Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-05-18
BOOK I
CHAPTER l.
Which Is a Prologue.

troIlable horror.
..oh. that dreadful light, she moaned
eff it would only go out. 1t will send me
mad. Oh if it would only 60 out-only
GO ont.
Her companion made no immediate an
sver She stood by the wall. her shout
ders slightly hunched. her hands clasped
before her in an attitude Of fixed. sullen
defiance What her features expressed
il was impossible to tell, since they were
hidden by the deep shadow in which she
had taken IN her position Tie rest OF
the apartment was lit with a gray. ghost
u light, the reflection from the court
yard. in part visible through the open
DOORWAY, and which lay bathed in all the
briIliancy If full Indian moon
When the light goes out it will mean
that the end has come. she said, al last
DO you know that. Christine?
Yes | know IT. the other answered.
liteously. but that's what | want-the
crd | am not afraid 10 die. Know
Harry will he there. lie will not let II
he too hard for me It's the suspense
cannot bear. The suspense is worse than
death. | have died dozen times toniGht.
and suffered as | am sure COD VIII not
let us suffer
Margaret Caruthers bent over the cow
crIng figure with the sympathy which
education provides when tie heart falis 70
perform its office. There was. indeed. 1T
tIc tenderness in the hand which passed
lightly over Christine Staffords feverish
forehead
You give God credit for good DEAL
she said indifferently. If the light trou-
lies YOU. shall ! shut the door,
Christine sprang half upright
No she cried. sharply NO. !
should stil see it. Even when cover my
faceAso-I can still see it pickering. And
then there is the darkness, and IN the
nv little fellow. what will become or
YOU She began TO cry softly. hut no
longer with fear. Love and pity had
struggled M out Of the chaos Of her de-
snair, rising above even the mighty in
stinct of self-preservation. MarGaret 5
Land ceased from its mechanical act Of
consolation.
Be thankful that he is not here she
said.
Il am thankful-hut the thought of him
makes death harder. II will hurt him
NO one is Indispensable in this world"
Christine turned her haggard, tear
stained face 10 the moonlight.
How hard you are She said. wonder
ingly. You too. have Your little girl to
think of but even with the end so close
even knowing that we shall never see our
loved ones again-you are still hard
II have no loved ones, ard life has
taught me to be hard. Why should death
soften me?'' was the cold answer. Both
strangers To each other, common dan
Ger had not served to break down the
barrier between them Christine row lay
quiet and calm, her hands clasped. her
lips moving slightly, as though in prayer.
Her companion had resumed her former
uosition against the wall. her eyes fixed
ON the open doorway. beyond which the
gray lake of moonlight spread itself into
the shadow of the walls In the distance
a single point of fire f1ickered uneaSily.
winking like an evil. threatening eye 20
long as il winked at them long their
lives were safe. With its determination
they knew must come their own.
Hitherto. save for the murmur of the
two voices a profound hush had weighed
ominously in the heavy air. Now sudden
~ cry went up. pitched on high note
and descending by semitOneS. like a dS-
ing wind into a moan. IL caught UP
instantly and repeated so close that il
seemed 10 the two women to have sprung
from the very ground beneath their feet.
Christine started up.
'Oh. my God. she muttered. .Oh, my
Cod
She was trembling from head 10 foot.
but the other gave no sign OF either fear
or interest There followed brief pause,
IN which the ina gination might have con-
tured up unseen forces gathering them
selves together for A final onslaught II
came at last. like cry. suddenly. amidst
Wild outburst of Wells. screams and the
Intermittent cracks of revolverS fired at
close quarters. Pandemonium had been
let loose on the other side of the silver
lake but the silver lake itself remained
placid and untroubled. Only the red eye
wrked more vigorously, as though its
warning had become more imperative
Christine Stafford chung 10 pair of IN
responsive hands. which yielded with an
almost speaking reluctance 70 her en-
brace.
You think there is no hope?" she
pleaded. None? You know what Harry
said. If the regiment got back in
The regiment will not get back in
fine Margaret Caruthers interrupted.
There are ten men guarding the gate
against heaven knows how many thou
sand. Do YOU expect a miracle? No, no
We are a people who dance best at the
edge Of crater. and if a few. like our
selves. get swallowed mp now and again
it cannot be helped. IL * the penalty.
IF only Harry would come Christine
moaned needless of this cold philosophy
"F;ut he will keep his promise. won't he:
Tie won't let Us fall into those cruel
hands? You remember what happened al
Calcutta
flush. Don't frighten yourself and
me" exclaimed Margaret, tmpatiently
DOCS il comfort you 10 hold my hand
We'll. hold il. then. How strange YOU are
J thought YOU weren't afraid.
Il shan't be when the time comes-bui
it's 50 very lonely Don't you feel it:
Are you made of stone9
Margaret CarutherS set her teeth hard
Il would 70 God | WERE she said. Al
ri once she wrenchcd her hama free and
pointed with il. Her arm stretched out
into the light. had curious, ghoStly ef-
feet Look she cried
The red eye winked rapidly in success
sion. once. twice, three times and ther
sinsed-tbis time for ever. An instaE
later two dark spots da ted out into ths
brightly lighted space and came AT head
long pace toward them. Christine snranl
u her feet. and the two women chung I,
each other. oheyinG for that one moTeu
the instinct which can bind devil to saint
But il Was an English voice which greet
ed them from the now darkened doorway
IT'S all over Steven Caruthers said
entering with his companion and slam
ming the door sharply 10. We have fiv'
uiButes more. Mackay has promised 4
keen them OF just long. Stafford, Sc
10 your wife He spoke brutally. in
vo.ce choked with dust and pain. Th
room was now in pitch darkness. Harr!
Stafford felt his way across, his arm
outstretched
christine he called.
She came 10 him at once. with step a
fJfm and steady as "A mans.
Harry. She cried. her voice rinGin,
with all almost incredulous JOY. "Oh
my darling.
He caught her To him and felt how cain
her pulse had become.
Are you afraid. my wife,
Not now. ! am SO happy.
lie knew. strange though ii seemed
that this was true and natural becaus
her love was stronger than life or III
fear Of death.
DO you trust me absolutely. Chris
tine?'