The Filer record. (Filer, Idaho) 1919-1930, 1924-09-18
CHAPTER XIV
IL


break. burned with widely opened
draft and was soon out. leaving him
but little weakened. or the vanished
time. two nights and day, he remem-
bered nothing. Not even that Il had
elapsed Had he awakened suddenly.
at any time. he would have surprised
Ellen In her long vigil; as II was she
hurried to her own cabin when his
eyellds first fickered. Had not the
doctor said he would awake well. and
fully consciousf
Neither Ellen nor Wells had heard
the soft footsteps along the deck. nor
knew of the hand on the unlocked
door
Neither had seen the colorless face
when the door silently opened; the
burning black eyes of the fanatic
which took in with gradual under
standing that the Lord Kayama was
not alonel Neither heard the breath
whistle through the cabin-boy's nose
as his heretofore steady hand began
to tremble. moment of indecision.
and the door had slowly closed again.
Ellen had repaid the debt more truly
than she knew.
She heard her husband-in-name
moving about. and her impulse TO go
TO him was controlled when ne broke
into a thin whistle This stopped al
most at once. She wondered at the
astuteness of his masquerade, the
thread OF which snapped AT such rare
Intervals. like this moments whistling.
When she heard his hand on the
door knob, she decided that II would
be cruel to force him 20 walk alone.
She slipped on a beautifully gay XII
mono hastily. without pausing 10 re-
adjust her hair or increase her lips
redness as the maids Of Kayama's
house had always insisted upon as
proper. and stepped outside, following
him to the rail.
His attitude was one Of detection.
she was glad OF II. He had no right
TO think. whatever had caused his I'm
PRESERVATION of a Japanese nobleman.
that II justified him in subjecting her
TO this constant humiliation. this
false position, these critically unkind
glances OF the passengers. In all else
he had been conslderate. She knew
that his whisperings Of her name. over
and over, I'm his delIrium. meant but
one thing: he loved her.
Wells turned his eyes without NOV
ing his head. He was thinking (and
had she been watching she would have
seen his eyes brighten) how sweet she
was with Imprinted cheeks and lips.
how the bright kimono enhanced her
lovelness.
"A kimono of less color would be
more seemly for such an early hour"
Wells said in low voice. his as"
again carefully slurred.
"You treat me like child 7" she ex
claimed
To her own surprise. her voice was
unsteady. and she was frightened at
the thought TAT she might be going
70 cry, out of sheer modification. The
kimono was a dainty thing. and. as
she slipped " on. the silk had muir
INJURED that her lord would find Il
pleasing-and her. likewise
ain pointing ont the forms which
are proper and demanded. treat you
like woman" Wells said grave,y
Il should like to believe that" Ellen
answered. without looking at him.
"Is II "a hard to believer" he asked.
90 s-sftiy that she only just heard the
words.
"You make II difficult she snid de
family. "You-does nothing about me
please you. Kayamaf" she stressed
his name.
Both we're silent She felt the deep
~ disturbing sense OF his near pres
ence: this she had felt before she
knew that this man was her own kind.
and she had been both frightened and
ashamed. lie seemed so glum that she
forgot her own anger ard. timIdly.
touched his hand as II rested upon the
rail.
He took her fingers. smoothing them
as he would a ciiilds-so he thought
and. without intent. drew the hand
more closely 10 him. InvoluntarIly
she followed her hand. nearer and
cesrer. At rile touch OF her kimono
against his arm Wells started.
Your lips are naked of paint. o
Hama" be said. -Of this I have
spoken before"
She knew that he had cloaked his
true feelings IKE this often. The Idea
Of piagulng hiiJ was too strong for
her TO resist He deserved a BIZ Of u I.
And. in so doing. she would be per
fecfly safe-he must retain. preceding
events bad clearly shown his ineog
nito at any cost.
do you dislike them 50 much that
must cover themf- She smiled n
she spoke. and tilted her face slightly
tovfrd him
Wells grunfed.
4 80 to tx my lords lips as he com
usands.- Ellen added demureiy. Tbs
doctor had been correct in saying that
Knyama--her husband-would recover
quickly. lie was entire master 81 him
self She b.~ed 70 him and went