The Glenwood post., 1924-07-10

might even free her from this bondage
would she want to go? Hotly she
dismissed any suggestion that she
wished to stay with him.
Perhaps Kayama needed protection.
Thus she might repay the debt. He
hai-bonght her with money. Sure
ly, by staying with him, when all
would know that she was In his state
room. she would cancel that debt
Then she might be free. rh
Kayama was alone. It was her
place.
Wells puckered face twitched, and
his tight lips struggled together as II
working for words.
The little cabin was very quiet.
Ellen saw the shrimp's head slide
across the door as the boat rolled
gently. 1t was symbolic-Japanese
She shuddered..
| A heavier swell touched the ship,
regularly beating ocean-pulses; the
ship swung slowly, cradle-like. Ellen
opened the portfolio, that air might
revive the unconscious man. Blue
sky. blue sea. welded together In the
white horizon.
| How happy and content she might
have been, upon this summer sea.
What did the mission women call It'll
Honeymoon. II only the man were not
Japanese.
| Wells must have seen phantoms, for
he was singing the bridegroom's I'VE
are married. married joyously I" in a
shrill, str1dent voice. Thus Eng the
young men Of Takusaki, whers Wells
was born.
The noise brought to the girl the
necessity for action. What had Tsi-
K'ung, the venerable Chinese foster
father said7 "If sicken, little daugh-
ter, summon the priests. Make the
triple prostrations. Place food be-
fore the shrine. Then, hurrying lest 1t
be too late, obtain the doctor at the
mission. When the senses swoon and
are eager to depart, he has potent
spells to bring them back" The last
sentence she remembered clearly.
With deliberation she opened the
i door that led to the companionway !;
inquired Of the first man where the
doctor was to be found; asked for
something to bring back the senses
Her breath came short as she asked
It Her face burned when she heard
the "What won't these girls nowadays
do for money!" and felt the eagerly
inquisitivs eyes Of many men exanin-
ing her. One man glanced long enough
to admire the trim. silken ankles
which the wind revealed. His name
was Williams. Whenever given the
opportunity. he admitted freely that
he was an engineer who achieved the
impossible.
you don't want that the doctor
said when the girl explained for what
she wished the draught. "Here, you
! give him this" powder. I'm a glass
Of water. He will sleep. II there Is
nothing serious the matter, he will be
better upon awakening. But don't you
think 1t might be wise for me to ex-
anime himi"
Ellen refused, gently, for fear of an
gering tha doctor.
"No booze, geisha- grille" Wells
said as he fought the sleepIng-potion.
Netting at all. l don't want any.
None. Get out. Go way" Then.
with queer gesture Of renunciatIon.
he drank. Thus closely Wells fingered
between fever and sanity. Words shook
him: of little tea-houses and mighty
bridges. AS the bromide took effect
the words became incoherent She
wondered at the correct pronunciation
of the "l's."
Vaguely, he must have been sensible
Of the opened portfolio. Tensely eager
fingers Gall unknowing) clawed at his
kimono. barring the throat to the
breeze's coolness. He tossed upon the
bed; the kimono opened bit farther.
Precisely, In a weli-defined marking
circle, Ellen saw that the brown skin
stoppedl
To her startled eyes the whiteness
Of the revealed skin was soaring,
binding. She stood still. Her face
was drawn. but full of instant, fam
ing happlness;. thing subtle, elusive.
scstatic. >scornlng to hide Itself.
The funensy hand which groped un-
directed was that Of her husband. A
white man. She had-or had she7-
feared him: had erected a barrier
against him which had never existed.
Save in her own mind. He had known,
protected her against every one
against himself.
Who was her Would he remain a
Japanese? whyf Would he tell her
Of 1t all? What was he going to do7
Now It seemed as II she had realized
all Of the Eime that he was q white
man. Would she remain M his-wife?
She loved him. Surely he, also. cared.
or he would not have been so gentle
and kind.
His fingers twitched; moved toward
her: she did not avoid them. but met
the seeking hand Ellen knslt bsside
the bsd, felt Wells fingers relax, his
breathing become even and deep.