The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1919-06-29
4 Tale ofLom, M1rt64y and Hidden Teacurg

know about me-me-me-Janice
Gale"
He caught me by the hands and
looked. My tears, falling, left my
vision clear, and his face showed
so haunted and haggard and spent,
so wronged that with a welcome
rush, tenderness and pity and under
standing came back for a moment
to my heart. realized for just that
moment what he must be suffering
from this dreadful tangle in which
he had been caught How could he
know me for what l really was
when that demon came to him with
my face and voice and hands AMI
eyes?
And yet-the moment passed and
left me hard again. felt that he
ought to have known. Some glim-
mer of the truth should have come
to him.
In fact, after a moment he
dropped my hands and put his own
over his eyes. He went over to the
window and stood there, staring
out, unseeing, l was sure. His
shoulders sagged, his whole slight,
energetic body dropped. l saw his
fist shut and, open at his side.
After a long time he turned and
came slowly back to stand before
me.
Janice Gale" he said in a
changed and much more gentle
voice, 81 wish you would tell me
what the accursed-mystery means
Do you remember last night, Dc
you remember-do your lips re-
member our kisses? / can't look at
the sweetness and the sorrow of
them and believe it. Is this your
real self or is that? Are you pos
sessed by a night-demon, or is this
a mask of youth and innocence?
do believe you must be victim Of
that strange psychic affliction of a
divided personality. Janice, tell
me, do you know what you do" he
dropped his voice as a man who
speaks of ghostly and unhaIlowed
things, latter you have gone to
sleep?"
! wanted to tell him, but 1 wanted
more strangely to triumph over
him. The rush of tenderness had
passed. l could not forget the in
suit of his tone to me, the jeering,
biting contempt of his speeches.
longed passionately to bring him to
my feet, to humble him, and then
to raise him up.
Love is a cruel sort Of madness,
a monster prefectionist. My love
for him could not forgive his blind
ness. He ought to have known, he
ought to have seen my soul too
clearly to be so easy a dupe, and
his love for me ought to have
driven him shuddering from those
other lips. 1t ought to have been
his shield and weapon of defense,
instead Of his lure.
81 have nothing to confess" told
him coldly. "Why should confess
to you? You have come to this
house to prosecute and to insult me.
How do you dare" l shook with a
resurgent rage and disgust, ito
speak to me of-kisses? When are
you going away from this house?
Or, must l go, and begin to strug-
gle again, to hunt for work? fl
had brother or a father or any
PAOCCSIOA SIOh6 ChOu6u " uOdl
with the sort of man you are /
should have you horse-whipped for
your conduct to me. Oh, could
strike you myself. l hate and
loathe you" l sobbed, having
worked myself up almost to the
frenzy of the past night. 81 want
to punish you. You have hurt and
shamed me-" l fought for seIf-con-
troll. Thank God! 1t will soon
be over"
l stood up and tried to pass him.
He held out his arms to bar me,
and, looking down at me, his face
flushed and quivering. he said be-
tween his teeth:
When 1t is over, as you must
know. nv dear Sphinx, one of-us
two will be dead. | am not the
first man, | fancy, that you have
driven to madness or worse. | hope
l shall have the strength to make
the world safe from you. before /
go. That's what I live for now