel. alone. She had
caused some chests and cases. stored
there, 10 be opened, and had taken out
of them few OF Rogers canyases and
set them along the wall. Tears filed
= her eyes as she looked at them. see
p ang the tragedy of labor the old man
had expended upon them; but she felt
the recornpense. hard. tight, literal as
r11oN ho baH = -
JOY in each of them before he saw
them eoidly and knew the truth. And
he had been given his years of Paris
! at last and he had seen how the
other fellows did it,"
~. A heavy foot strobe through the
8 hail, coming abruptly 10 a halt in the
doorway, and turning. she discovered
Martin Pike. his big Henry-the- Eighth
face flushed more with anger than with
the heat. His hat was upon his head,
) and. remained there, nor did he offer
any token or word OF greeting what
ever, but demanded to know when the
work upon the house had been be-
gun.
The second morning after my re-
turn" she answered.
7 want TO know" he pursued, why
p Il was kept secret from me, and I want
TO know quick"
''Secret?" she echoed. with a wave
of her hand to indicate the noise which
the workmen were making
m Upon whose authority was it be-
gum"
Mine. Who else could give it?"
Look here" he said. advancing to-
ward her, don't you try TO fool me,
You haven't done all this by yourself.
I Who hired these workmen?"
Remembering her first interview
. with him, she rose quickly before he
! could come snear her. Mr.. Louden
made most of the arrangements for
me-" she replied, quietly. before he
went away. He viii take charge OF
everything when he returns. You
haven't -Orgotten that I told you I in
h tended to place my affairs in his
handsg"
He had started forward. but at this
he stopped and stared at her inarticu-
lately.
You remembers" she said. her hands
resting negligsntly upon the back of
the chair. Surely you remembers"
She was not in the least afraid OF
him. but coolly watchful OF HIM This
had been her habit with him since her
return. She had seen little of him, ex-
ccpt at table, when he was usually
grimly laconic. though now and then
she would hear him Joking heavily with
q san Warden in the yard. or, with evil
+ IDENTIFY humorous intent, grooming at
Mamie over Eugene's health: but il had
not escaped Ariel that he was, on his
part, watchful OF herself, and upon his
guard with wariness in which she
was sometimes surprised to believe that
she saw an almost haggard apprehen-
sion.
He did not answer her question, and
81 seemed to her. as she continued
steadily TO meet his hot eyes, that he
= was trying 10 hold himself under some
measure of control; and a vain effort
3 it proved.
You go back TO my house," he burst
= out. shouting hoarsely. you get back
2 there, You stay there"
- No" she said. moving between him
and the door. Mamie and are going
for drive"
- You 60 back to my hoUse!' He fol-
lowed her. waving an arm fercely at
her Don't you come GROUND here try
ing to run over me, You talk about
your affairs" All you've got on earth
is this two-for-a- nickel old shack over
your head and bushei-basket of dis
'tillery stock that you can sell by the
pound for old paperw He threw the
2 words in her face. the bull-hass voice
scanned and cracked with falsetto sOld
paper, old rags. old iron, bottles, old
p clothes. Yeu talk about your affairs,
Who are you? Rothschiid? You haven't
: