Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-11-02

touched. "Hardly!' scornfully, and then
with laugh, a lied, that's all!'
@I'll not believe it. You love me-!
@No, detest vou!'
He saw light. "You heard? You be-
ieve that Olga and /
"I'm not fool. One lives and one learns.
He caught her by the shoulders as one
does child, the impulse in him strong to
shake her, his heart denying it. "She knew
you were listening all the while. Can't you
understand? That was her game. She
played it-for you. I've never been in Cam
piegne.'
@No! Not until you look in my eyes.
You love me. You've told her SO and me-
u lied. 1t was necessary
"Why?'
She struggled, but would not look at him.
| "Let me go!'
mo Why did you say that, unless
@The situation demanded it, she painted.
"She had to understand
"The TRUTH
3No, not the truth. She could not have
understood the truth; so | lied to her-lied
| to herr
And with supreme effort she wrenched
away, putting the table between them.
"Oh,' she gasped furiously, shat could
| ever have believed in you'll
But her anger failed to dismay him. There
was pause during which their glances
clashed, hers flashing, contemptuous, his
keen, intent, and trife amused.
| 3Why did you stay up there when the way
was clear to the forest?T
Her eyes opened little wider. I'll was
afraid to go.
afraid? Perhaps. But that wasn't the
only thing that kept you"
"What them" indifferent1y.
Curiosity"
about what?r
"Me."
"Oh!" scornfully.
"It's true. You wanted to hear what
passed between us. thought you had gone.
Olga knew you hadn't. She was the clever
est of us all, you see.'
| at hasn't made the slightest difference"
He reached her in a stride. "You love
mel" he laughed, ~ know it now And as
she still turned from him, @And you'll marry
me too, Hernia
"Never!"
| eyes," he repeated, you'll marry me-
There isn't ANYTHING else for YOU to do"
She was dumb with surprise, and could
only gasp with rage; but before she could
speak he had released her, and catching up
his hat from the table was out of the door
and on his way to the stable
HE laughed up at the sky. Subterfuge
- could not avail her now. He had
learned the truth. Neither mockery, scorn,
nor any other pretense could divert the
genial current of his soul. She loved him!
And, whatever he had shown of mastery in
her presence, his precious knowledge made
him suddenly strangely gentle in his thought
of her. The sky smiled back at him from
over the leafy glades of the Comte de Cahors',
and as hiS gaze sought the spot in the woods
where noment ago Olga had disappeared
a sober look came into his eyes, Tell?
Would sheo Would Olga tell? He didn't
believe it. He had learned many things.
Olga kindled her altar fires not for the
warmth of them, but for their incense, the
odor of which was breath to her nostrils.
The symbols of love-not love self-what
could Olga know of love? He knew-and
Hermiao Hernia knew; for he had taught
her.
He filled his bucket at the well and sought
Clarissa who was sleeping the sleep of sa-
tiety She had eaten until she could eat no
more. Watered, he led her back to the
lodge, fastened her hitching strap at the
door, and went inside, his own appetite adj
vising him that neither he nor Hernia had
eaten since yesterday afternoon. His COM