Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-10-21
CHAPTER XII.


TWAS scarcely aware myself to what extent
my attention had been riveted upon this
strange story of my guests until the Interrupt
ton came. The entry of the cheerful little village
doctor seemed to dissolve atmosphere thick with
sensation. | drew little breath as | rose to my
feet. There certain measure of relief in the
escape from such high tension.
Glad to you, doctor, l said mechanically
MY friend here, Mr.. Guest, DR.. Rust, l added
completing the introduction, is a little run down
| thought that would like you to have look at
him
The doctor shifted the air disparagngly as he
shook hands. Those beastly cigarettes" he re-
marked. If you young men would only take to
Our insides aren't strong enough for your sort
of tobacco, doctor" l answered Il will leave you
with Mr.. Guest for few minutes. You may like
to overhaul him a little"
made my way into the gardens, and stood for
few minutes looking out across the park 1t was
still, hot evening; the perhaps as peace
full one as a man could conceive. The tall elms
stood out like painted trees upon painted sky;
the only movement in the quiet pastoral landscape
where little string of farm aborers were trudg-
over their shoulders. Beyond, the land sloped into
a pleasant tree enCompaSSed hollow and L could
the red tiled roofs of the cottages and the worn
gray spre of the village church. There scarcely
a breath of wind. Everything around me seemed
to stand for peace. Many night before had stood
here, smoking my pipe and drinking it all in, abso-
lutey content with myself, my surroundings, and
my life. And tonight felt with certain measure
of sadness, that it could never be the again.
A few yards behind me, in the room which had
just quilted, looking death in the face,
a the passionate half told fragments of whose
life had kindled in whole world of new DESIRES
These two, the and the girl enemies perhaps,
speaking from the opposite poles of life, had made
sad havoc with my well ordered days The excite
ment of his appeal perhaps directly potent,
yet there something far subtle far stranger,
in my thoughts of her. She and her maid and her
queer black eyed poodle were creatures of flesh and
blood without doubt; yet they had come into
my life SO strangely, and passed into so wonderful
a place there, that | thought of them with some
thing of the which belongs to things having in
themselves some element of the mystic, if not of
the supernatural. The blue of her eyes not
wonderful than the fawless grace of her per-
and her environment. l could compare her
only with visions one has read and dreamed about
in the unreal worlds of poetry and romance. Her
sible adventures, certainly material and actual
person, was hard indeed to realize.
l moved little farther away into the gardens.
The still air full of the perfume of sweet SMELL
ing flowers, of honeysuckle and roses, climbing
about the maze of arches which sheltered the lower
walks. Tonight their sweetness seemed to mean
things to The twilight was falling rapidly;
the shadows were botting out the landscape Out
beyond there, beyond the boundaries of my walled
garden, seemed to be looking into and I'M
travelled world. knew very well that the old days
were Already the change had come.
| turned my head at the sound of a footstep upon
the gravel path. The doctor was standing beside
Well" asked, what do you think of him? :"
f