The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1911-01-13

THE COMPACT
The Story Of an Unrecorded Con-
spiracy in South Africa
RIDGWELL CULLUM

Watchers the Palms, Night Riders"
Author of

NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. eoeotOVeeoeteoete
| blood coursing through her veins. 1t
was a scene from which she had fed
as fast as her horse could carry her.
Even now the passionate words of
Guy Chalmer, whom she had met
during her ride out on the Roof
Grond road, were ringing in her ears.
1t was a scene in which the man who
had once deserted her, the man who
had wantonly flung her love away,
the man who fate and her husbands
| within had forced her to renew as
ISOLATION with, had made love to her,
had alternately cajoled and threaten
ed her with passionate indiscrimna-
ton. And she had listened. Yes, she
knew now that she had listened With
a feeling of thoughtless feminine
triumph. He had come back to her.
And those first moments of triumph
had been very sweet She did not
pause to question herself, to ask her.
self the right or wrong of her posi-
ton. An acknowledged feeling that
she was beyond his reach possessed
her, and made her poor little triumph
the sweeter. Maybe he would know
now something Of what he had made
her suffer; and, she told herself, she
would have been more than human
if she had not been just a little glad.
Then chance word of his had
torn the ven from before her mental
vision, and revulsion of feeling had
come. Her innate honesty was stirred.
She saw the thing in it's true light,
and, seeking any trivial excuse, she
had fed precipitately. She could lis
ten no more. It was dishonest; dis
honest to herself, to him, but more
than all to her husband, the man
who trusted her, who had given her
all he had to bestow.
In a flash there leapt to her brain
a vision Of Ferman. large strong,
plain, whose quiet kindness masked
a heart that beat only for her; whose
honor was in her keeping, and whose
honor must be upheld no matter what
the relations between them.
And on the swift ride home a
strange thing happened. Her hus-
| bands large, ugly face doomed before
her all the way home. It was her
sense OF duty, she said, that had
awakened, nothing more. Yes, that
was it. 1t was absurd to even think
of love. No, she could never let Guy
talk like that to her again. Why
should Ferman insist on her "cul-
tivating" this man? It was cruel; it
was wrong. If he only knew. Why
should he not know? All, that was
q good thought. If she told him it
| would help her, he would put an end
to it. Yes, but all the same it was
good to have heard Guy. He made
love as only she had dreamt of it.
He was sincere, too; he was earnest
enough now. But 1t must end.
So she had fed; her aching brain
| in tumult, her nerves strung, and
through it all she felt so i'll, so tired.
Emily wants you to go and stay
| with them during my absence" Ell
| wood went on as she remained sill
ent Then, as an afterthought, "And
think it would be a good thing for
you"
| The words were quietly spoken. but
they had the effect of rousing the
girls resentment. All the bitterness
she had felt at his refusal Of her re-
| quest at breakfast had returned to
her. Was she always to be treated
like a child?
ssWho suggested it?" she demand
ed in a hard voice that was utterly
unlike her own.
Emily"
Mary laughed Historically. i
| "She is very kind she exclaimed,
making no attempt to hide the harsh
sarcasm. 81 am not to be trusted
here in my own house. You have
shown me that I have not intelligence
enough to understand your business;
also that my presence on your jour-
ney would be a burden to you. So
my care is to be thrust on other peo-
Piles shoulders. Thank you, I will
look after myself in my own-home.
You said you would arrange for my
safety. Do go. I will not burden
the Verrickers with my presence.
And she finished up with another
| hysterical laugh.
| The man was distressed, and his
brows drew together in frown which
the suffering woman read as an ex-
preston of anger. She felt almost
glad she had reused him. She felt
! that she would like him to be harsh
with her, even cruel to violence. II
would at least ease her pent-up feel
ings. But the very calmness of his
answer only increased her anger.
'This is folly, Mary. You are over
wrought The sun has been too much
| for you. You had better lie down.
and I will send Tanta to you"
Don't bother to do that" she cried
thoroughly exasperated. ''In spite OF
your opinion am quite capable OF
looking after myself. The sun has
nothing to do with my decision. ]
am very fond of Emily verricker, but