The Washington times., 1931-06-12
CHAPTER 81.

be, forcing to their knees those
who approached. .. Il shall
never live to be an old man."
Rarick had once said to Gerkes,
therefore I want to make a
friend of the idea of death
early" Jenny had neglected to
make a friend of the idea. Poor
Jenny. He would have given
much not to have been too shy
to reach over and fold the
startled whitenesS of her body
against what comfort he had to
offer. Fear was pecking at
her.
You know that beautiful
ivory panel that you use for
a chest door to your collection
of jadeS? The one with the
Virgin Mary seated, with
crown of pearls on head?
"Byzantium of the ninth cen
tury," he said. mechanically.
Isn't it catalogued rs the
lower side of Casket?"
Perhaps"
"Rarick. want that panel
for the lower side of my cas-
ket."
Yes, yes, but that. we rope
will be many long day away"
And those beautiful Episco-
al croziers in gold and ivory,
from the Walton Collection,
that stand beside the organ.
want them for head-pieces. You
can afford to build me the most
beautiful casket in the world,
Rarick, starting with those
priceless antiques of old ivory
and old gold. Don't line it in
satin, Rarick. I shall hate to
lie in shiny white satin like a
Catholic cook who has saved up
for her funeral. l want to lie
in leaves of beaten silver. you
can do that for me. ="
His Bleeding Heart
Of all the things he ached to
do for her, now that the open
wound of his heart was bleed
Ing in pity for her fear. this
was what she wanted of him.
There was a pair Of lines from
Chaucer. engraved on an ivory
oliphant of his collection.
A pair Of tables all Of iUOry.
And Poyntal polish'd tetishly.
That was all he could DO for
Jenny. Send her polished
fetishly" out of the tent that
was hung in the splendor of
bracelets and shields.
OF course, Rarick, I'm pretty
apt to turn around on you and
not die" she said, pertly and
mockingly out of the darkness,
on a rattle of the brittle, mali
Cious kind of humor she prac,
ticed. You may not be rid Of
me, after all"
II don't want to be, Jenny"
DO you believe, Rarick, in a
beyond?"
Il believe in something, Jenny,
beyond myself"
DO you ever pray?"
"Yes; but, like you, chiefly
when 1 despair. I don't suppose
you would call that worship, so
much as fear. -"
When Avery died, l didn't
fear. I hlasphemed."
He could not talk about him
to her--
"I fear now, but I don't pray,
Rarick."
He wanted her to pray. Deep
In his heart he knew that her
need of prayer had come.
DO you think it unbearably
silly of me to keep wanting
casket made of ivory and old
gold?" perhaps Ramon, pass
ing around it, would see her
lying there. the lovely color of
the old ivory itself. Croziers at
her head and feet. Priceless
ones, the beautiful shape of
shepherds staff, one showing
the Virgin and Infant, the other
the Crucifixion. y
A Means to Death
Il think it silly of you to be
dwelling on death, although it
sometimes seems to me, Jenny,
that life is a means to DEATH"
He had not meant to say
that.
"What?"
TRY to sleep"
"RariCk. want to say to
you--it sounds so sllly-it will
seem sillier in the morning
but now-tonight--1 feel as if
] want to say to you---"
Get your sleep, tonight"
Perhaps -"
Doing off. she hated Ramon,
pimp. who had tucked himself
securely under the arm Of bat.
And yet-in case-there was al
ways the septic danger of an
operation-in caSe-She wanted
him to pass around the ivory
bier, time and time again,
and look upon the strange
ivory beauty of her, lying in
ivory.
At II o'clock the following
morning. Jennifer. without ap-
continent. presented herself at
her fathers office to be met by
Hellman. whom she disliked and
who in turn considered her a
snip
Tell my father I am waiting,
Mr.. Hellman."
When Jennifer was announced.
the immediate thought Smote
Rarick that Jenny must have
told her of what was Unpend-
ing.
"It's about Cataract Lodge,
Father"
He naused in the act Of with.