Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-06-15
BOOK II.
CHAPTER /.
Building the Cathedral.

ldZllN against the easement ptSdH " Soi
out and open the letters that had been
living on the tea table waiting for him.
.One from the colonel Lois he said,
after moments perusal NO news in
particular. He is down with touch of
fever and the whole regiment IS camp
ing out without him. Staffords marriage
still hanging fire. Silly girl. What's she
waiting for. in the name of conscience"
Lois looked up from her duties at the
table.
.,They have been engaged over a year,
size said.
MS long as we have been ngaged and
married" he answered. with an affec-
Tomato smile. How long IS that. httle
woman About eighteen months, Ell?
They don't either of them seem in much
lie went on reading. only stretching out
his hand mechanically as she brought
him his second cup of tea. Lois re-
NAMED at his side. her eyes fixed thought
fully almost hungrily, on the torn en-
yelope which lay on the floor at his feet.
why did YOU call Beatrice Cary silly
girlo" she asked at last 1T never struck
M that she was silly
"She wasn't bur she will be IL she
doesn't hold stafford fast.
\ shadow passed over the face stun
turned To the floor
rs Stafford-so-So deSrable?
Ellis money is. dear child. and the
Carys may need money in the near III
turs.
Il thought they We're rich?'
.Their money is in the mine.
But the mine is to be successful?
He smiled i'm good-na tured amusement
at her persistence.
Have you ever heard OF a mine that
wasn't 10 he successful? If YOU wait
moment / will tell YOU the latest news
Here's note from the rajah" He tore
open the large square envelope and went
on reading with the same idle interest
There's been an accident with the plast-
ing he observed, casually Five men
killed Our native friend is OF course,
in fever. Has pensioned all the fam
HES. | don't know where he VIII land US
with his extravaSances- We shall want
all the money we get for repairing
the damage Philanthropy is becoming
sort Of disease with him. Fortunately, |
am not bitten 50 far He laughed ana
threw the letter TO one side L expect
shall have TO run up north 10 put lhihss
straight
Lois answered innocently.
Enough lie looked at her with
twinkle in his bright eyes. Dear girl,
it hasn't paid so much as quarter OF It's
expenses.
but will il ever?"
Heaven knows-or, perhaps. even
heaven does not. I'm sure ! don't
You talk so calmly about it, she ex-
claimed aghast. surely YOU are heav-
fly involved-and not only you, but the
rajah and the people of Marut?
He matted her or the cheek.
Don't worry on that score. ne as
s,,red her Besides. it's not my way to
sit down and cry over what can't be
helped / dare say l shall pull through
somehow.
+Yes. you. perhaps.
lie changed color slightly under the
challenge in her eyes, but his expression
remained unruffied.
You are not exactly very trusting
wife. are YOU. Lois? 1t comes of letting
a woman have a look into business. Never
mind. we won't argue the subject all over
again. ] know what YOU think or me-
There, goodbye. ! must be on again.
Nicholson will he around shortly told
him lie would find me at home.
Had you not better wait for him,
them
"Oh. no. | only told him | should be
at home as sort of facon de parler he
only comes when he thinks | am there
admirable person-and / know you like
to have old friends about: Goodbye
dear
goodbye" She accepted his kiss list
lessly. and when he had gone went back
TO the window.
The window had become Lois Travers'
vantage point of life. From thence she
could overlook the bustlng Madras square
Into which four streets poured their UNI
ending stream. and build her fancies
about each one Of the atoms as they
passed unconsriously beneath her gaze
Some Of the faces were we'll known to
her They always passed at the time
when she took her sewing and sat by the
window. pretending To work by the fading
glow of evening light. and about each she
Move a simple little story. always. or
nearly always happy. She imagined the
men returning from business TO their
homes. Ii there was ever a cloud upon
their brow she smiled 10 think how the
trouble would be brushed away by loving
hq
ally light and elastic her own heart grew
lighter with the thought that they were
hurr,.ing back 10 the source Of their hap
piness.
lois lived on the real or imagined joys
of others. She chung 10 her air castles
in which her unknown heroes lived. build
Ing them more beautifully. fitting them
out with more perfect content, as her own
brick dwelling grew darker and more
deSolate She felt that if ever she let go
her hold on them she would lose faith in
human happiness, and thus in life itself.
For between Lois TraSerS the woman and
Lois Travers the light-hearted. high
slfrited girl there stretched "A years gulf.
Marriage had been to her what it is more
or less 70 all women-a Ruhicon. Book
of Revelations. in which girlish ideals are
rarely realized, sometimes modified, more
often DESTROYED.
Clever and pl;ahle women. women with
the art of living" do not allow their
hearts to be broken in the latter event.
supposng them To have relaxed their
cleverness SO far as to have had ideals
al all: but Lois was not clever or pliable
and her ideals had been destroyed. She
lad loved John Stafford, and in some in
explicable way he had failed her. She
had given her life into Travers' hands in
the belief that he needed her for his
progress. and that in helping him her idle
powers OF love and devotion would not
he wasted. Too late she realiZed-what
no woman ever realizes until ii is too
Iate--that the man who needs a woman
for his salvation is already far beyond
her help.
lowe OF gayety there lurked spirit of
Puritanism which had drawn her 10 stat
ford. and now brought her into violent
conflict with Travers' fundamental frivol-
ity In the first month Of their marriage
she had had 10 admit that she had
reached the bottom OF his character and
found nothing there--not much as Il
deeply planted vice. He had pretended a
depth OF feeling which was only. in part
sincere. and he was too lazy II keep up
pretense when his chief object was
gained He really cared for Lois, but he
had wiIlfully exaggerated the role she
pIayed in hiy life. Always good natured
and kindly he never allowed her To ruffie
or anger him She had never seen him
rough or cruel to any human being. and
all these superficial virtues forced her
farther from him.
few significant incidents had revealed
10 her that his good nature covered "A
cold bIooded Indifference where his OWN
1nterests were vitality concerned. His ap-
parent pliabilty hid deNterity which
tyaded every recognized principle. In
a. NtNt In Vsh