The Washington times., 1921-12-25

dropped IN tnom. AZ bn0 0roW IN
the faint breath OF the crushed vio-
lets her eyes closed - though the
lips Of q lover were against hers.
A mans hands slipped beneath
her armpits. She was raised.
turned. and left sitting upright on
the violet bed, . tribe surprised.
Nov We can talk. san valerius.
He had extended himself . foot
or two away from her. leaning on
his elbow; and couched thus upon
the circular lawn. Of flowers, 70
sembled . cynical immortal reclin-
ing in the unchanging afternoon
light Of the Elysian Fields.
Behind them the ever-falling
water murmured like . shell.
Are you with the man you o.
capped within
"Yes," said Astarte.
do you live in this quarter?"
Mesquite near. We passed the
place where I live as we came here.
1t opens upon this street through
an archway."
Astarte had answered with the
unrenecting candor Of . small child.
But as soon as she had spoken her
brows wrinkled. She regarded the
man doubtfully.
valerius laughed.
Don't look so troubled. I won't
give the order to have the dovecote
robbed-Pm not Herod's slave mas
ter. / wonder whether you know
that you're as beautiful as a god
dess?"
His eyes looked straight into hers
with peculiar effect of concentra-
ton, which was the result OF prac.
tice, but behind his eyes his brain
was busy.
Beyond an archway opening upon
this Same street was the lodging Of
the man who had wrestled with
him. Valerius, on the night of the
feast and then escaped with the
girl. That lodging should be raided
at nightfall.
The man would be logged to
death by his order; the girl carried
back to the house of Herod But
in the meantime
DO you know just how beautiful
you are?" he asked again.
OF corise Astarte knew. Dido
had told her, calling her LADY of
Beauty" from her tenth year; De
kerto had told her. Iris had told
her. SO had the pock-marked SOL
der. and, lastly. David. And be-
cause she knew 1t she thirsted, con-
scfOusly. for appreciation as q
droughty leaf for dew.
She smiled at the man, but said
nothing. She was enjoying herself
immensely. taking what the mo-
ment offered. as always. Her
eager, life-hungry senses. pleasur-
ably appealed to by the smell of
violets. the fountain-murmur, the
look in the steel-gray eyes. purred
like fondled cat.
what do you want to speak with
me about" she said after a lapse
OF several moments. "YOu could
have told me was beautiful out
there in the street. II that was ALL"
She was almost laughing. sitting
up straight. her two hands pressed
palm downward upon the flowers.
IF I had anything to say to you.
I've forgotten It. As you see, I am
looking at you"
Astarte laughed right out.
"Oh. you may look, II that's an"
She turned half round, lapsing
down again; and lying so, almost
upon her face, but with her hand
lifted, extended bare arm and dab
bled her fingers in the octagonal
fountain pool. To the nearness Of
Valerius she was wildly alive. but
her inarticulate thought did not ad-
venture beyond the immediate mo-
ment.
AS naturally as a plant turns to
the sun. she had always followed
her impulse unless It was thwarted
by someone who held over her the
whip of fear. Fear and her own
Observation-Disclosures the only
law she knew. The law of the
leopard. the gaxelle, the painted
butterfiy-the law of the average
man and woman who invoked the
names Of Jupiter, Isis. Artemis.
lshtar or Baal.
A hand came upon her outflung
arm. She turned her head.
"You were well named" said Val.
erius. "If they set you up in any
temple you'd pass for q flesh-and.
blood goddess OF love-"
Would I? Then wish they
would. should like to live in q
temple and have pet doves and pea
cocks and do as I pleased"
II would be the first worshipper."
Astarte knew that he was about
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