Evening journal., 1922-10-16
CHAPTER V.

CtAfIEk v.
In the hot, uncomfortable silence
neither spoke. Trooper Stormon
seated himself after a while. And
after~a whfe. Eve turned on her pill
low part way toward him.
somehow they both understood
that il was friendship which had
subtly filed the interval that sep
arated them since that amazing day
i've often thought OF you" he
said as though they had been dis
GUESSING his absence.
No hour OF the waking day that
she had not thought of him. But
she did not say so now. After a
little while:
rs yours a lonely life?" she asked
in a low voice.
'somcumes. But love the for
est. -
Sometimes. "<she said "the forest
seems like trap that can't
escape Sometimes l hate it,"
Are you lonely. Eve?"
"As you are. You see I know what
the outside world is. I miss it,
you were in boarding school and
college"
yes"
1T must be hard for you here at
Star Pond
The girl sighed, unconsciously:
There are days when I-can
ely-stand II. 4. The wilder
ness wou be more endurahie II dad
and l were all alone. But even
then"
you need young people of your
own age-educated companions-'
4 need the city. Mr.. Stormont.
need All it can give. I'm starving
for IL. That's ALL"
she turned on her pillow, and he
saw that she was smiling family.
Her face bore no trace OF the tragic
truth she had uttered But the
tragedy was plain enough TO him.
even without her passionless words
OF revolt. Tho situation OF this
young educated girl. aglow with
youth, fettered. body and mind, TO
The squalor OF c inch's. dump. was
perfectly plain to anybody.
She said. seeing his troubled ex-
preston: I'm sorry I spoke that
way
4 knew how you must feel. any
way
1T seems ungrateful' she mur-
INJURED. Il love my stepfather"
You've proven that" he re-
marked with dry humor that
brosght the hot flush to her face
again.
Il must have been crazy that
day." she said. 1T scares me to |
remember what / tried to do. u
What frightful thing-if I had
X He'd you--How can you forgive
me-"
How can you forgive me. Eve?"
She turned her head; Il do
"Entirely?7
Yes"
Helsaid-a slight emotion notice
you before the darned gun exploded
in orr hands"
How could you?" she protested.
r WAS thinking ell the while that
you were acting as I'd have acted II
anything threatened my father"
We're you thinking Of that?"
rYes-and also how TO get hold Of
sou before you shot me- He began
10 laugh
After a moment she turned her
head 10 look al him and the smile
ziimniered. responsive TO his amuse-
ment. But she shlvered slightly.
too
How about that egg?" he inquir-
Il san ge. up
"Better keep Off your feet. What
there In the pantry? You must
De furved."
"scould eat a little before supper
imet she admitted. Il forgot 10
akeS my lunch with me this morn
ng- II is still there in the pantry
IN Bic bread box wrapped up in
)rovvn paper just as I left it,"
she half rose in bed. supported on /
3ne arm her curly brown-gold hair |
Framing her face:
1.-two cakes Of sugar-milk cho- /
.olate in a fiat brown packet tied
xiths a string she explained. smil-
ng y his amusement
S6 he went down to the pantry
and discovered the parcel on the
bread box where she had left It that
norping before starting for the
ache IN Owl Marsh
He brough it 10 her placed both
ALLOWS upright behind her. stepped
eaclc gaiiy to admire the effect. Eve,
viths her parcel in her hands
auehel shyly at his comedy.
"Begin on your chocolate" he
aid I'm going back to fix you
ome bread and butter and cup of
ea."e
when again he had disappeared. /
he Grl. stili smiling. began to unite
er packet hurriedly, slowly loosen
ng sring and wrapping
Har attention was not fixed on
Hbaf her slender fingers were about
She drew from the parcel a fiat
1orocco case with a coat OF arms
md crest stamped on II in god.
Jack and scarlet.
For a few moments she stared at I
he object stupidity. The next mo- !
eent she heard Stormont's spur-ed {