The Hattiesburg news. (Hattiesburg, Miss.) 1908-1917, 1915-11-29
The LIE:
BY cLARISsA MAcKIE.


steadily. The man paced the room
restlessly. lighting one cigarette after
another, only to toss each one IN
smoked into the CRATE. He was tai
and gaunt, with prematurely gray hail
and haggard face in which burned
deep-set blue eyes.
The woman sitting beside the fire
/ watched him with grave, injurious
| eyes. The freight shone on her fold.
ed white hands and touched brilliant
ring into hot fame. Sometimes the
same flame burned in her eyes.
The man, accustomed to her quiet
presence, had forgotten her.
Once he passed beside the great oak
table and looked at a large package
stamped with many foreign labels and
! sealed with curious splash of green
wax
1t is Temples private seal, and
yet" His mutter died into silence.
And yet-Jim Temple had been dead
for ten years and the seal with its
owner was lying in the muddy depths
OF the Yangtze river.
Why should this package come to
me out of China-now?" he questioned
himself as he resumed his restless
tramping to and fro.
What horrible night that had been!
Black and storm driven, and the wind
had whined around the tapping sails
of the junk
Suddenly he went to the table,
switched on the electrolier and sat
down before the package. His Jaw
was set grimly and bitter smile edged
his lips.
For while there was no sound
within the room save the twanging
Of several strings and the rustic Of
papers.
at last box and wrappings were cast
aside and there was revealed before
him the perfect model of a Chinese
pleasure junk-the replica Of that 9TH
er craft on the Yangtse river
How perfect it was in every detail!
What cunning artisan had contrived
the miniature craft with its hull Of
fine bamboo, its awnings of gauze, its
sails Of silk, and in it's tiny cabin were
carved and inlaid tables and lockers.
And in the stern, behind carved doors,
was a little shrine containing an idol
before which stood four ivory votive
candles. There was a pervading smell
of incense and there was an acrid
tang Of opium.
AS one wStches a dim shadow pic
ture, the man crouched in his chair
and stared with Mortified eyes at the
junk.
The length of the table appeared to
be the turgid yellow stream which is
China's greatest waterway The junk
seemed to rock on its bosom and
was not the wind whining? And
there was the beat of rain-and in the
shadows beyond the circle of light lay
those dim Asiatic shores.
The helmsman was a tall. wicked
looking Chinaman, and the group of
sailors huddled in the bow; how their
shriu, staccat0 voices pierced the
storm! That was the captain. that
feshly scoundrel with the inscrutable
face and the heart of a devil. He re-
membered the captain.
And the two other men were for
eigners. He noted without surprise
that one was Jim Temple, the other
was himself.
The two white men on the mats
we're quarreling over a womans pic
-ure. Without looking now he knew
t was the portrait of the girl he after
ward married. They were quarreling,
and finally the shorter of the two, clad
n gray, leaped at the throat of the
)ther and they fought viciously until
1t last the little man went over the
side and the beat of rain or the sky
light drowned his cries.
The Yangtze was roaring delight
,ver another victim.
The tall man in white (himself) re-
urned to the mats and threw himself
lpon his face and lay quiet.
The captain smiled evilly at the
lelmsman and shrugged his fat shout
lers.
How the river roared!
Suddenly the storm paused. The
Wind stilled and the rain ceased it's
on the skylight.
The man lifted his head and brushed
lis hand across his eyes.
He sighed brokenly and for the first
ime he looked beyond the shadows
nd saw the woman sitting there
him.
What is the matter, dear?' she
.sked quietly.
The question broke his Keeling
senses TO the eoge of an abysmal
ear.
You-here-now?" he whispered.
lie thought that ne shouted the ques-
ion. Il
why, yes, dear-had you forgot
emp she asked calmly. The waver-
ng smile on her face steadied under
lis intent gaze
He leaned across the table, his shak
ng fingers touching the junk.
"You-saw?"
Still she smiled at him.
Il saw nothing she lied.