, 1910-01-06
AzDJzR4Hose' BY ny MExe5

~ htIi
with respectability. We know a better
thing that that. Soul to soul, heart
10 heart, the union of equals without
the trammels of conventional bonds
for weaker beings Yes, that's what
you said"
And she recognized with horror that
he was quoting her W words.
But 1t doesn't go. you see. It's
all very well in theory, but 1t doesn't
work out in practice. The worlds
got some ideas of its own. It's been
holding EN- for a good many thou
sands of years and you can't change
EN-. You belong to me now. To hell
with your equality! You are nothing
7ore nor less than my property. aud
mark YOU" he reached out a trem-
bling finger and shook 1t at her, your
salvation is with me. If / cast you off,
you go into the gutter"
She wondered vaguely how much
more of this she could stand and live.
But don't be afraid" he went on
with a drunken attempt at reassur-
anCe, you are TOO fine and o. hand.
some. eve If you are cracked. for
that-yet. I'm glad to see you've come
TO your senses"
He rose heavily as he smoke and
felt his way around the table hand
over hand. He approached her. She
let him do it. She shrank a little
closer together, every muscle tense for
action. She was no longer a woman
she was a human tigress and her phil
OsOphy was gone. He was too drunk
to see it, too incapacitated to take
warming,
That's right" he continued as he
lurched nearer to her. "Stay right
there. I'm coming to you as fast as
] can and when I get close to you
well kiss, and"
He was by her side now. He
stra'ghtened himself up with a spas
modic effort, released his hold on the
table and stretched out his arms to.
ward her. And then she sprang at
him. How she did 1t, she could never
tell, but in some way her outstretched
arms, grasping for his throat, struck
him in h breast. Unsteady on his
feet, he went down as if he had been
shot. Such was the violence of his fall
that the momentum carried her with
him. She fell upon him with all her
force. His head went back and struck
the deck with a frightful crash. She
herself was almost stunned by the
violence of her own fall, although his
body broke 1t.
She arose and stood over him for
a minute and then she lifted her foot
and brought it down upon him. He
had said h was a mad woman and
it was true. She was crazed by what
she had heard, by the horror of the
situation. She had not changed her
dress for dinner that afternoon. She
was wearing a pair of light boating
shoes. 1t was lucky for him. If she
had worn evening slippers with high.
rigid heels, she would nave mashed
MS face beyond recognition. Al il
was, she left horrible marks upon it
lie lay absolutely m%otionless. She
could see that he was still breathing
and was not dead. If she had had
a weapon she might have killed him
IN the fury and transport of her rage.
This wretched philosopher! AS no re-
sistance came from him, she pres
entity stopped, the feminine in her
slowly rising to the fore.
She realized now that the ~irrevoc-
able had happened; that there was no
longer room for two of them on that
snip. AS the mists of passion cleared
away, although the fire of rage still
burned in her heart, her mind cleared
also. She thought with such rapidity
as she had never thought before.
First ch- s1 -
1t about her and went on deck. A cabin
ttenda was standing at the compan-
lonway. as was always the case, wait
ing a possible summons. She told him
mat his master was i'll and did not
desire to be disturbed. He did not
even want the dinner things cleared
away He wanted t. be left entirely
alohe until morning. The servant
smiled slightly, she thought, in h
hght from the cabin skylight. She
noticed that 1t was q moonless night.
cloudy, overcast, for she could see no
stars. She knew what that smile
meant; that the man realized what
sort OF sickness his owner and master
was liable to. She babe him tell the
omcer of the deck her message and
then dismissed him.
liner she returned to the cabin and
carefully locked the door. She glanced
ut the man as she did SO. He lay just
as he had lain before. She bent over
nm lie was still breathing. she noted
with-was 1t regret? But she wasted
no time over him. Time was the most
precious of all things to her at that
moment.
she had a clear and definite plan
Vi action. She knew exactly what she
Intended to do and how she intended
10 do 1t, Fortunately the means of es-
cape were at hand. They had passed
one or two tiny islands during the
uay' mere treeless spots of sand or