Omaha daily bee., 1921-06-26
By MAY EDGLNTON

stuart's feet and adored them and her with a
whole. true first passionate single-heartedness
that he had never before given, nor to any de-
gree experienced
She knew it-was scheming for 1t.
So she smiled. a cruel beautiful smile that
curled up tho corners of her full red mouth and
reflected the vendetta that lay always alongside
the love, sometimes supersedng 1t, In her heart.
SO he was bringing It back to her humbly,
was he-the gift she had given him. which he
had taken and tossed aside? Bringing 1t back,
full value. heaped up measure. She had no fear
for herself. She was strong-srong In the
NOR forged from the pride that had come back
to her'-as she had told him 1t would long ago
and in the trust her husband gave her most
completely. She did not forget that with its
other occupancy her Sicilian heart held also
her husbands honor
Good Cam! When his wife paraded Farn-
days devotion almost iauntingly before the
whole hotel he only shut his eyes the closer.
He said he knew her. His psychological in
stinot-though he might have asked the mean
ing of the term had 1t been spoken to him
unerring. Roberta almost wept at what
seemed to her the pathos Of 1t. II she could
she would have loved him.
Tho climax, inevitable with such a woman
and such man. came In the second week OF
their new acquaintance. She sitting in the
big palm shaded vestibule of the hotel after din
waiting for her husband to take her out.
1t was glorious hot. still night and they had
planned to spend an hour on the pier; many
lights and music upon the water satisfied GER
tain underlined craving in Roberta.
To her came Faraday, very slowly. giving
himself time to feast his eyes on the vision Of
her, in long black dress with the scarlet silk
wrap thrown over 1t. her pale cheeks and red
lips enhancing under the shadow OF black hair.
"You are going out?" he said, coming up to
her.
ITO hear the band" she answered carelessly,
smiling at him.
why do you never let me take your" he
said little recklessy. looking into her eyes.
feeling the balance OF things slipping AL
ways"
my husband" she said.
He looked around They were alone in the
vestibue. He slipped his arm under her loosely
opened wrap and put it on her waist.
"Roberta!"
She looked at him. very still.
"Your husband. Roberta! What d farce,
this! farce! You do not love hin-you love
me-me."
She did not answer. but he felt her quiver-
ing, and her erect head dropped a little,
acquiescent.
"You love fme-me!" he said wildly, "and
love you. Love. God! what a poor word for
what I feel! I adore you. worship you with
every drop Of blood In my veins. with every nber
of my being. was mad from the moment
saw you. We were meant for one another.
could have killed that cold Scotsman when ]
knew you were his. Roberta, Roberta. my
darling you will leave him-you will come away
with me- We will go together to the beautiful
south htat you and l both love. Together we
will wander hither and thither and forget every
thing but each other. Tomorrow-tonight-
now. Roberta
She lifted ghastly face. He stopped.
What? What? What?" she said almost
frenziedly, and swayed rather than voluntarily
drew herself away from him.
What? Wh-a repetition of-of-he could
not remember and it did not matter.
Roberta, my darling"
"I-have-I had" she said. changing her
tense confusedly. mo man-no man to thrash
you for this"
He stared. started. suddenly white She
She stood in the middle Of the vestbule,
ghost under the glare of electric light. but
with very devil of fury incarnate loosed in
her blazing black eyes. Her bosom dated, she
threw her head back gazing at hin1-gazing-
gazng-and looking all white and black with
her black gown and hair and eyes, and white
neck and whittier face, and the scarlet wrap
striking weird note Of startling color Back
came mad recollection fraught now to him
with terrible significance The foodgates of
memory loosed showed him the black and white
little Sicialian wildcat raving at him in the bot
tom of red-cashioned punt.
His pale face grew ghastly He threw out
his hands toward her, stammering brokenly.
She smiled.
Cambray came into the vestibule at that
moment humming a snatch Of opera, and
stopped dead.
Roberta went up to him and laid her face
down against his arm. He dropped the coat
he was carrying to hold her and looked over
tho black head terribly at Faraday. standing
here stammering.
my darling!" said Cam.
"Cam" she said scornfulfy drawing herself
erect "Mr Faraday is urging me to visit the
south with him. The invitation is for you to
decide"
She drew his head down and kissed him be-
fore Faradays eyes. then flew from tho vesti-
bule. gasping her hands pressed over her ears
to shut out the sounds. She knew her cold
Scotsman.
Twenty minutes later, having paci1ed a
raving hotel proprietor and an aghast staff.
Cambray went to her room to look for her. He
found her flung upon the bed, her black and
scarlet huddled around her, her distended eyes
looking somewhat vacantly into space. He bore
signs of stress in blood streaked face, torn
tie, and crumpled collar, but he smiled the smile
of a man who has done good work and on whom
a great calm has fallen after the storm.
He went over to the washbasin and rinsed
his hands and face before touching her.
"Wh-wh-what have you done, Cam - she
fatered, behind him.
He turned round. toweling himself vigor-
ously.
"Never mind. dearest I'm going to take
you out. and you're not to worry over anything.
Because It's all over"
She got up from the bed and clung to him
mutely.
Don't worry, dearest" said honest. blind
Cambray. Il won't have you worry. I shan't
say another word to you about 1t tonight,
cept to say that I-1-Tm proud to think'-
his voice a little husky-that-that
darling. for giving 1t to me to do for you.'
Roberta lay back a moment on his arm, her