The Lamar register., 1914-03-18

took from the shelf the morocco case
The old SILVER of repugnance ran ovel
him at the very touch OF the leather
In the farthest corner was a low com
mode. He set the case on this and
moved the big tapestry screen across
the angle hiding it from view.
In the great hall at Damory Court
blinked back from the polished par
quetry and the shining fre-dogs. f,ll
ing the rather solemn gloom with an
air of warmth and creature comfort.
Leaning against the newelpost, Va
liant gazed about him. How different
1t all looked from the night of his
coming!
He began to walk up and down the
floor, teasing pricks of restlessness
urging him. He opened the door and
PISSED into the unlighted dining-room.
On the sideboard set a silver loving
cup that had arrived the day before
in a huge box with his books and
knick-knacks. He had won 1t at polo.
He lifted 1t, lingering its carved han
dies. He remembered that when that
particular score had been made. Kath-
arine Fargo had sat In one of the
drags at the side-line.
But the memory evoked no thrill.
Instead. the thought of her palely-cold.
passionless beauty called up another
mobile thoroughbred face instinct with
quick Hastings Of mirth and hauteur.
Again he felt the fierce clutch of small
. ,..st ~. l.. to- hat
struggle for his life. Each line of
that face stood before him-the arch
ing brows, the cameo-delicacy Of pro
file, the magnolia skin and hair like
brown-gold cloud across the sun.
He stepped down to the graveled
drive and followed 1t to the gate. then
bareheaded, took the Red Road
Along this highway he had ratified IN
Uncle Jefferson's crazy hack-with
her red rose in his hand. The musky
scent of the pressed leaves in the book
in his pocket seemed to be all about
him.
The odor Of living roses, in fact, was
I in the air. II came on the scarce
, felt breeze. a heavy calling perfume
He walked on, keeping the road by the
misty infiltrating simmer of the
stars. with sensation rather of GID
ing than OF walking. It occurred tc
him that II. as scientists say, colorf
emit sound-tones. scents also should
possess a music of their own: the
honeysuckle fragrance, maybe-sof
mellow futing as of diminutive wind
Instruments; the far-faint sickly odoi
of lilies-the upper register OF faery
,violins: this spicy breath OF roses
blending. throbbing chords like elfin
echoes of an italian harp. The fancy
pleased him; he could imagine the
perfume now In the air carried with
It an under-music. like ghostly harp
ing.
1t came to him at the same instant
that this was no mere fancy. Some
where in the languorous night harJ
was being played. He paused and lis
tened intently, then went on toward
the sound. The rose scent had grown
stronger; 1t was almost in that heavy
air, as II he were breasting an ETHEREAL
sea of altar. He felt as IL he were
treading on path of rose-leaves
down which the increasing melody
flowed crimsonly to him, calling. call
ing.
He stopped stock-still. He had beer
skirting a close-cropped hedge OF box
This had ended abruptly and he war
looking straight up a bar of green
yellow radiance from double door
way. The latter opened on a porch
and the light. flung across this
drenched an arbor of climbing roses
making 1t stand out a mass Of woven
rubies set in emerald.
He drew a long sigh OF more thar
delight, for framed in the doorway he
saw figure In misty white, leaning tc
the gilded upright of a harp. He
knew at once that 1t was Shirley
Holding his breath, he came closer. bis
feet muffled in the thick grass. He
stood in the dense obscurity, one
hand gripping the gnarled limb OF
catalpa, his eyes following the
shapely arms from wrist to shoulder
the fingers straying across the strings
the bending cheek caressing ths
carved wood. She was playing the
melody of Shelley's Indian Serenade'
touching the chords softly and ten
derly-and his lips moved, moldine
themselves soundlessly to the words
The serenade died in a single long
note. AS II in answer to it there rose
l.