Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1909-10-29

peril sweeping over him. Geneva
heard the sharp, painful intake of his
breath and felt the sudden relaxation
of his fingers. She was not puzzled.
She, too, had felt the magic of the
touch, and her blood was surging red.
She knew then that she had been
clasping his hand with a fervor that
was as u~nmistakable as 1t was shame
less.
Neenah may have felt the magnetic
current that coursed through these
surcharged creatures. She was smil-
ing mysteriously to herself.
"Wait here" she whispered to Chase,
ever so softly. She released his hand
and moved off in the b~lackness of the
passage. II will bring Selim.' came
back to them.
"Ohw fell family, TREMENDOUSLY. from
Genevra's lips. 1t was a trap. after
all! But 1t was not the trap laid by
a traitor. She fell all aquiver. Her
heart 1uttered violently; her breath
came quickly. Alone with him. and
their blood leaping to the touch that
thrilled!
Chase could no more have restrained
the hand that went out suddenly in
quest of hers than he could have
checked his own heart throbs. A wave
of exquisite joy swept over him-the
joy of a temptation that knew no fear,
no conscience. He found hei cold lit
tie hand and clasped 1t in tense fin
gers-fngers that throbbed with the
call to passion. He drew her close;
their bodies touched and sweetly trem-
bled.
Are you afraid2" he whispered IN
tones he had lever heard before.
YES" she murmured convulsiveiy-
'of you! Please, please, don'tv" Ar
the same time she frightened her clutch
upon his hand and crept closer to him,
governed by an unconquerable craving.
Chase had the sensation of smothering.
He could not believe the senses which
To11 Mn that She was Responding to
his appeal.
"Genevra." he murmured, almost
gasped, in his delirium. His arms
went about her slender figure sudden
ly, and she was strained to his breast,
locked to him with bonds that seemed
u~nbreakable. Her face was lifted to
his. The blackness of the passage
was impenetrable, but love was the
guide. He found her lips in n wild.
glorious kiss.
A door creaked sharply. He released
har THAR nTiUariDu arms foil away
They drew ever so slightly apart, still
under the control of the influence
which had held them for that brief
moment. She was trembling violently
A soft, wailing sigh as of pain came
from her lips.
Then the glimmer of a light came tC
them through the half open door at the
end of the passage. They gazed at II
without comprehension, dumb In theiI
sudden weakness. A shadowy figure
came out through the door, and Selim's
voice, low and tense, called to them.
Forgive me-" he murmured.
ut is too late" she replied. Their
his hand sought hers again, and, dizzy
with emotion, he led her up to the
open door. AS they passed into the
huge, dimly lighted chamber he turned
to look into her face. She met his
gaze, and there were tears in her eyes
Selim was ahead of then. She shook
her head sadly, and he understood.
Can we ever forget?" she murmured
plaintively.
"Never!' he whispered.
"Then we shall always regret-al
ways regret!' she said, withdrawing
her hand. sit was the beginning and
the end"
mot the end, dearest one-if we are
always to regret" he interposed eager
ly. But why the end? You do love
mel l know I'll And l worship you
oh, you don't know how 1 worship
you, Genevra! p
Flush! We were foolsl Don't,
pleased l do not love you. I was car
ried away by oh, can't you under
stand? Remember what l ami You
knew and yet you have degraded me
in my own eyes,. Is my own self re-
spect nothing2 You will laugh and
you may boast after l am married
to-
"Genevrar' he protested as if in
great pain.
"Excellency." came from the lips of
Selim It the lower end of the cham
Der, breaking in sharply upon their lit
tie world, there is no time to be lost"
Time to be losti And he had held her
in his armsl Time to be lost! All the
rest of time was to be lost! "They
may return at any moment"
Chase pulled himself together. He
looked into her eyes for a moment,
finding nothing there but a command
to go. She stood straight and unyield-
ing on the very spot which had seen
her trembling with emotion but a mo-
ment before.
Coming. Selim," he said. and moved
away from her side as Neenah came
toward them from the opposite wall.
D1~~-~, atI 1NA roAuo Che cfoAd nnffo