Evening star., 1907-07-28
THE SQUAW MAN
A NOVEL FAvERsAAM
By 4 Bro)

There was a slight movement from above,
significant in its abruptness; 1t was as
though quick decision had been made by
Henry. Down the corridor she fed, obey
ing compelling instinct. The pale mist
| Of the first streaks Of dawn was struggling
| through the distant windows. She remem-
| bered a similar hurried rush to the nursery,
| when the tiny twisted body was attacked
| with wrthing commissions. Quickly she
| sped along the hallway. around twisted
| inclosure, and up the broad staircase until
| she reached the nursery. Without a pause
| she swung open the heavy oak door; then
| she knew why the warning had come to
| her.
At the creaking Of the door, Henry
started; he was unaware that 1t had re-
| mained unlocked. For q moment he stared
at his mother as though she were ap-
partition. He was standing near the open
drawer OF a huge desk: the CLINT of fire
arms In 1t shone clear against the flicker
Of the spluttering candles. He made no
attempt to move. His eyes were held by
the figure at the door, but no words came
from the moving lips of Lady Elizabeth.
Instinctively, both their glances went to
the open drawer with its certain means of
death. Henry turned away; he tried to
close the case. Through the silent room
came the sobbed name of his childhood
days.
'Ba-ba. Ba-bar'
He felt her strong arms fasten tight
around him: unresisting, he was gathered
up close against the trembling body of his
| mother. as she drew him down into big
settle. He made no attempt to speak. He
| heard only the name of his babyhood in LIS
mothers moans. as she pressed his tense
| face to hers kissed the faunlike ears, while
| her hands strayed as they used to do over
| the long limbs that, relaxed. lay helpless
| against hers. The old nursery again held
! her treasure, and mechanically the trem-
ulous lips fell to grooming ngforgotten
lullaby.
Gradually he slept with his head on her
| breast Straight and stiff the early shadows
found her, while the bitter tears furrowed
her face as she held her child. warm anc
alive against her heart. During the long
hours OF her vigil she heard distinctly the
crunching OF footsteps on the gravel walk
outside some one passed and repasSed
| the east wing. But she was little concerned
! with the world without
! Below, unconscious OF the tragedy so
| close To him, Jim, whose step 1t was Lady
| kerhill had heard on the gravel path,
| fought through the long night for his right
! to happiness. His entire horizon seemed
! blocked by the unyielding figures of Lady
! Elizabeth and Henry; behind them, tanta-
! liz.ng him with the sweetness of the vision,
/ ne could see Diana's face illumined with its
| new light of wonder The heavy deWs
| Which gave TO the old garden its fragrant,
| green, sweet odors, drenched him as he
I paced along the path under the giant trees
lie was insenslble to his wet clothes-to the
| tumbled hair which the dampness knotted
| about his head in kinky curls The tangle
| or ms thoughts proved too difficult for him
| TO unravel: the night had been So charged
- ~, ~ mat iie couIu hardly look
| truthfully into his own heart. The hours
passed as he paced restlessly, daZed and
overwhelmed by the chaotic uprootinr Of
! all his being. Ainlessy he at last van
| dered toward the Fairies Corner and
sought rest on the rudely fashioned seat
| dented and marked with his boyish cary
| ings. There he lay haunted by intangible
| dreams until, overcome by weariness he
crept close into his old corner and slept
The strong orange shafts OF sunrise were
| lighting up the hillside opposite Diana's
| window as she stealthily crept down and
| let herself out of the silent house into the
! garden The mounds close to the Towers
were covered with great spashes OF
| heather. while the moor beyond dipped and
| stretched far away. like q trailing purple
| overblown monster flower, which seemed
| mushroom-like, to have sprung up durins
the night Diana's first sight Of the brilliant
coloring that came every July to the
heather-covered hillside brought now as
always bitter memories Of her first summer