Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1911-02-05
e


Persia when you came? why did / happen
TO be there In the garden that night. at
that particular moment2 Why II was the
purest accident that I came here today!
No--not accident II was kismet! Barbara!
'Make-a light I-beg you!"
His lips were murmuring against her
cheek SAY love you too"'
lean not. You g.. YOU would hold
me cheap I would bel ami
What? Yes II was tulip tree 1 was six
teen Oh you couldn't have-why,
you'd forgotten the whole thing! You had
you had! Don't hold me No,
don't care what you think! This
Is perfectly shameless Dark? That
make It all the worse. What will you
No, no! You must not kiss me
aganl We must go back!--t will go back
She freed herself, and he fumbled for
his fallen candle He struck match. The
suffering blue flame lit her white,
languorous face, her fallen hair, her heav-
ing breast IL went out. He struck an
other and the wick blazed up.
Look at me. dear" he said. Tell me
in the light. VIII you marry me?"
Il can not answer-now."
why? Don't YOU love me?'
lin so short time, how could i?
Let us go now l don't know myself-nor
nor you!"
She was trembling. and he noted 1t with
a pang OF conjunction.
Tomorrow, sweetheart? VIII you give
me my answer then?"
"Yes!" 1t was almost inaudible.
AT the Foreign Ministers ball tomor-
row night? Ill come to you there, dear
est l."
He stopped She had caught her hand
to her throat with a wild gesture. Ben
ten! she-she is frowning at u.s. There
look there!"
"My poor daringy' he said. you are
nervous. See, II was only the shadow! |
ought not to have brought you into this
dismal hole! You are positively shivering.'
Let US hurry" she said. and they went
quickly into the warmer air and light OF
the entrance.
The squall had passed with the fateful
swiftness of It's coming The waves still
gurged and tumblcd, but the fury Of the
wind was over The murk light had lifted
showing the wet sky patchy drab, which
again was beginning to show giimpses OF
golden hue.
The sun was setting when the Tokyo
express pulled into the station. AS Harr
disappeared into the compartment, Daun
took Barbara's hand to help her to thu
platform. There had been no other FIST
class passengers to embark and the for
ward end OF the asphalt was deserted. He
lovely flushed face was turned towart
him, and there in the dusk OF the station
ne bent swiftly and kissed her once NOR
on the lips.
Dearest, dearest!" he said behind hi
teeth, and turned quickly away.
In the car, as the train fled through tn
glory OF the sunset, Barbara closed he
eyes, the longer to keep the impression o
that eager gaze the lithes muscular pois
OF the strong frame, the parted lips, tn
: brown hair curling under the peak OF tn
. cloth cap. She tried to imagine him OF
his backward journey. Now the trolley ha
passed the rieefields, now ne was stridin
r along the shore road toward Kamakura
Q where the great bronze Buddha was lift
= ing it's face Of dreamless calm Now, per
e haps, he was turning back toward tn
deepening blur OF the green island. Sh
Q shivered a little as she remembered tn
frown that had seemed to rest on tn
Q stony countenance of Ben-ten in her cave
Her thought drifted into tomorrow. whe
she was to give him her answer. All, sh
10 knew what that answer would be! Sh
d thought of the telegram Of the night before
n which she had read in the candle-lighte
4 street! Tomorrow Ware also was coming
s for an answerl She knew what that woul
e be. too. She felt a sudden pity for hin
n Yet she knew now-what wisdom she ha
gained in these two swift days!-that HI
was not the love that most deserved 4
= Daunts parting kiss chung to her lips lik
e a living flower The hand he had claspe
a still burned to his touch; she lifted 1t an
held il against her hot face. while III
a darkening carriage seemed TO fill with tn
" dank smell OF salty wind and seawee'
% mingled with his voice;
= Barbara, love you!-Dearestl Dearestl
= She thought the kiss unseen, unguesse
Il by any one. But in the forward car, b.
- yound the glass vestibpled door. which
:. her was only tremh;ing mirror, ma
% sat watching with burning eyes. He ma
been gazing through the window when u
train stopped, had risen to his feet wit
instant recognition--to shrink back In
E his seat. his fingers clenched, his bite
n lip withdrawn and a pallor on his face.
1t was Austen Ware and he had SEE
u that kiss.