The Washington times., 1922-06-02
Installment XIII.


sional word. the heavy scowl back
on his face. growing blacker
every moment. At last with
shrug of impatience he got UP and
they went out together. the hound
following them. Diana subsided
on to the thick rug beside the
bookcase. For a moment again
she was alone, free Of the watch
ing eyes that seemed to be burn
ing into her all the time, free Of
the hated proximity. She dropped
her head on her knees with a
little whimper Of weariness. For
a moment she need not check the
tide Of misery that rushed over
her. She was tired in mind and
body, exhausted with the emotion
that had shaken her until she
knew that no matter what hap
pened in the future the Diana Of
yesterday was dead. and her new
self was strange and unfamiliar.
She did not trust It.; she feared
its capacity for maintaining the
struggle she had resolved upon.
The old courageous self had never
failed her, this new shrinking
fearful personality filled her with
distrust. Her confidence In her
self was gone. Her contempt Of
herself was unutterable. The
strength that remained was not
sufficient to conquer the fear
that had taken 80 strong a hold
upon her. She could only hope
to hide It. to deny him at least
that much satisfac ton. She had
grovelled at his feet once and II
had amused him. He had laughed!
She would die rather than af-
ford him a similar amusement
She could never wipe out the
recollection of her cowardice; he
would remember always, and 20
would she; but she could atone
for It II her strength held. And
she prayed that It might hold.
until a sob broke from her and
her hands cramped around her
knees. She pushed her hair Off
her forehead with a heavy sigh.
and she looked back over her
shoulder at the empty room. 1t
had changed since this morning
in the indefinable way a strange
room does change after a few
hours association. II she could
leave It now and never see II
again in all her life no single
detail Of II would ever be for
gotten. Its characteristics had
been stamped upon her as ia
miliarly as IL the hours passed
in 1t had been years. And yes
terday was years ago. when the
poor silly fool that had been
Diana Mayo had ridden blindly
into the trap from which her
boasted independence had not
been able to save her. She had
paid heavily for the determine
ton to ignore the restrictions OF
her sex laid upon her and the
payment was not yet over. Her
tired body shrank from the strug-
gle that must recommence so
soon. II he would only spare
her until this numbing weariness
that made her so powerless
should lessen. She heard his
voice at the door and her icy
fingers srasped at the book that
had slipped to the ground. The
thick rugs deadened the sound
of his movements. but she knew
instinctively that he had come in
and gone back to the divan where
he had been sitting before. She
knew that he was looking at
her. She could feel his eyes
fixed on her and she quivered
with the consciousness Of his
stare. She waited, shiver-
ing, for him to speak or move.
His methods Of torture were di-
verse. she thought with dreary
bitter bitterness. Behind the tent
In the mems lines a tom-tom was
beating, and the irregular rhythm
seemed hammering inside her own
head. She could have shrieked
with the agony Of it.
Come here-Disne."
She started, for a moment hard.
ly recognising the Gallo render.
Ing Of her name, and then flushed
angrily without answering or NOV.
ing. II was a very little thing
to stir her after all that had
been dorre, but the use of her
name famed the anger tia.
had been almost swamped in
fear. The proprietary tone
in his voice reused all her In
herent obstinacy. She was not
his to 60 at his call. What he
wanted he must take-she would
never give voluntarily. She sat
with her hands gripped tightly in