Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-07-25

from her feet. There was death, sud
| den and memorable, hidden in the
| slim head Of that flashing streak
| Death, silent and insidious, in the
| heart of the voluptuous forest But
Richenda walked on unheeding. She
| felt that not even death could touch
her now. leaving her destiny unf1nish'
| ed.
F'airways and she had very little
| time alone together. There was, too,
something new about her lover which
perplexed Richenda. His laugh came
more rarely. His mouth was set In
a stern mold. Often he went on for
| walks by himself More than once
she had come upon him with Lucille
| In muttered conclave together, and
she had seen a strange, rather bitter
smile steal round his mouth at times
he deemed himself unobserved.
These things perplexed the girl. rem
dered her rather unhappy. Some
times more than a day went by before
she had a moment alone with him.
Twice Lucille had gone off for short
walk with him. At these times she
noticed that on his return Pathways
was strangely silent.
Richenda chafed slightly. She
wanted to understand things better.
But, in those rare moments when
she found herself alone with her
lover, his kisses carried her along
on a tide of such sheer happiness
that her questions were never asked.
Richenda was strangely unsuspicious.
Nobody had ever deceived her. Brett
loved her That was enough for her.
BY and by when she had him to her
self she would understand him bet
ter.
They had been a fortnight in the
camp when Lucille congratulated her
on the engagement.
But Richenda was determined to
fall into no trap.
Are you guessing?" she asked
dryly. -
going to be very soon, too"
Really Richenda felt a sudden
anger. This woman seemed to have
learned more than she herself knew.
But Lucille had a friendly arm
linked in her own now.
Don't be cross, Dickie. Brett
and / are very old friends. Besides,
you naughty thing. I think you might
have played fair and told me your
selfp'
If Richenda looked for shade of
jealousy in Lucille Davenant, in COM
mon honesty she had to admit that
she found none. Indeed, Lucille
laughingly vowed she would leave the
lovers to themselves as much as pos
sible. She removed herself to her
sleeping tent on every possible &C.
casion. She brought more than one
dull flush to Pathways face by teas
ing innuendoes-more than one angry
frown, too. Indeed, times were when
Richenda found 1t necessary to range
herself on Lucille's side.
"She doesn't mean 1t, Brett. Don't
be so stupidity cross, dear"
He caught her suddenly close to
him then, there in the dark shade of
a sheltering tree.
"Dick--you've got to marry me now
at once--next week. he said a lit
tie incoherently. Il want to be rid
of that woman
The vehemence of his tone startled
Richenda. She gazed up at him wide.
eyed.
But. Brett =" she began.
ct can't wait--I won't wait.
might lose you yet. AS soon as pos
sible Do you hear? Do you? To,
morrow if 1t can be donev'
She opened her lips to demur, and
| he closed them again with flood OF
| fierce kisses. The strength of this
man of hers hypnotized Richenda
| She felt little, impotent, drowned in
| the great love that clouded round her
"Girl, girl, you hear me
"Brett, Brett, darling She
could not go on.
But both of them knew that Fair
ways had won.
Continued tomorrow.)