The Parma herald. (Parma, Idaho) 1903-1917, 1916-05-18

CHAPTER vII--contInued.
He lifted her hand to his lips, his
eyes still on her face, and, returning
Arnaud's salute, strobe across the
sunlit courtyard and disappeared Into
the shadows. Husband and wife
watched him In silence. Then Arnaud
gave short. half-angry laugh.
| when the devil goes abroad 1t is
usually to some purpose" he said.
How did he come here?"
II invited him."
He had not called on you"
She shrugged her shoulders prettiIy.
That was just what made me do it.
was bored and lonely, and bored
and lonely people are bound to do
something mad"
You are very often bored, Sylvia"
Yes" she agreed. "But does that
mean am very often madr
! He looked up at her, his pale eyes
full Of moody usefulness. How much
can happen In year where a woman
Is concerned. A year ago you would
not have been bored, Sylvia. You
thought then that there was no more
lovely place on earth than Sidi,bel-
Abbes, and that there was no other
man for you than myself. Now you
are restless and discontinued. You
hate the place and-perhaps your hus-
band" The last words broke from him
with petulant violence. 1t was the
irritable accusation Of man who does
not believe what he Is saying and ex-
poets contradiction. None came. Syl-
via Arnaud's fair head was still bent
over her flowers. He sprang upright,
bis face ashy with passion. do you
hate me, Sylvan" he stammered. She
lifted her eyes for a moment, but not
to him. In their brown, velvety depths
there were pathos and melancholy In
dnitely touching.
"Oh, no, don't hate you, Desire"
she said In her soft voice. 81 have
never hated anyone. But you don't un-
derstand. How should you? You are
man, and not even man Of my own
race. Women are so different. They
live In such narrow circle, Desire.
and their dreams are everything to
them. They hold up Ideals for them
selves, and the whole world is glorlned
In their eyes. How natural when q
man comes to them they should hail
him as the contamination of all thew
hoped and fancied-how natural that
they should wake up one day and End
the glorious world desert and their
idols shattered forever"
Have done that?" She made no
answer, and he sprang at her and
seized her by the wrist In a paroxysm
Of excitement "Have | done that?
Am the broken idol?"
She released herself with gentle de-
cision from his desperate grasp.
ITS too late. Desire" she said sadly.
When a man breaks woman's faith
II Is always beyond repair"
She moved away from him to the
curtained door leading into the house.
but he sprang after her, barring her
path, his eyes pleading and full OF a
worship that might have touched her.
sylvia, | will do anything. have
been thinking-the Second regiment is
ordered to Tonkin. Shall exchange?
1t win give you fresh surroundings
fresh society. The climate Isn't bad
now. Or shall get leave-I shall
take you to England for month-two
months-or we shall travel"
She flushed suddenly.
1T Is not necessary. do not want
to take you from your duty"
His hand dropped from the curta,n
Beneath the half-closed eyelids there
nickered two dangerous points OF light
In other words, you won't attempt
to bridge the gulf that has come be.
tween us-at your wish. as | yeriIv |
believe. Very well. whatever happens
on your head be It."
Ne turned away. and for moment
she hesitated, looking back at him like |
child endeavoring, to penetrate the
meaning OF some vague threat of the |
future. Then the curtains fell softly |
behind her.
Sidi-bel-Abbes has two great streats |
running north to south and east N |
west In between are the little for
gotten byways. unknown to the great |
ones who saunter about the Place Car
NOT listening to the band. or take their
aosintne on the gaudily decorated cafes
OF the Algerian boulevards. None the
less these unsuspected byways exist.
iney are very narrow and very dirty.
On the border OF this region lies the
Cafs du Tonkin- 1t is comparatively
respectable, and occasionally a tourist
OF newly arrived official under escort
makes his appearance In the bar in
oroer to acquasnt himself with what
ue conceives to be the real thing"
therefore when Capt Desire Arnaud
'auntered along the narrow. evil