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


change of manner: which not being forth
coming, she sat rather demurely at her meal,
emptying the pot of coffee and finishing the
last of the bread and chicken. Markham
would have smiled if he had dared. What
chance had any of the lighter passions
against the craving hunger of the healthy
young ANIMAL 1t was another triumph OF
his philosophy, almost its greatest, Mature
at bound eliminating art and the feminine
calculus.
When he had finished eating, without a
word he rose, and went out to pack Clarissa,
and as he was thus engaged Hernia passed
him silently with bucket on the way to the
pump for water, and in another moment he
was aware that she was washing the dishes.
He made no effort to help her; but sat on
the doorsill thoughtfully smoking his pipe.
She came out in a moment and announced
that she was ready to go, and he saw that
breakfast had done her no harm. So they
followed Olga Tcherny's instructions as far
as he remembered them, and found path
through the woods that led northward. Ga
rissa had so gorged herself with the stolen
fodder that Markham had to cut a new goad
to speed her upon her way. They kept
watch ahead and behind them, and emerged
as Olga had prophesied without adventure
or accident through hole in hedge upon
a highroad, along which, still bending their
steps northward, they took their way.
THEY camped in the mellow afternoon
under the trees upon rugged mountain
that guarded the defle, through which a
rushing torrent, one of the tributaries of the
Loire, dashed over the rocks on its swift
course to Argentan. Below them in the
valley was village, and a railroad along
which a tiny passenger train was slowly pro-
ceeding. Markham eyed the train gravely,
with melancholy interest. They both OBJ
served that it stopped at the village to let
off and take on passengers. He built his fire
with great deliberateness, gloomy and silent
as though performing a last rite for one de-
parted, and ate solemnly, his face long.
At last she could stand the stress OF him
no longer and burst suddenly into fit of
laughter which echoed madly among the
rocks. ooh, John Markham!' she cried.
@Why so doleful? The melancholy sweetness
of seeing Olga again.
mo, he replied calmly, a was thinking
of other things
"Whato"
He didn't reply at once, and that angered
her.
@Must plead with you even for speech?'
she asked satirically. "Has it come to this!
Will you not smile and throw cr1nb OF
comfort to your bondwoman?'
Il have had nothing to say-until now"
he replied very quietly over his cofeecup.
She only laughed at him and swept the
ground with a low curtsy. "Thy slave
listens speak! At what decision has my
lord and master arrived" she asked.
He swallowed his coffee deliberately, un-
smiling, his gaze over the valley where the
railroad track wormed its way into the north.
"That you re to 60 to your friends in Paris
at once he said decisively.
And while she watched him scornfully,
the slow fire in her eyes burning suddenly
into brightness, he took from his pocket a
wallet she had never seen before, and counted
out upon the ground some money
"This," he continued calmly, us yours.
You have earned it. have kept count.
shall owe you too what is realized from the
sale of-of Clarissa. Or if you prefer it |
will pay you that now. hope you will find
the arrangement satisfactory
He had arrested her mockery, and she
stood silent while he spoke, her gaze on the
ground. But her mood broke forth again
with even greater virulence.
$50 you want to be rid of me, Monsieur
mon Mafre,- cancel my indentures, end my
apprenticeship to the school of life, turn me
adrift in wicked world, which already treats
me none too kindly! Is it wise, l say, is it
kind Is If human inst because a woman