Washington telegraph., 1920-02-27

with fright; his eyes came back with a
snap from their sensual feast. Many
Of his companions laughed aloud, but
others only licked thick lips in bestial
hunger for more slaughter.
Your cried Trevor, pressing the
muzzle Of his revolver into the qulver-
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, it 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
Gaia. "The boat is quite different" she
said. "Its as though l saw it for the
first time"
He gave her no answer beyond a
noncommittal grunt nor did he look
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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-smile that
precedes kindly speech. "You think l
ought to thank you?" she asked. 81
haven't the words; if l tried my heart
would choke me-"
THANK me?" said Trevor, casting
her a casual look. "What for?"
Andrea's lips trembled. If only the
fire hadn't happened just when it did,
she thought, if only it had given him
time to find her, to take her in his
armsl For saving me-" she answered
simply.
For saving nothing" affirmed Tre-
vor. '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 a
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 that?" asked
Trevor sharply. at isn't really cold"
Pm d-d-d-doing it b-b-be-
cause 1 c-c-can't help it," chattered
Andrea. 81 am c-c-coldw She
pressed herself against his body, as
though she begged for his arms around,
her. He drew away fsom her.
She crouched back in. her corner
and Turned upon him the accusing eyes
OF a child that has been cruelty
wounded; then her wOmanhood came
TO the rescue. 1t 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 smartest
restaurants; her world was here be-
side her, to win or lose.
When it came to describing her
AAphAo WIN <hdNtlbNNtIs SIZE luIDtu
with supreme feminine iStuition on a
single fact. Again and again she gave
him to understand that except for lug
ging her across his shoulder to the
boat, MacCloster had not once so
much as laid finger on hVr. SO care
ful was her narrative in its logical Sc
Quence Of detail that it could not fail
to carry conviction with it. Trevor
gradually melted to the extent of fill
ing his pipe and lighting it.
She told Of her entering the court
around the great Gaia with MacCIoster,
Of his discovery that a case Of gin had
arrived with his freight and Of the
oily change that had come to his voice.
At this point in her story Trevor for
got to smoke. He clutched the hot
bowl Of his pipe in a grip that made
his knuckles show white. She could
feel him listening with his whole tense
body. She hurried on to her climax;
70 the description of her strategy in
removing the cleats and Of MacClos-
ter's terrifying attack. She even re-
peated some of his words. "He said,
Waiting up for me, dearieT and then
L drove the nails into his hands and
when he sHatched them back, hit him
across the head and he fell and then
1 heard you coming. l thought l had
gone mad, that it was not with my cars
but with the longing Of my heart that
l heard you coming. when I called
and you answered l forgot thnt I had
ever known fear; I knew that l was
safe, forever and forever"
"Good girl" said Trevor huskily. He
reached out and patted her hand but !
his thoughts were not altogether with |
her; they were lingering behind, how |
ering over the scene Of her elemental |
battle with MacCloster as though he |
sought to steep his soul in that recol- !
lection in an effort TO drown for once |
ana all time the memory Of twenty
four hours Of torturing jealousy.
$50 you're not jealous any more, are
your pleaded Andrea.