Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-02-29
CHAPTER XXI.
And There Are People Who Do Not
Care

For the first time in the whole course
OF her life Louisa Harris felt that con-
yention must be fouted and social du-
ties could not be fulfilled.
When the coroner. rising from his seat.
gave the signal for general exodus. she
had felt her fathers firm hand grasping
her arm, and leading her out OF the fog
ridden, stuffy room into the cold, gray
passages outside.
The herd of cackling geese was crowd
ing round her. Heavens above, how they
cackled and gossiped! It seemed as If the
very f1oodgates of noisy, bubbl1ng
stream had been torn asunder, and a
whirlpool Of chattering women been let
loose upon the earth.
Convention, grim and untractable. tried
to pull the string to make all puppets
dance. But for once Louisa Harris re-
belled. She closed her ears to fnsinuating
calls from her friends, responding with
mere curt nod to the most gushing "Oh,
ed her from every side.
She turned her back resolutely on con-
vention. The slave for once rebelled
against the taskmaster; the puppet re-
fused to dance to the ever-wearying mo-
netonous tune.
She had lost sight OF Luke the moment
the court rose. She supposed that his
solicitor. Mr.. Dobson, knowing the ropes,
had got him away from the reach OF
cackling geese by leading him through
some other more private way. But she
was far too dazed, too numb either to
wonder or to be disappointed at this. She
felt as IL she had pitched head foremost
down a long flight of stairs. and had only
just sufficient strength to pick her
self up, and not to let other people see
quite how severely she had been bruised.
Mentally, morally, even physically. she
felt bruised from head to foot.
re- krf.r 50 r,l> L..
through the crowd: at the gate outside
even the smoke-laden atmosphere seemed
pure and inv1gorating in comparison with
that stuffy pen, wherein the herd of
cackling geese had found its happy hunt
ing ground. Louisa drew In long breath,
filling her lungs with fog. but feeling a
little freer. less choked. In spite Of the
CRIME which she inhaled.
81 think" said Col. Harris now. that
you'd better go straight back to the
Langham and get SOME tea. You'll feel
better when you've had your tea"
Il feel all right, DEAR" she said. trying
to smile.
so much the better" he retorted. with
an equal effort at cheerfulness. 'Ill
come along as soon as I cam
Where are you off to. dear?" she
| asked.
'.rn just go and have talk to Tom"
| he replied.
.I'li come with you. / can wait in the
| cab. I don't suppose that you'll be long
He tried to protest. but obviously she
| had made up her mind. Perhaps she did
not like the idea Of going back to the
hotel alone. So he hailed passing cab
I and told the man to drive to Scotland
Yard.
He had deliberately-and despite former
prejudices-selected taxicab. He wanted
| to see Tom as soon as was possible.
Louisa leaned back in the corner of the
vehicle silent and mOtionless. Father and
| daughter did not exchange a single word
while the cab ratified through the crowded
streets Of London. Hansoms, omnibuses,
| innumerable other taxis ratified along the
| selfsame way, just as they had always
done before this. just as they would go
| on doing to the end of time. People
| walked along. busy and Indifferent. Many
| went past the shrieking news vendors
without even stopping to buy paper.
Luke stood accused. almost self-convict-
ed, Of horrible crime, and there were
| thousands. nay millions. Of people who
didn't even care!
The taxicab few past the ratings of
the Green Park, there where another
taxicab had drawn up q couple Of even
| ings ago, and where a snake-wood stick
marked with tell-tale stains had been
found clumsiiy buried in the mud Loutsa
peered out Of the window Of the cob.