Iron County register., 1917-10-25
what about III"

Stephen held the paper out to his
brother. John read few lines and
dashed It into corner Of the room.
There's this much about 1t. John,"
Stephen continued. "The woman played
that part night after nlght--played 1t
to the life. mind you. She made her
reputation in 1t. That's the woman
we unknowingly let sleep beneath this
roof! The barn is the place for her
and her sort |"
Johns clenched fists were held firm-
ly to his sides. His eyes were blazing.
That's enough, Stephen" !" he cried.
mo, It's not enough" |" was the fierce
reply" "The truths been burning In my
heart long enough. It's better out.
Ym want to find her>a guest at Rayn.
ham castle. do yon?--Raynham castle,
where never decent woman crosses
the threshold! If she goes there, she
goes Well"
An anger that was almost paralyz-
Ing, sense Of the utter impotence Of
words, drove John In silence from the
room. He left the house by the back
door, passed quickly through the or
chard, where the tangled moonlight lay
upon the ground In strange. fantastic
shadows; across the narrow strip Of
field, a field now of golden stubble; up
the hill which looked down upon the
farm buildings and the churchyard.
He sat grimly down upon great
howlder, filed with a hateful sense Of
unwreaked passion, yet with sheer
! thankfuness In his heart that he had
escaped the mlasma Of evil thoughts
| which Stephens words seemed to have
created. The fancy seized him to face
these half-veiled suggestions of bis
brother, so far as they concerned
himself and his life during the last
few months.
Stephen was right. This woman who
had dropped from the clouds for those
few brief hours had played strange
havoc with Johns thoughts and his
whole outlook upon life. The coming
Of harvest, the care of his people, his
sports his cricket. the early days upon
the grouse moors, had all suddenly
lost their interest for him. Life had
become fusk. The echo Of her half
mocking, half-challenglng words was
always In his ears.
lie sat with his head resting upon
his hands, looking steadfastly across
The valley below. Almost at his feet
lay the little church with its grave
yard, the long line Of stacks and barns,
the laborers' cottages, the ballinrs
house, the whole little colony around
which his life seemed conferred. The
summer moonlight lay upon the ground
almost like snow. He could see the
sheaves Of wheat standing up in the
most distant Of the cornfields. Beyond
was the dark gorge toward which he
had looked SO many nights at this
hour.
Across the viaduct there came a
blaze of streaming light, q serpentlike
trail, n faintly heard whistle-the Scot
tish express on Its way southwark
toward London. His eyes followed 1t
out Of sight. He found himself think.
Ing Of the passengers who would wake
the next morning In London. He felt
himself suddenly acutely conscious OF
his isolation. Was there not something
almost monastic in the seclusion which
had become passion with Stephen,
and which had Its grip, too, upon him
waste Of life. burying Of talents?
i He rose to his feet. The half.formed
purpose Of weeks held him now, def.
mite and secure. He knew that this pil.
grimage Of his to the hilltop, his rant
contemplation Of the little panorama
which had become so dear to him. was
In q sense valedictory.
4
After all, two more months nassed
before the end came, and Il came then
without a moments warning. II wn.
little past midday when Jchn drove
slowly through the streets of Market
ketton In his high dogcart, exchanging
salutatlons right and left with tho
tradespeople, with farmers brought
Into town BY the market, with ac.
quaintances Of all sorts and condi.
tons. More than one young woman
from the shop windows or the nave.
ments ventured to smile st him. snd
the few greetings he received from the
wives aud daughters Of his neirhbor,
were as gracious a. they could posslbl,
be made. John almost smiled once. Il
tho act Of raising his hat, al he real
lied how completely the whole charm
Of the world, for him. seemed to No /,
J one wonnn's eyes. '.s-
AT the crossways, where he shoul,
have turned tOthc INN, he paused VIM
. motorcar paused. Il contained
: woman, who WIS talking to her hoal
She was not in the least like ian
lse. and yet instinctively he knew tha
shc was Of the same world. Tho per
. feetion Of her whIte-scrge costume. ne
hat 30 smartly worn, the haif.iusolen
smile, tho little gesture with which an,
;; raised her hnnd--something about he
unlocked the iloodgates. 4
Market Ketton had, seemed wei
enough a few minutes ago. John had
felt healthy appetite for his midda,
meat. and certain interest concernina
deal " barley upon which 10 wsl