Greenbrier independent. [volume] (Lewisburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1980, 1919-05-16
IAN. yes! anu rlve years ago 1 lmag-


ined myself perfectly unhappy"
Isabelle stepped forward into the
moonlight, and saw that her cheeks
were crimson. Adrian addressed him
self to me:
Come. talk to me Of perfect happl-
ness. rs men see 1t. You used to be
good talker. as talk goes"
He smiled and wrinkled only one
corner of his mouth. His face I'm the
moonlight was the color Of dead moss.
l paid DO heed to his sneering remark.
AFTER q prolonged silence he began
again.
Il thought once that 1t was my
failure to produce results that put
me out Of court with Isabelle. She
spent many hours in your studio, ad.
miring your pictures. while my music
fell on deaf ears.
"For you could paint. while my fid-
ding, I must confess. was atrocious.
isabelle was always an idealist Five
years ago you occupied the pedestal.
How do matters stand now?"
In the presence Of my wife, such re-
marks are hardly in good TASTE" said.
inwardly boiling.
He drummed the ground with his
foot and hummed a little tune.
BY the by, you fulfilled the prom
ise' you then gave? Have you become
the great artist?"
when I married found something
better In life."
You mean something easier. You
thought you could rest on your laurels.
How do you suppose I spent the last
five years. I, who had no laurels to
rest on?"
II understood you had gone to New
Guinea"
Did you ever hear the purpose7"
No; 1t was queer place to go
to. whatever the reason"
"In every way had been a fail
Ure." he declared impressively. II
was resolved to turn, that failure into
triumph"
ITO accomplish which you buried
yourself In New Guinea swamp"
"Yes. went to the only real teacher,
nature herself. Among the deep
morasses and cane-brakes Of q reek.
Ing tropical swamp sought for twelve
weary months. months Of dirt, priva-
ton and disease. till from among the
acres of rushes had selected one per-
feet reed.
look at 1t. Notwithstanding it
blow through it! For 1t represents
the five years Of life which you have
consumed in Incidence"
fo
up. 1t seemed almost to vibrate in
my fingers. Blowing into it produced
no sound, but queer sensation passed
over me; 1t was as though I,were a
piece Of slate and someone had rub
bed me all over with crumplcd paper.
II haven't the knack Of it," ! said.
dropping it to the ground like rcd.
hot coal.
The reed gave forth musical sigh
as 1t struck the stones; Adrian caught
Ii on the rebound and turned sudden
ly to Isabelle.
Would you care to hear my one
little accomplishment, after five years
Of the cruelest concentration? ..-
Isabelle nodded eagerly, but in a
frightened manner; her hands were
clenched tightly against the tendrils
OF the honeysuckles, as though she
were bracing herself for an ordeal.
began to laugh nervously. Where
upon Adrian wheeled sharply on his
heel and faced Isabelle. Again he
blew into the pipe; low note, the
purr Of a distant tuning-fork, trem-
bled from the frail reed; it grew In
volume till 1t resembled broken mel
ody.
At my cry he stepped lightly from
the terrace, descended into the garden,
and disappeared among the dark shrub
berries.
Faint and dizzy pressed the tips
Of my fingers against my eyelids to
clear my mental and physical vision.
When raised my head, the terrace
and porch were both deserted.
I was alone. Only black shadows in
the garden, the sharp outline of the
cliff, and any Unreasonable GOODNESS
Of sky and ocean.
The surety that some unforeseen
crisis was upon me, like the sting OF
a whip forced me back to thought
and action. 1 called loudly for Isa-
belle; descended from the terrace;
plunged into the garden. Nothing
there but solid darkness, checkered
shade, and narrow strips of moonlight.
OF course, Isabelle, unable to EN-
dure such an unnatural strain, had