The Filer record. (Filer, Idaho) 1919-1930, 1924-09-04
CHAPTER xIl-contlnued-

ing of his breath Was staggered and
speeches. by that which confronted
her. That which was now inevitable.
What could she sayi Or dot Or
shinkl he was her husband. Once
words huttered to her lips. unescap-
Ing That Kayama-San should remem-
Der his promise as Lord Of the Thun-
der Gate, Died before they found
birth. That she found the touch OF
his hands pleasant came near TO
nauseating her. She didn't no.
she couldn't II wasn't she who
stood in this silent room with Its flick
erlngs OF light and the voices, so In
distinct, like memory Of an evil dream.
coming from the distance; II wasn't
she who thrilled TO the touch OF this
japanese. who had been so kind be-
fore. while now :. F.. now 80.
She wished that he would speak.
She wondered II he would kiss
her. The Oriental does not kiss /.
would hef
Had she drawn away, swayed either
backward or forward, moved a finger,
an eyelid. his arms would have closed
about her tightly in a fash.
Wells did not know for what he was
waiting. He knew that he wanted her;
close. all OF the seductive beauty; TO
whisper that he loved her. To see her
smile. to see her happy in his arms.
That she stood there. so much at his
mercy. so entirely at his command. her
nerveless hands In his. awaiting his
will. beaten to II. sobered him.
She had never been so willing be-
fore. Had she been swept away by
the beauty. enthralled by the magic
OF the passionate nightf Had hef He
could not follow the train Of his
thought: processes went on. but we're
undirected and uncontrolled. He had
acted instinctively before, and did so
now.
He wanted her none the less What
was the matter with himf What held
him back7 She stood there by him.
She was his. His wife. He wanted
her more, far more But not like this.
Never Ike this Not bent to his viii.
He could. said his racing mind. have
her as Bob Wells AS decent chap,
his name as clean as his heart. Was
his heart clean? He wondered. His
name he'd force them to clear. Then
and then only
Very slowly, reluctantly almost. his
hand dropped from the sllken shout
der. leaving. as remembrance. the silk
punched and rumpled.
II s.Tl hrnEQ the
long silence. cropping for expression
that came with difficulty, that I
want you" he faltered. and she
bowed her head again.
As, so Wells remembered with dis
tinctness, as she had bowed II In the
temple, before the eager-eyed priests
Did the hands In his tremblei
Il want you TO F.. go with me
20 the foreign land. little wife," he
said at last
He thought he heard her sigh gust
fly. Perhaps II was a wind In the
trees. He was not sure. He was very
glad that a torrent Of rebuke did not
Cow from her, Gliding him for . :.
what she must have known. Then. 80
gently that he was half unaware Of IT.
she released her hands from his and |
stepped back.
He must say something. Something |
TO relieve the tension which fingered. /
He wanted TO be alone. and. In the |
same thought. wanted her with him
still.
"see. o-Hana." he said in a bright. |
forced voice. do you see the little
iightT~
Her head turned. and Ellen gilmpsed /
a twinkle showing beyond the wall Of !
the low hill. He saw the lovely profile,
and a CLEAN upon her face like a sin
gle drop OF light.
There was-once-a miracle there"
His voice was uneven. but stronger.
The fourth lesser demon was caught
IN the sacred tree. Entangled. doubt
less. through the mercy 81 the gods. or
he would have accomplished much mis-
chief Wells spoke very rapidly. "A
hoy saw II. and thought Il was kite.
He fetched a priest. who. Of course.
being acquainted with snch matters as
demons. knew better. So shrine was
built. and a hermit paid to pray there
DAY and night. And whoever Is sick.
or has bowlegged children. or = plague
Of insects In his fields. goes there and
prays with the bermit. For pay. The
rorey paid the hermit By the priests
WIS money well laid out the shrine
II very rich
Then. In a confident voice; The
hermit. snd you. and I. and the old
woman In the street. are the only ones
not AZ the festival II Is very late.
O-Hana gocd.nigh child
Her hand DID touch his q breathless
second as she passed from the room
No n bad been his wish that u
had yes. Il I'D =. no 49,.
Wells stepped to Ksminari's corner:
the hldeous yiSage was friendly. he
that he had feared II once
Il make vow he said. falling into
the accustomed japanese To you.
since you have witnessed this newest
l. -.