Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-01-14
CHAPTER XI-Continued.

Harrison keen observer that he was.
did not fail to notice Grey's new line.
and after week he spoke of II to me.
II think, Clarke" he said in his cool.
cutting tones. like the edge of a knife.
that ultimately you'll have To kill Grey.
I'm sorry these are not the old times
when you could challenge him for some
aginary insult and put him out Of the
way"
For Gods sake don't jest about il
Harrison / burst out you remember
you said once that either you or 1 would
have to rescue her. Well. l wish that
either you or l could. i can't stand the
sight of that man
lie has the law. religion and the
prophets on his side said Harrison
gravely.
Il know it. wish he could die! Drink
himself to death. Anything!" I ex-
claimed.
"He is a very healthy looking man.
He has an unusually robust frame. He
is likely to last many years yet
Harrison came close to me and like
Grey put his hand upon my shoulder.
But unlike Grey his touch was not re-
pellent.
Mr.. Clarke" he said you and l have
something in common, besides our love
for Alicia Grey. understand you thor
oughly, and while you and can never
be friends l wish that We could.
Yes" / said II would rather be your
friend than your enemy
But l know that We must remain ar
rayed against each other. While l was
attracted to him at times there was some
thing peculiar and caustic In the tenn
permanent of Harrison that repealed The
man did not make warm friends, nor
seem to wish them. Moreover. Alicia
stood between us. an insuperable bar
1t became known to the general pubic
that / had declared myself against Grey,
and the report received much VIVID en-
brOidery. | soon perceived also that 1
must expect continual attack from Grey S
lieutenants. and presently very seri-
GUS one came, in Il way altogether I'M
expected.
eastern Kentucky some lingering spirit
that favors avenging your own quarrel
/ think it is inherited in direct line
from the Highlands of Scotland but, De
that as II may. It still exists and gives
us trouble. besides creating in the world
for the ma iority Of us reputation that
is earned only by the minority.
Now one Of the mountain counties hao
sent to our Legislature a man "nom
hitheto I had noticed but slightly. MIR.
John Bucks huge. swarthy Fellow OF
about thirty. truculent In manner ana
used to a rough life, in which rapid nre
rifles and self-action revolvers were I'M
p0TIdnC aTllCleS OF l'uSAo nav
taken but little vocal part In the affairs
of the house. but l heard that Frankfort
great city to one used only 10 the
mountains and the wilderness, had proved
rather heady wine for him. Rumors OF
his exploits in doubtful quarters hoated
about but l had not paid any attention
to them.
Now, Bucks suddenly began to cut q
figure on the floor of the house, and
seemed to be his chief target. Nothing
hot pIpaSeH him / was
rather amused at first by Bucks attacks,
crediting them to the virus which SO
often sets the poorer section OF a state
against the richer. and l did not take
seemed to infuriate him still further. and
by and by he became personal. More
than once the speaker was forced to call
him to order with the heavy beating of
his gavel. and at last Peden came 10
me. pulling his long beard obviously.
Clarke he said, that mountain fell
low has got it in for you. Have you ever
| had any quarrel with him.
NO. I never spoke a half dozen words
| to him in my life"
sooner Or later. He's making a dead set
at you, and there's only one way with
fellows OF that kind
Peden looked quite serious. and with
his long fingers he corbed his long beard
very thoughtfully, but his words never
theless made no deep impression upon
me at the time-1 suppose my mind was
so nearly filled with other subjects that
there was no room in it for Bucks.
Mrs. Warren. AHcias mother. arrived
suddenly in Frankfort, and for some rea-
sons ] was not sorry to know of her
presence. Although | could never over
come my repugnance to the woman who
had sold her daughter, yet Alicia needed
her mother near her. Friends of her own
sex she had in plenty in Frankfort, but
there was none upon whom she could
lean.
Despite the feeling of repelience that
she created in me | sought to ingratiate
myself with Mrs. Warren, and l talked
to her of common topics in Louisville that
should interest us both. But I made
little progress She still regarded me
with the yellow eye of suspicion. But
she never showed the same aversion to-
ward Harrison. whose mind she must
have read as easily as my own and who
she must also have known would resort
to measures at which 1 stopped. | have
already commented on the fact that Grey,
too. seemed to trust Harrison while al
ways regarding me with unworthy Sus-
picion. I suppose that his manner blinded
them both ana softened the facts. or made
them look like something else.
In the course of the day after her
mothers arrival l saw Alicia alone. When
the session of the house closed I went to
my room to work upon some bills and
about twilight I decided to take a walk
the small parlor. The door was open and
the sound of as sad music as l have ever
heard came from it. 1 am peculiarly sus-
ceptible to the melancholy note in music.
l like sad music and cheerful books, an
esthetic or intellectual contrast, for which
I do not undertake to account.
I stopped a moment at the door to
listen to the wailing chords and then, as
I caught the outline Of a Woman's arm
the arm Of the woman who had sat at
the niano | went In
1t was Alicia playing in the dim light
and expressing what was in her heart
I knew it. / felt it inStinctively and 1t
did not need the sight of her sad face
to confirm me. Her eyes as she bent a
little over the piano seemed to me to be
heavy with tears. Her face was dead
white, like ivory, and her hands blended
with the keys.
l think that she heard my footsteps.
and l think that she knew them, but
she went on with the slow. wailing music
What the piece was / do not know
Russian, perhaps. the Russians seem
to me to be a sad people-and the room
was full of shadows and ghosts and re-
for remembrance. but remembrance here
filed me with bitterness. Not only had
1 destroyed my own youth, but hers as
we'll and her whole life. do not claim
to be a good man, the years behind me
contained many things that / wished to
forget, but whatever / was and whatever
/ had been. l knew that l should have
made a far better husband for Alicia
than George Grey ever was or could be
or wished to be. l should have loved
her and cherished and protected her and