The Ordway new era., 1910-04-15
CHAPTER vi-Continued.

"Oh. sir" she palliated. Il thought
no wrong. sir-for her or you
We'll. WELL" he waived. and said
significantly. for me there's no good
In the world
The old womans hands were clased
over her knitting-work. her wedding
ring fine and yellow on her finger
he had seen the ring grow thin with
the years His eyes were on it.
But there are good things. sir"
she whispered. softly. "a wife and
children"
He laughed. not pleasantly.
You must renounce your fairy-tales.
The only ones that are left are grue.
some-tales with which to frighten
children"
He frowned. and covered his face
with his hand; n fine hand. strong
and slender nothing effeminate about
1t, albeit with the oval nails and
psychic finger-tips OF the poet.
He recovered himself: ITO return
to what l came to say-Miss Carew
must leave Craven"
'Yes. Mr.. Tempest"
II shall never send her, shall
never show her, let her dream | wish
1t, because" his eyes flashed at abe
old. anxious face. II wish nothing
less-nothing less-in the world. Do
you hear?"
"Yes, Mr. BASIL"
"She must not come to-morrow-nor
again"
AS he threw back his head the shad.
ows on his face appeared to creep
from his melancholy eyes and brood
over all his features. The spirits OF
the night and darkness had banded to-.
gether to cast their baleful wings
over him.
"She must not come again."
mo, Mr.. BASIL"
II cannot bear it,
She understood him and sat silent,
her tenderness and pity fixed on his
bowed, brooding figure. AS her eyes
met his he again covered his over
with his too frequent gesture and ex-
claimed:
Fire, Goals of live flames heated
red hot and on each lid. What is this
cursed malady that is destroying me
God! to be blind-blind-with the
one with my life! To give up all the
images of the world, the forms of
life. the colors that plant the aspect
of the universe-to go into this self
this dark, gloomy prison of myself
with memories none too glad-or
brave or good, be sure! To live with
the ghouls of the mind-the angels of
light all banished. Never to write
again, never to create, because my
selfish misery Is too great; because !
am sapped by revolt and not to be
reconciled. Why. tonight can
scarcely see you, and there have been
days when l would have torn my eyes
open to see her more plainly! To
potter around the earth l have been
SO vain as to think l trod we'll. to
tumble for chair. to fall instead OF
walking, to feel my way who have
broken it through!
"You have watched the malady come
to me, Henly, as you watched it come
to my father. You have understood
You have seen me suffer, and l knew
you wondered at my control when
within I have shrieked with agony
He paused. then said significantly:
But there is oblivion"
In his anguish his eyes showed
blood-red, as If horribly suffused with
drops of supreme Gethsemane. The
old woman's face was sublime in
tenderness; her tears were flowing
freely.
And l have dared for a moment to
think of happiness!" he breathed. 81
have dreamed of a love strong enough
to go with me into that deadly dark
ness--the inferno. But it's madness
madness! I have proved it. 1t does
not exist, and God knows l will pro
tect myself from suffering any more
deeply than now I do. But. as l said
there is oblivion-look here" Temp
est unfastened his cuff and rolled uI
his sleeves to his inner arm.
The old housekeeper gave cry