Evening star., 1923-07-05
THE EVIL SHEPHERD
By E. Phillips Oppenheim.
Copyright 1874. ~ Iistaa. JnvA 3 os.)

life are too far apart for either Of US
share HIS tastes. do you?"
which ones7" she asked. after q
moments silence.
"WeIl. boxing for one" he replied.
They tell me that he Is the greatest
and in America.
II have never been to a fight In my
life" she confessed. Il hope that l
never may"
,"I can't go SO far as that" he de-
clared: but boxing isn't altogether
one Of my hobbies. Can't we leave
your father and his tastes alone for
the present? would rather talk
about--oursefves. Tell me what you
care about most in life?"
Nothing" she answered listlessly.
But that is only q phase, he per-
sisted. You have had terrible trials,
know. and they must have affected
your outlook on life, but you are still
young. and while one is young life
Is always worth having"
II thought 80 once" she assented.
II don't now"
But there must be--there will be
compensations." he assured her. Il
know that just now you are suffering
from the reaction--after all you have
gone through. The memory Of that
will pass" .....-
The memory Of what I have gone
through will never pass" she an
swsred.
There was a moments intense ST.
lence, silence pregnant with remi-
niGcent drama. The little room rose
up before his memory-the woman s
hopeless. hating eyes. the quivering
thread OF steel, the dead mans mock
ing words. He seemed at that mo-
mind was It remorse that troubled
her. he wondered? Did she lack
strength to realize that In that half
hour at the inquest he had placed
on record forever his judgment OF
her deed? Even to think of 1t now
never have confessed 1T even to him
self, there was growing daily in his
mind some idea of reward. She had
mover thanked him-he hoped that
she never would-but he had surely
a right to claim some measure OF
her thoughts. some slight place In her
life.
"Please look at me-" he begged.
a little abruptly.
She turned her head In some sur
prise. Francis was almost handsome
in the clear spring sunlight. his face
alight with animation. his deep-set
gray eyes full of amused yet anxious
solicitude. Even as she appreciated
these things and became dimly con-
! scious OF his eager interest her per-
turbatfon seemed to grow
"Well?" she ventured.
do look like a person who knew
what he was talking aboutT he
asked.
"on the whole; ! should s say that
cheerfully. "believe me when say
that the shadow which depresses you
all the time now. Will pass say
this confidently" he added. his voice
4 l. n ~ L
lowed to help. Haven't you guessed
that l am very glad indeed to see
you again?"
She came to a sudden standstill.
They had just passed through Lans-
downe Passage and were in the quiet
end of Curzon street.
But you must not talk to me like
that" she expostulated.
Why not?' he demanded. We
have met under strange and untoward
different from other women?"
For a single moment she seemed
| infinitely more human, startled, a lit
| tie nervous, exquisitely sympathetic
to an amazing and unexpected i'm
preston. She seemed to look with
vision of possible things-and then
| to realize that 1t was but trick of
the fancy and to come shivering back
to the world OF sctualities.
quietly. 81 have lived my life. What
lack in years has been made up
to me in horror. I have no desire
now but to get rid OF this aftermath
of years as smoothly and quickly
as possible. / do not wish any man,
Mr. Ledsam, to talk to me as you
are doing"
You will not accept my friend
ship?"
-lt
you?" he went on, doggedly.
II do not receive visitors" she an
swered.
They were walking slowly up Cur
zon street now. She had given him
every opportunity to leave her, op-
sistently blind. Her obstinacy had
been a shock to him.
II am sorry" he said. but ] cam
not accept my dismissal like this. 1
ever much he may dislike me. he has
at least common sense"
She looked at him with q touch of
the old horror dn her coldly question
ing eyes.
I'm your way you have been kind
return give you word of advice.
Let me beg you to have nothing
whatever to do with my father, in
friendship or an enmity. Either might
be equally disastrous. Either. in the
long run, Is likely to cost your dear
IF that is your opinion of your
father. why do you live with him?"
he asked.
She had become entirely caIlous
again. Her smile, with its mocking
quality. reminded him for a moment
of the man whom they were dis
cussing.
Because I am a luxury and COM
fort loving parasite she answered
deliberately" because my father
gladly pays my accounts at Lucille's
and Worths and Rev1lles. because /
have never learnt to do without things.
And please remember this. My
father, so far AS / am concerned, has
no faults. He Is a generous and
courteous companion. Nevertheless,
No. Job, Curzon street is no place for
people who desire to lead normal lives"
And with that she was gone. Her
gesture of dismissal was so complete
and final that he had no courage for
further argument. He had lost her
almost as soon as he had found her.