Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1911-02-12
CHAPTER Xb.
The secret of the River Kent.

nv SecFeN OF Inc River Kent,
Daunt had dined cheerlessly in the de-
serted dining room. Afterward. shrinking
from the gay piazzas, he had struck or
for long rambling walk. Only the frau
moonlight, glimpsing through a cloudv
sky, lay over the landscape. when re-
turning, worn but in no mood for sleep
ne found, himself at the hill shrine look.
ing down on the white hotel with it's long
red balconies, frightened here and there
by the lighted window OF some late re-
firing guest
Ills Few days at Chuzenji had passed in
a Kind Of stifled fever. The report Of
Barbara's engagement had added its pois-
oned barb That morning however. a care
less remary had torn across his mood as
sheet lightning tears the weaving dusk
Tokyo was talking Of it-of himl-maJ,Inp
a Jest of that sweet, dead thing in his
heart! The thought had stung his pride
and there had grown in him a sharp sense
of humiliation at his own cowardico. The
afternoon had found him riding down tho
mountain trail to Nillko. Tomorrow he
would go back to Tokyo-to the round of
gaieties that would now be hateful and 70
his work
lit put out his hand to one of the
benches in the deep pine shadow. hut
drew 1t back with a sharp breath. A
silver Of the warped wood had pierced
his knucNe to the bone.
Frownng, he wrapped the bleeding
member in his handkerchief and sat down
at the bench's other end, bitterly ab-
sorbed. "he vagrant, intcrmitten moon
lieht touched the tumbling water below
with creeping silver, and on the horizon,
where the cloud bank frayed away. one
White constellation swung low. n cluster
OF lamps in golden chains But Daunt's
thGusht had no place for the delicate
beauty. OF the night.
How Ions he sat there with bowed head
he could not have told but at length he
rose heavily to his feet As he ala SO ne
became aware Of a sound below hIm-a
iootiel coming toward him. 1t crossed
a bar Of the moonlight.
he shrank, and a tremor ran over him,
for it was barbara.
She had thrown over her loose
cloak, and "a Bit OF soft. clnglng lac,
showed between its dark edges Her bril-.
liant was loosely gathered in single
braid. ard IN the moon light 1t shone like
beaten copper against the vivid paIlor OF
h,r face He sat stjrlces smft,cu with
confusion, conscious that movement must
n"tIaF him. A painful embarrassment on
Nc.opsd him, a fasudious sense OF shrink.
.ns iom her sight of him. lie felt a dun
wave OF resentment that an ante irony OF
circumstances should have brought them
beneath the same roof-to make HIM seem
the moody pursuer, the unwcIcome tres
a,sgr OF hCr rese-v,.-and chat now
thrust him into a position which at any
hazard ne would have stunned But all
bought Of himself, all feeling save ono
vanished, when, with sudden pitcous aban-
den sch threw herself on her knees bv The
b,nrh and broke into slow sobs. shuddaring
gud fearless.
In that outbreak OF emotion. were NOT
alone the pont-uD pain and humiliation she
had suffered, or the desperate joy of that
evenings knowledge There We're in II
too, grief and compunctIon, Gismay and
doubt Of the future She was engaged 70
austen Ware, Would Daunt ever Forgiye2
Would he want her-noN I'm the first
realization Of her error wound with the
E1o"ledse that he was so near her. r1a
lad felt Only joy, but in the silence Of her
room. shock on shock had come the in
credulous question, the burning revolusion
A while she had lain w.de-eyed. but AT
length, sleepless, she had stolen out 10 the
halmy fragrant night, craving IT'S peace
longlng pas ionately Tor it's soft shadows
aad the lowering touch Of the mountain's
breath on her hair. And in It's friendly