The Washington times., 1913-06-08

IL he were some strange creature Whe
had had the good fortune 10 -ihteres,
any time she might draw aloof.
Every word she spoke he hung upon
He had come out into the world &c
seek for adventure-not, 1ndeeo, IN the
spirit of the modern Don Quixote
tingling only for new sensations .e
and breezy spirit of his ancestors
seeking for a FULLER life and healthy
excitement, even at the cost OF marc
blows and many privations. Surely
this was an auspicious start--an adven'
tire this, indeed!
During a momentary silence she
looked across at him with genuine GU
riosity, her eyes half closed. her brows
knitted. What enthusiasm! She was
not vain woman, and she knew tna'
her personality had little. II anything
t. dc with the flush upon his cheeks
and the bright light In his eyes. Sne
herself. a much-traveled, learned, q
brilliant, even a famous woman, had
become only lately conscious Of a GER
tain faded WEAKNESS in her outlook
upon life. Even the best had begun to
pail. the sameness of 1t had COM
menced its fatal work. More than once
lately a touch Of that heart languor,
which Is the fruit Of surfeit, had
startled her by its numbing and de-
pressing effect. Here at last was a
new type-a man with clean pages be-
fore him-young, emotional. without q
clothes be was well enough to look
upon, he had no affectations. his In
sfincts were apparently correct His
manners were hoydenish, but there was
nothing Of the clown about him. She
asked him a direct question concern
ing himself.
"TelI me-" she said, what you really
are. A worker. student-or have you
a trader"
He flushed up to his brows.
II was brought up" he said, in a low
tone. "for the ministry. 1t was no
guardian who ruled our household as
he ruled everybody with which he came
in contact
She was puzzled. To her the word
sounded political.
Yes. You remember when you first
saw me? 1t was my first appearance.
l was to have been chosen pastor of
that church"
She looked at him now with some
thing like amazement. This. then. ac-
counted for the somberness of his
clothes and his little strip of white tie.
She had only the vaguest ideas as to
the conduct Of those various sects to be
met with In English villages, but she
had certainly believed that the post OF
preacher was filled indifferently by any
member OF the congregation, and she
had looked upon his presence in the pull
pit on that last Sunday as an accident.
To associate him with such an occupa-
ton permanently seemed to her little
short Of the ridiculous.
She laughed softly, showing, for the
first time, her brilliantly white teeth;
and her cheeks were stained with scar.
let.
Il do not know why you laugh" he
said. with a note Of fierceness In his
tone. 1T is the part Of my life which is
behind me. / was brought up to 1t, and
traditions are hard to break away from.
/ have been obliged to live in a little
village. to constrain my life between
ance, and suffer prejudices as deeply
rooted as the hills. But all the same.
1t Is nothing to laugh at. The thing
itself Is great and good enough-it is
the people who are hopeless. No, there
Is nothing to laugh at" he cried. with
may God help the children whose eyes
He has opened, and who yet have to
pass their lives on the smallest tread
mill Of the world"
II have escaped" he murmured. with
a sudden pallor. but not scathless."
There was silence between them
then: She recognized that she had made
a mistake in questioning him about a
past which. he had already declared
hateful. The terror Of an hour or more
ago was in his face again. He was
back among the shadows whence she
had beckoned him. She yawned and took
up her book.
They stopped at great station. but
the man was in a brown study and
scarcely moved his head. An angry
guard came hurrying up to the window,
but few words from the lady and a
stealthily opened purse worked wonders.
They were left undisturbed, and the
train glided off. She laid down her
book and spoke again.
do you mind passing me my lunch
con basket" she said, land opening
that flask of wine? Are you not hun
CRY, too?'
He shook his head. but when he
came to think of 1t he knew that he
was ravenous. She passed him sand
wiches as matter of course-sucn
sandwiches as he had never eaten be-
fore-and wine which was strange to
him and which ran through his veins
like warm magic. Once more the load
of evil memories seemed to pass away
from him. He was not so much at
ease eating and drinking with her. out
she easily acquired her former hold up
on him.
She herself. whose appetite was as
sumed, watched him, and wondered
more and more.
Suddenly there came an interruption.
The shrill whistling OF the engine. the
shutting off of steam, the violent ap-
plication Of the brake. The train came
to a standstill. The man put down the
window and looked out.
What Is II" she asked, with admir-
able nonchalance, making no effort to
leave her seat
II think that there has been an acct
dent to some one" he said. Il will go
and see."
She nodded.
Come back and tell me-" she said.
Myself I shall not look. I am not fond
of horrors"
She took up her book, and he jumped
down upon the line and made his way