Lewiston evening teller. [volume] (Lewiston, Idaho) 1903-1911, 1908-02-20
The Fighting
I'M By.
Copyright Publishing
Copyright Robert W. Chambers
1Chapter Fiye-Continued. )


She looked at him. then past him to-
ward a corner of the wide hall where
a maid in cap and apron sat pretend
ing to be sewing. Careful she mo-
toned with smiling lips. Servants
gossip. Good night again"
"CouIdn't we have a moment
s'No."
zone minute
"Hushl | must open my door"-lin-
gering 81 might come out again If
you have anything particularly i'm
pnrtant to communicate to me-"
Il have. There's big bay window
ut the end of the other corridor. Will
you conner"
But she opened the door, with light
laugh, saying Good nightv' again
and closed 1t noiselessly behind her
He walked on, turning into his cor
Tidor. but kept straight ahead, passing
his own door, on to the window at the
end of the hall, then north along a
wide passageway which terminated In
a bay window overlooking the roof Of
the indoor swimming tank.
1t appeared that he had cigarettes
enough for he lighted one presently
and, leaving his chair, curled up in the
cushioned and pillowed window seat,
gathering his knees together under his
arm.
The cigarette he had lighted went
out. He had bitten into 1t and twisted
It so roughly that it presently crum-
bled. and he threw the rags of it into
a metal bowl. locking his jaws in ST.
lence, for the night threatened to be
bad one for him. A heavy fragrance
from his neighbours wineglass at din
ner had stirred up what had for time
lain dormant, and by accident some
thing some sweetmeat he had tasted
was saturated In brandy.
Now his restlessness at the pros
pect Of blank night had quickened to
uneasiness, with a hint of fever tinting
his skin, but as yet the dull ache in his
body was scarcely more than a pre-
monition.
He had his own devices for tiding
him over such periods tobac-
co and the long, blind logged tramps
he took in town, but here tonight in
the rain one stood every chance of
walking of the cliffs. and he was sick
of reading himself sightless over the
sort of books sent wholesale to Shot
over. and he was already too Ill at
ease physically to make smoking en-
durable.
After awhile he began to walk mo-
notonously to and fro the length of the
corridor, like man timing his steps
to the heavy ache of body or mind
Once he went as far as his own door,
entered and, stepping to the wash basin,
let the Icy water run over hands and
wrists. This sometimes helped to
stimulate and soothe him. 1t did now
for awhile--long enough to change the
current of his thoughts to the girl he
had hoped might have the imprudence
to return for a tryst. innocent enough
In itself, yet unconventional and I'M
reasonable enough to prove attractive
70 them both
Probably she wouldn't come. She
had kept her fluffy skirts clear of him
since cup day, which simply corrobo-
rated his vague estimate of her. Had
she done the contrary his estimate
would have been the same, for uncon-
sciously. bat naturally. he had pre-
Judged her. A girl who could capture
Quarter at full noontide and in the
face of all Manhattan was girl equip
ped for anything she dared, though she
was probably too clever to dare toe
much; a girl to be interested in, to
amuse and be amused by; girl to be
reckoned with. His restlessness and
his fever subdued by the icy water, he
stood drying his hands, thinking cool
~ how close he had come to being
seriously in love with this young girl
whose attitude was always a curious
temptation. whose smile was a charm.
ing provocation, whose youth and
beauty were to him a perpetual chal
1enge. He admitted to himself calmly
that be had never seen woman he
cared as much for; that for the brief
moment OF his declaration he had
known an utterly new emotion, which
inevitably must have become the love
he had so quietly declared 1t to be
He had never before felt as he felt
then. cared as he cared then. Any
fime--any degree of love, any devotion
any generous Remuneration. Cleal
sighted. master of himself. he saw love
before him and knew it when he saw
tt--recognized it, was ready for it, of
fered ii, emboldened by her soft hands
so eloquent in his.
And in his arms he held it for an in
slant. he thought spite of the sudden
inertia, spite of the according of cold
lips and hands still colder. relaxed, in
ert--held it until he doubted.
Then she had become intelligent
again. with a little laughter. a little
malice, a becoming tint of hesitation
aud confusion All the sense all the
arts. all the friendly sweetness OF g
woman thorough In training schoole6
in self possession. clear enough to be
audacious and peryerse without danger