The Elbert County tribune., 1917-11-30
CHAPTER xv-continued.

Try ana Dear the tnreau OF IL MI III
your mind. For two acts you have
been asked to focus your attention
upon the increasing brutality of the
marquis. Remember that, won't your"
mot likely to forget It," John re-
piled. "How well they all acti"
There was quarter of an hours
interval before the curtain rose again.
Rumors concerning the last act had
been floating about for weeks, and the
house wns almost tense with excite
ment ms the curtain went up. The
scene was the country chateau of the
marquis de Guy" who b-ought n
noisy crowd OF companions from Paris
without any warning. His wife showed
signs of dismay at his coming. He
had brought with him women whom
she declined to receive.
The great scene between her hus-
band and herself took place in the
square hall OF the chateau, on the first
floor. Louise rcnfiirms her intention
of leaving the house. Her husband
lnugbs at her. Her position is hope
less
what can you dor he moclSs.
She shrugs her shoulders and passes
into her room. The marquis sinks upon
settcc. and presently is Joined by
one OF the ladies' who have Travelled
with him from Paris. He talks to her
of the pictnres upon the wall. She is
impatient to meet the Marquise de
Guy.
The marquis knocks Mt his wifc's
door. Her voice Is heard clearly, after
a moments pause.
'In few minutes |" she replies.
The marquis resumes his Irritation.
His companion becomes Impatient
the marquis hns pledged his word that
she should be received by his wife. An
ancient enmlty against the Marqulsc
de Guy prompts her to insist.
The marquis shrugs his shoulders
and knocks more loudly than ever at
his wife's door. She comes out dressed
for travel and is met by Faraday. who
suddenly appears.
"You asked me what 1 could do"
she says, pointing to her lover. "You
see now T.
There was moments breathless ST.
ience trough the house. The scene In
itself was a little beyond anything that
the audience had expected. Sophy.
who had been leaning over the edge of
the box. turned around In no little
anxiety. She heard the door slam.
John had disappearedi
He left the theater with only his hat
Ia his hand. turning up his coat by In
stinct as he passed through the driving
rain. All his senses seemed tingling
with some nameless horror. The bril-
lance Of the language. the suhtlety of
the situation. seemed like some evil
trail drawn across that one horrible
climax. II was Louise who had come
from that room and pointed to Fara-
dayl
He reached his rooms--he scarcely
knew how-and walked upstairs. There
he threw OF some OF his dripping gar
ments, opened the window wide. and
stood there.
He looked out over the Thames, md
there was red flare before his eyes.
Stephen was right, he told himself.
There was nothing but evil to be found
here. nothing but bitter disappoint-
ment. nothing but the pain which deep
ems into anguish. Better to remain
like Stephen. unloving and unloved, to
draw nearer to the mountains. to find
Joy In the crops and the rain and the
sunshine. to listen stonily to the cry
of human beings as II to some voice
from an unknown world.
He leaned a little further from the
window. and gazed into the court at 81
dizzy depth below. He had cut himself
adrift from the peace which might have
been his. He would never know again
the joys OF his earlier life. 1t was for
this that he had fought SO many bat
ties. ciung SO tightly to one ideal-for
Louise. who could show herself to any
one who cared to pay his shilling or
his half-guinea. glorying in her dis
honor; worse than glorying in it--find-
Ing some subtle humor in the little ges-
ture with which she had pointed. un-
ashamed. to her lover.
John bent little lower from the
window. A sudden dizziness seemed
to have come over him Then he was
forced 10 turn around. His door had
been quickly opened and shut. It was
Sophy who was crossing toward him,
the rain streaming from her ruined
opera cloak.
"Johns" she cried. ''oh, John"
She led him back to his chair and
snelt by his side. She held his hands
tightly.
.'You mustn't feel like this she
sohhed; "you mustn't. John, really
You don't understand. rs all play,
Louise wouldn't really do anything like
thatI"
He shivered. Nevertheless, he
clutched her bands and drew her closer
to him