Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1908-05-27

rode breathless, with her lips half part
ed. as II afraid, turning her head To
look behind-as though she could out
ride the phantom clinging to her stir.
rup. masked like youth. wearing the
shadowy eyes of love!
An hour later, fresh from her bath.
luxurious In loose and filmy lace, her
small white feet shod with silk, she
lunched alone, Graded among the cush.
ions OF her couch.
Twice she strolled through the rooms
leisurely, summoned by her maid to
the telephone. the first time to chat
with Grace Ferrall, who, II appeared
was victim OF dissipation. being still
world; the second time to answer In
the negative Marion's suggestion that
she motor TO Lakewood with her fol
the weeks end before they closed theii
house
Sauntering back again, she slipped
her milk and vichy. tasted the straw
berries, tasted a big black grape, dis
carded both and lay back among the
cushions, her naked arms clasped be
hind her head, and. dropping one knee
over the other, stared at the ceiling
The room was very still and dim, buI
the clamor In her brain unnerved her
and she sat up among the cushions
looking vacantly about her with tho
blue, confused eyes, the direct, unsee
ing gaze OF child reused by a hall
heard call.
The call-low, imperative, sustained
continued softly persistent agains
her windows, the summons of the
young years rain.
She went to the window and stood
among the filmy curtains, looking GU
into the mist. A sprlnglike aroma pen
etrated the room. She opened tn,
window a little way, and the sweet
virile odor enveloped her.
A thousand longings rose within her
Unnumbered wistful questions stirred
her. signing, unanswered. Every breatl
was drawing her backward, nearer
nearer to the source of memory. All
the cliff chapel in the rain! The word!
OF a text mumbled deafiy-the yearly
service for those who died at sea. AnC
she, seated there In the chapel dusl
thinking of him who sat beside he
and how he feared a heavier, stealth
Ter, more secret tide crawling. purrins
about his feet!
Always, always at the end of every
thing, he! Always, reckoning step by
step, backward through time. he, thu
source, the inception, the meaning o.
all.
Unmoored at last, her spirit swaying
enveloped In memories of him, sh'
gave herself to the food, overwhelmed
as tide on tide rose, rushing over her
body, mind and soul.
She closed her eyes, leaning Their,
heavily amid the cloudy curtains. Sh,
moved back into the room and stooC
staring at space through wet lashes
The hard. dry pulse In her throat hur
her till her under lip, freed from tn,
tyranny OF her small teeth, Slipped
free, quivering rebellion.
She had been walking her room t
uhu lAOt W AlOs III a AOhS lAih'
before she realized that she had move,
at all.
And now impulse held the helm. 4
blind, unreasoning desire for relief hur
ried into action on the wings Of i'm
pulse.
There was a telephone at her elbow
No need to hunt through lists to fin,
a number she had known so long b.
heart, the three figures which had re
iterated themselves so often, monoto
nously insistent. slyly persuasive, re
peating themselves even In her dreams
so that she awoke at times shiverini
with the vision in which she had listen
ed to temptation and had called Z
him across the wilderness of street
and men.