Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-10-15
BY JEFFERY FARNCL

.A "hN htdpeu me WIN nltteT tcOIns
put I only shook my head and smiled.
And now she struggled 70 break my
clasp nercely desperately; her long hair
puEst ite fastenings and enveloped us
both In its ripping splendor; she beat
my race she wound her fingers In my
hair' but my lips smiled on for the ham
mer In my brain had deadened all else.
And presently she lay still. I felt her
body relax and grow suddenly pliable and
soft. her head fell back across my arm
ana, as she lay. I saw the tears Of her
| helplessness ooze out beneath her droop-
, ing lashes; but stiil I smiled.
So, with her long hair trailing over
me- l bore her TO the cottage. Closing
the door behind me with my foot.
crossed the room ana set her down upon
the bed.
She lay very still, but her bosom heaved
tumultuously and the tears still crept
from beneath her lashes; but in while
she opened her eyes and looked at me,
and shivered, and crouched farther from
me among the pillows.
why did you lie to me Charmian7 why
die you lie to me7" She did not answer.
only she watched me as one might watch
some relentless, oncomlng peril.
II asked you once II you ever saw men
hereabouts-when was away. do you re-
member You told me, no. and while
you spoke knew you lied, for had seen
MIN standing among the leaves, watt
ing and watching for you. once asked
you II you we're ever lonely when was
away, and you answered 'no'-you were
too busy-'seldom went beyond the Hol-
low'--do you remember And yet you
had brought him here-here. into the cot
tage--he had looked at my Virgil-over
your shoulder-do you remember"
you played the spyl" she whispered
| with trembling lips, yet with eyes still
fierce and scornful.
you know 1 did not; had I seen him
should have killed him, because-I loved
you. had set up an altar to you in my
heart where my soul might worship
poor fool that I was! I loved you with
every breath drew. / think must have
shown you something OF this from time
TO time. for you are very clever, and you
| may have laughed over IL together-you
and he. And lately have seen my al
tar touily desecrated, shattered, and ut
terly destroyed, and with 1t your sweet
womanhood dragged In the mire, and yet
i loved you still. Can you imagine,
wonder, the agony OF It, the haunting hor-
rors OF imagination. the bitter days. the
sleepless nights? To see you so beauti-
ful, so glorious, and know you so base!
Indeed. think II came near driving me
| mad. II has sent me out into the night;
nave held out my arms for the light
ming to blast me; have wished myself a
| thousand deaths. II Black George had
| but struck little harder or a little
| lighter; I am not the man was before
he thrashed me; my head grows confused
| and clouded at times-would to God
we're dead! But now-you would go! Hav-
| ing killed my heart. broken my life,
driven away all peace OF mind-you would
leave me! No, CHAIRMAN, swear by
| God you shall not go-yet awhile. have
bought you very dear-bought you with
my bitter agony, and by all the blasting
torments have suffered"
Now, as 1 ended, she sprang from the
bed and faced me, but meeting my look
she shrank a little, and drew her long
hair about her like mantle, then sought
with trembling hands to hold me off.
"Peter-be sane. oh. Peter be merciful
and let me go-give me time-let me ex-
plain"
my books" said I, have taught me
that the more beautiful a woman's face
the more guileful is her heart; and your
face is wonderfully beautiful. and, as for
| your heart-you lied to me before"
'T-oh. Peter!-I am not the poor crea-
ture you think me-"
Were you the proudest lady in the
land-you have deceived me and mocxed
me and lied to mel" So saying, reached
| out and seized her by each rounded arm.
and slowly drew her closer. And now she
| strove no more against me, only in her
face was bitter scorn and an anger that
| cast out fear.
"I hate you-despise your she whis-
pered. 'I hate you more than any man
| was ever hated"
Inch by inch I drew her to me, until
i she stood close, within the circle of my
! arms.
"And think love you more than any
woman was ever loved" said 1; for the
glorious beauty of your strong sweet
| body. for the temptation of your eyes, for
the red lure OF your lips!' And so
stopped and kissed Ter full upon the
mouth. She Law soft and warm in my
embrace, all unresisung, only she shiv.
cred beneath my kiss, and a great sob
rent her bosom.
And also think" said /. that be-
cause of the perhdy OF your heart, hate
you as much as you do meas much as
ever woman, dead or living. was hated by
man-and shall-forever"'
And, while ] spoke. loosed her and
turned and strobe swiftly out and away
from the cottage
CHAPTER Xxx.
T HURRIED on. looking neither to right
i nor left. seeing only the face of Char
mian. now fearful and appealing. now
blazing with scorn. And coming to the
brook, l sat down and thought upon her
marvellous beauty OF the firm roundness
of the arms that my fingers had so lately
pressed. Anon I started up again. and
plunged. knee-deep. through the brook.
and strode on and on. bursting my way
through bramble and briar beedless OF
their petty stings. till at last was clear
OF them, being now among trees. And