The Lamar register., 1919-12-24


ing mass that was all that was left of
MacCloster. In the pleasurable sur
felt of the moment they were careless
Of the fact that the doom of the entire
craal was fixed.
Trevor turned on them In white
rpge and with well-aimed bullet shot
an assegai from between the legs of
great hulI5ing brute whose mouth was
slavering with revolving enjoyment of
the scene. The blacks face went gray
with fright; his eyes came back with
snap from their sensual feast. Many
Of his companions laughed aloud, but
others only licked thick lips in bestial
hunger for more slaughter.
"You" cried Trevor. pressing the
muzzle Of his revolver into the quiver-
ing naked stomach of the man he had
frightened. Get your crew together.
Take me home"
Half an hour. later Andrea found
herself once more In MacCloster's
boat, but in spite of the fact that all
its appointments and the crew were
the same with the exception Of the one
black who had been killed. il seemed
utterly strange TO her eyes. now no
longer glazed by misery. She turned
to Trevor, who had not spoken to her
since first he had Joined her In the
Gala. ''The boat is quite different" she
said. ITS as though | saw It for the
first time"
He gave her no answer beyond a
col IA q.
at her. His eyes were fastened far
ahead on the river, tracing out the
swirl Of the current and deep water.
A troubled look came into Andrea's
face; She glanced at him and her lips
parted twice in the half-smlle that
precedes kindly speech. "You think /
ought TO thank your she asked. 81
haven't the words; II tried my heart
would choke me-"
THANK mef" said Trevor. casting
her casual look. what forT"
Andrea's lips trembled. II only the
fire hadn't happened just when 1t did.
she thought If only 1t had given him
time to find her. TO take her in his
arInsl For saving me-" she answered
simply.
For saving nothing" affirmed Ire
yor. For saving the nothing that is
left Of your beauty and freshness and
honor after the touch of that beast"
Overwhelming shame stained her
cheeks; she felt all that was noble and
generous within her shriveling into q
strangling knot. She tried to speak,
to protest against his hardness and in
Justice, but she could only gulp. For
hours they sat In absolute silence. and
gradually the cold that had struck her
heart spread through all her body un-
til her teeth began TO chatter.
'Why are you doing thatf" asked
Trevor sharply. at isn't really cold
'Fm d-d-d-doing II b-b-be
cause c-c-can't help IT," chattered
Andrea. 81 am c-c-cold," :" She
pressed herself against his body. Hs
though she begged for his arms around
her. He drew away from her.
She crouched back in her corner
and turned upon him the accusing eyes
Of a child that has been cruelty
wounded; then her woInanhood came
to the rescue. II reasoned with her.
told her that the time for pride had
passed, for If she lost this man she lost
all men forever. No longer could she
say my world" and think of parties.
Bond street, taxicabs and the smurtest
restaurants; her world was here be-
side her, TO win or lose.
When 1t came to describing her
hours with Manchester, she harped
with supreme feminine intuition on n
single fact. Again and again she gave
him to understand that except for lug
ging her across his shoulder Ia the
boat, Manchester had not once so
much Us laid finger on her. So care
ful was her narrative in its logical Sc
quyuce ~ detail ihuf 1t could not fail
to carry conviction with il. Trevor
gradually melted TO the extent of fill
in= his pipe and lighting ii.
She told Of her entering the court
around the great cnia with Manchester
Of DIS discovery TINT case of gin h-d
arrived with hi freight and Of the
oily change that h1d como 10 his voice
Al this point In her story Trevor for
got To- smoke. lie clutchrd the hot
howl Of his pipe in "a grip that made
u 'mcEles show white. She could
feel aim 81 -tenlng with his whole tense
body She hurried On to her climax;
to the descFlotiqn of her strategy in