, 1923-06-07

rhythmic motion was almost as vital
to her as breathlng-the pity of
1t that Fate had east her sud
denly into a home where dancing
was held a deadly sin. The gift came
through her mother, the %outlander,
Capt. John Faris had married upon
next to his last voyage. Homing from
the very last, he found her dead. leav-
ing him her dear love and a tiny red
squalling daughter, for whom she only
asked that the child be given her own
name-Marise. He had brought up
the child in tolerant masculine fash
ion, loving 1t wisely but not too well.
There had been governesses and
later schools. also travel, and city con-
facts now and then. More than we'll
TODD, in the late prime of rugged
health, he had planned a rosy future
for his heiress. Then all in a twin
Killing dreadful things befell-one week
he lost his fortune, the next his life.
And both because he vas o~ver-trusting
of friendship, and his own strength.
Rescue from drowning in icy waters
is extra hazardous when you are close
upon sixty-but all the captain said
when he had struggled back to weak
consciousness was: "Dylng is - all
rlght-for me. I-saved-the-child."
Inevitably his half-brother and only
near kinsman had taken Marise to his
home-but not to his heart. He was
rugged of the soil, set as its stubborn
rocks, gravely kind in doing the duty
which had been laid upon him, but
seemingly a tyrannical jailer to the
bit of quicksilver thrust so unexpect-
eddy into his scheme of things.
Being all but penniless, Marise knew
she must work. Asked what she could
do best, she had said simply, Dance
If she had said murder" it would
have been hardly more upsetting.
Within the e ten minute she was
told %roundly hat even the name of
dancing was not to be spoken there.
Too h~eartbroken for struggling, she
had accepted meekly the place made
for her in the local school. Possibly
h might not have been so obedient
but that It promised something of
happy solitude-a two-mile walk daily.
half of It through splendid old wood
land. The work was easy but wear
ing-the tinlest pupils had been given
in her charge. If only she might have
taught them as she herself had been
taught, to learn, through playing, Joy,
grace and competence. she would have
been happy. Even with primers and
pencils and colored papers, she found
something of moonlight satisfaction.
But that was more than offset by an
other angle-big boys in school and
their bigger brothers out of It victim
ized her with violently aggressive
rural %gallantry.
This she had ignored as best she
might-resentment was out of the
question. Her steadfast insistence
upon coming and going alone was hu-
initiating to all the would-be ~gallants,
but particularly calling to Ted Jobe,
heir prospective to the biggest and
richest farm in the district. Past
school age himself. he kept tabs on
Marise through Hughie the bound boy,
who anne irregularly. Thus Marise
felt exactly secure, save when
Ted was away with a carload of stock.
He had been gone two days-Marise
had loltered shamefully in her homing
upon each of them-for the dancing. of
course though she had masked II as
strawberry picking. going home red
handed and laden in the very edge of
husband thereby earning dissolution
for her hardness.
Wild strawberries had gone. She
found but n tiny handful that morn
ing In the old field. But she smiled
bitterly thinking she could at least say
she had spent the time in looking for
them-she hated acting a lie-but not
quite so much as going through a vlo-
lent scene.
Uncle Edwin was rigid In keeping
track of her ingolngs and outcom-
ings-she %shuddered to think of the
summer. when there would be no
school. no w~ood-wnlks. nothing but
the deadly dullness OF household tasks
and the intending complaints OF her
querulous aunt. Despair laid hold
upon her. making her something reck-
less-she flung or her blouse. and
though underneath II she was decently
covered. flung her hare arms high.
lifted her thin skirts. bent. swaked,
dipped. weaving thus in motion her
feeling Of summer winds. She thrilled
MS she danced-it might he the last
time for 80 long. Next fortnight
would he filled with getting ready for
the end OF school-morenver Ted
would be home Sunday nt the latest-
he would spy upon her more boldly
than ever II he fulfilled his threat Of
bringing back n ring for her, she
wouldn't dare refuse.
Heavensl How she hated hImi His
satyr's leer. his hulklng length and
strength To Danish thought of him
she became after n sort B%acchante-
poIsing lightly on tlptoe. arms high.