The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1921-06-15
"THE UPHILL ROAD"
ea.--.--.-..-.. .--a.--' By RUBY M.AYRES

had sauntered paA1 and down %
the gaia What shah I promise
your rcrr1es repeated She shrsnit
back from HIM against the window
frnmc. her eyes stared into his A. II
he fascinated her. Suddenly she put
up her hands with . little cry and
shut him out
"Oh. don't look At mo me tha4, .
she said. -Oh. DON'T"
A sudden brutal feeling surKed
thru Ferrier: he. who once would
have given his life for Joan now
knew nothing but hate and rage, and
q longing TO punish her. TO humble
her pride-to show her that his Was
the stronger wili--that all her schem-
ing and plottings were n nothing to
his strength--that he cared nothing
feared nothing.
He caught her wrists. dragging
her hands down from her face He
held them both IN. his big clasp
with his FREQ hand he tilted her
white face back. holding u roughly
by her little delicate chin
You owe me \ debt. he said.
hoarsely. You tried TO make a fool
OF me- I allow no woman to do that.
Pay your debt now" She made
no answer-she only stared at him.
her face was as white as her frock.
but Ferrier only saw the magnetic
blue Of her eyes-the parted lips that
drew him even while they denied
him
He laughed-a cruel laugh.
You will not7 That is Ike q
woman. Very well. then" He bent
his tall head and kissed her twice
fiercely on her quivenng lips
rough. brutal kisses that seemed to
scorch her. Then he let her 20.
She fell into a chair behind her
and hid her face on her arms, and
Ferrier stood staring down at her.
his madness fast dying from him.
He could have fallen at her feet and
begged her pardon. He who had
never handled a woman roughly In
all his life. had insulted the one
whom he could have loved better
than life itself.
He put out a big hand and touched
her.
Miss Hastings-e His voice
was hoarse. He felt as a laundering
schoolboy must do who has mad.
vertently crushed a butterfly. or an
angel -
And yet-she was no angel. this
woman. with her blue eyes and deli.
cate little face. He reminded him.
self that she had lied to him and
deceived him. and deliberately plot
ted his ruin.
Joan" he said again. and there was
an agonized pleading In his rough
voice. She lifted her head slowly.
she laughed a little broken laugh,
then put out her small hand, and laid
1t over his that was clenched on the
chair back.
ooh. you poor boy-you poor boy. .
she said. The words were little more
than n whisper. the small fingers
were like a caress on his big hand.
the touch set him trembling like a
woman. He would have spoken. but
at that moment he heard her broth
er's voice in the hall; another second
and the door was pushed wide.
1t was growing dusk In the little
room. Ferrier moved so that his
shoulders screened the girl In the
window; there was no sign of agita,
ton In his face
How about this game Of cards7"
he asked. From his voice one would
have imagined he was keen to play.
Hastings laughed-a pleased laugh.
my dear boy. after dinner-after
dinner. Major and Bennett are
hungry. even II you're not. All. the
gong. Come along. Joan" But Joan
had slipped away.
When they entered the dining
room she was there at the head Of
the table. which was beautifully laid
with flowers and silver. Skilful
fingers had been at work-glass and