The Washington times., 1914-01-09


lay on his hand-the bar eXami-
nation. He had never felt
any sort of special inclination to-
ward the bar, but at Oxford it
had been necessary to go in for some
particular school, and he had chosen
law because it seemed TO MIN to be the
only school which might be of some use
sfterward.
He had never given the matter much
attention. Two minutes thought had
decided It Now that be was once more
prepared TO turn his brain to something,
10 concentrate for all he was worth
and he made up his mind that here
should be no playing at it-there were
the books all ready on the shelf.
He cleared a space on the table, pro-
vided himself with ink and paper, and
brought them down. He was going to
justify himself in Toinette's eyes. He
was going to make good his word, Go
something, achieve things. He was 60
ing to escape from the relentless re-
morse which stalzed perpetuaIIy at his
heels. His only salvation lay in work.
Il was indeed a very different Everard
who sat down to the table from the
one WHO had looked out of the window
Of his room in the little cafe at Wine
reux the first night of his arrival there.
He was bored and cynical then becaIse
e host of little Things had piled them
selves one on top Of the other and sent
q wave of bitter introspection over him.
Now they had all become personal, and
had grown from little things to a vast,
overwhelming size. and were still pill
ing up.
He looked physically differeat-older,
thinner, shadows under his eyes, which
had an entirely new expression, the
tired look of a man who has been over
doing Il every night for a week He
opened the law books and the various
note books that he had not touched for
so long, propped his elbows on the table
and his head on his hands, and began
reading.
Those dusty law books seemed 20
have absorbed something Of the at
nrUsphere Of the Cafe Tardot, where
they had remained unopened during
the stay. It was as IL they, too had
met and loved Toinette, for as Ever
ard turned the pages the words faded
curling eyelashes, the big eyes whose
tears he had kissed away. the dark.
abundant hair that the sea wind had
blown across his face and the beaUti-
Iul lips that had called him Mon
EEerard."
Mon Everard!'' They called him
now. 1t was as if tiny voice had
spoken in his ear.
He rose quickly and began to walk
up and down the room. How could be
work if that happened? 1t wasn't fair.
Let him at least make a start with
Out-that coming to interfere. After
all, he was trying 10 do the straight
Thing. He had taken himself in hand
sufficiently well to begin to try and
keep his word For the sake Of
heaven. don't let him have to go
through all that first.
II was with a shaky hand that he
nung up the window and let in the
sun and heard the impertinent twitter-
ings of spsrrows and the purring
long street. All these were normal,
everyday things. Why could not he
work normally?
Perhaps IL he brought the table into
the sum He moved away the long
chair and dragged the table up against
the wall beneath the window. The sun
flooded the books and papers and.
when he brought up a stiff-backeG
chair and sat down once more, shone
fiercely in his face. Yes. That was
better. II would be all right now
He knocked out a cold pipe and filled |
IL from a large stone Jar, a heavy
thing with a great leaden weight |
pressing down the tobacco. The match |
spUttered and thin clouds of blue
the draft at the window sill caught |
them and tossed them up and back |
ward. The sun made a little. kind Of |
rainbow effect which he watched for !
a moment.
Then once more he turned to the
books a frown of determination on |
his eleG- I