Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1924-09-03
By SIDNEY HERS CHEL SMALL
Copyright by The BObbs-Meuin Coz

/ was
but a plaything of the lords. )
The maid brought her a polished
mirror when the toilet was complete
] "Will he think me beautiful Ellen
wondered, instantly hating herself for
the thought. And yet Kayama was
not like the other Japanese she had
seen. He was big. His eyes were
kind. He looked at you, not through
you. Not like the others. What
would the intimacy of everyday life
bring? Should she run away? Where?
To whom? She had no money. She
sensed without actually knowing that
she had been married to Kayama. She
would be brought back to him.
At the same moment Wells. already
upon his cushioR beside low stand
with tea-things, was thinking of the
same thing. He had bought the girl
to permit her to escape. He could
have helped her-to go where? Inves-
tigation might tell who the Ainsmitbs
were, if properly conducted. Did he
want to investigate?
What would Alberta think of If?
What she already thought He remem-
bered the scathing, biting words Of
her cable.
And what did he think of Alberta
now? He had carried her image In
his wanderings. Image-idol, rather.
A broken idol.
The girl trusted him. She said so.
She feared him-but trusted him, that
was 1t. He might tell her. Would she
believe it? He doubted that. He
wouldn't believe 1t himself if some
one told him. And, gosh, but she was
pretty. He'd like to take her back to
America himself.
He sat erect. Back2 He. like the
girl, had no place to go. He was Ka-
yama. And, by the Thunder God, he
was going to remain Kayama, even If
the real fellow returned. Leave that
scoundrel with a white girl? Not a
chance.
Then >. what2 He had a life to
lead. What would come of it? He
was here, alone, afraid of his very
words, of his actions, lest they betray
him, for now he had two to consider,
not himself. He didn't count. Hadn't.
suppose suppose
He inclined his head in greeting as
Ellen entered. Under the critical eve
of the oldest servant the girls train
ing began. The pot must be held-so.
The cup-so. Move the arm upward,
gently; downward. Bow to the lord
Rinse the cup.
Your arm has a gracious curve"
Wells praised her, when tears of vex-
alton at her own clumsiness welled in
her eyes. "The lesson is complete.
Hisu, bring me the household papers
Of Aochi-San. 1 shall discuss them
with my wife The purchase of sup
plies will be in your hands, O-Hana.
| shall explain how this is done" With
the receipts, accounts of the house
hold, he felt that he could do this. He
had seen Misako do it many times.
Wells saw at once that Aochi had
been a careful man. Each bolt of pur-
chased silk, each GENITAL of rice or mil
let, every payment, was marked as to
the purpose and use to which it was
put. He found many notes of payment
that made him glad that the watching
girl did not understand the character
istics.
"a thousand yen. Gambling debt Of
my son. Three hundred yen for an
unpaid hotel bill in foreign lands.
"Fifty yen. Paid to the temple, that
my sons ways be changed by the gods.
Three thousand yen that my son
be freed from the army. 1 fear that
the courage of our line is not in him.. -
"O-Hana," he said abruptly, eff you
ere-Japanese-and you loved me,
would you care that T'-he examined
the account-"gambled and was
! coward, and-worseY
eff 1 had love for you, Lord, you
would not be so.''
Would Alberta have said that, like
that?
He looked earnestly at Ellen, so in.
tently that red flooded her cheeks
Like the heart of pomegranate flow
er, Wells thought. She'd stick to a
fellow. If +. If only -.
Suppose that Kayama returned? To-
day Wouldn't all of this simply be a
page in his book? Out Wells would
go, and along the road again. Why
not why not -.
He looked at the girl again. Here
was no feeling such as he had for Al
berta. He felt that he would. from
this time on, throb for the sound of
her football, yearn for the scent of her
| hair
He wanted to say: There has been
sin in me, Ellen, but not Of my max
ing. L. have never loved before.
love you, but ! will not touch you"
Before the expression on his face
| the girl was abashed and worried pro-