The Monmouth inquirer., 1923-05-17

shall / fetch your hat7" he asked
humbly.
she nodded, and when he brought it
gave him a diffident hand in return.
"No .musts.' Shall we pledge itY'
He took the hand and pressed 1t
hard.
II swear"
aAnd IT, she replied answering the
pressure. and hand in hand they Wen'
down the hill under the darkenirG
sky.
When they reached the station he
paused and looked at her doubtfully
DO you live hereabouts?'
"No. | live in Edinburg, but /
must catch the southern express here
tonight"
"Must?"
"Must. because it is what wish
most to do. That is the only circun-
stance under which the word is allow
ABLE and she smiled unconcernediy.
~ must also catch the Southern ex-
press here tonight" said he
us it. what you most desire7S
"What l most desire in the whole
world" he said softly.
She threw him pleased smile that
Immediately turned to ashes in her
mouth. The remark had not, included
her at all. His eyes were turned away,
searching the deepening shadows anx-
iously.
She walked away a few steps and
stood tapping an angry foot on the
platform.
If this new thing that had risen 10
her had not been so sweet she might
have had space to regard it with awe.
OF course, she could not know 1t was
The instinct come to stay.
He followed her. but not nearl-
promptly enough, and she only gave
him her shoulder. 1t was all yer.s
crude and primitive, this, but the in
stinct was only primal thing, SO
much IL a stranger she had never had
time to cultivate and 5ubtleize it; but
il seemed to gain her end. for though
she didn't look, she knew he was gaz-
ing at her both with reproach and con-
triteness. 1t was just as she would
have had it, and she sang softly 70
erself, turning still the unrelentihg
shoulder upon him.
Then down the valley flashed
light, echoed a rumble that swelled in
to roar, and the Southern express
was upon them. The inlminence of the
adventure so excited her that the good
by she threw him was hurried ARD
cold enough to have been an open dis
missal.
It was necessary to leave him; she
had her part to play, and, filled with
the thought of that, the chance of its
being a final farewell had no time to
eober her. She was all inteat, peerilg
into the dark for the handkerchief
1t passed, only dim flash, barely
seen between the dark and the dust,
and when she hurried forward to the
carriage it was gone. For a moment
she stood in doubt, and then, hurried
by an impression that the man of sn.a
hillside was at her shoulder, darted
into the nearest door.
The compartment in which she
found herself was empty. She hesitat-
ed before the mirror, not SO much
from vanity, for the strengthening OF
mental rather than headgear.
For the first time the seriousness Of
the business struck her-four MUIR
ders and he would hardly hesitate AT
a fifth 1t was slowly that he walk
ed out into the aisle and opened the
door of the next compartment.
The only occupant turned at her Ell
trance, and at sight of him she shrank
back with gasp. He was low and
eyes that looked at her were deep set
in the bony face of an ape. Her first
glance had conjured up a word thai
went ringing through her brain, and
the word was "atavism."
The man lifted his hat with a grin
that laid bare double rows of broad
yellow teeth, and as he rose she saw
chat his arms were disprop0Itionate,y
long, the hairy hands reaching to his
knees.
She fell back luto the passage wi IL
out word, swinging the door shut
behind her, and then she ran, ra?
down the passage and straight into
the arms of the man of the hillside.
For a moment she lay half scbbing on
his breast, clutching him with all a
child's unreasonlng fear: then he lei
her into an empty compartment his
arm about her waist.
q can't do it, can't, ! can't she
walled.
Then wouldn't" he murmured
soothingiy.
This piece Of masculine comfort
made her leugn and the laugh calmee
her.
"O-o-oh," she breathed, what q
weak woman an"
Under his smiling eyes her own fell.
The black night made perfect mirror
ri the window pane, and in it she saw
what stood behind them-the uplift-
ed arm; the cruel apelike face
own xr1o ~ ftv,e r., o,<x r,ff C,t1frk