Evening star., 1938-02-08
CHAPTER VIII.

CHAPTER VIII.
- HE was limp in Christopher's s
arms. great exaltation of
soul refreshing her mind and
- body erasing the exhaustion
and tension of the last few hours.
His voice was in her ears, murmur-
tng sweet, tender, incoherent sylla-
bles that said nothing but meant
everything. His mouth was on her
cheeks, caressing her hair, seeking her
lips
You're here" she whispered.
Suddenly she knew that whatever
had driven Christopher to Timora was
nothing to be ashamed of, that Mac
Cauley's quiet insinuations that Chris
topher was a fugitive from justice
were unfounded. A man couldn't be
as reverent as Christopher and be 4
criminal.
She found her thoughts on her
lips without conscious effort She did
not know why she said them nor how
she found words to express them,
She just knew that he had to know
what was IN her mind Il don't care
what you've DONE" she said Simply,
looking up at his lean, hardly visible
race IN the moonlight. You couldn't
nave done any wrong. Perhaps men
sald you did, but they couldn't know"
Her quiet faith in his character
Forced him to turn her face up to his
and look searchingly into her ewes.
-Dennie," he whispered. tenderly,
clasping her precious, little body in
his arms. "Dennie" He buried his
face in the fragrance of her hair.
She clung to him. Her mind swirled
Aoft IN an eddy Of ecstacy that made
every fiber Of her body keenly sensi-
tive to everything it touched. Her
SKIN thrilled to the softness Of her
garments. She could feel the racing
OF ChrStopher's blood in his strong
pare arms as they crushed the thin
stun OF her dress. The beating Of his
heart was like music in her ears.
Then his lips met hers, and she
knew that here was a JOY and an in
toxication that only Christopher could
give. Many other men had kissed her,
but none had ever enkindled this
Naming passion. Christopher was hers
and she was his.
Slowly her mind tumbled from the
heights to which it had stormed, and
She became once again an earth
bound creature. The transition was
cruel almost unbearable. But she
could reach those heights at will with
christopher, and so she contented
herself with that knowledge.
Her radiant eyes focused on his
eountenance. and she smiled, hardly
bearing what he was saying.
I love you, Dennie-I thought
didn't-1 fought against it. But
couldn't help myself" He gently led
her to reed settee and eased himself
down beside her. Il had to see vou
tonight" he said earnestly. Some
thing compelled me-"
She smiled. Il wanted you to come
too"
They were both intent as each
thought of the mysterious psychic i'm
pulse that had brought them together.
She exulted in the alteration Of his
eyes as they drank in the beauties Of
her features for the hundredth time.
He looked away. "Dennie," he said.
quietly. Il want to tell you about
myself"
you needn't" she protested, mo-
mentarily regretting that he could
recall the past after the few glorious
minutes they had shared Then she
realized that he had to talk and un-
derstood As he spoke that she was
the first to hear his story. Somehow
She was glad that he had saved his
loneliness to pour into her ears.
ITO begin with" he remarked,
looking squarely at her, Il won't be
hypocritical and say that you're the
airst woman that I have loved. 1
married the first
Il see," Denise murmured, feeling
suddenly weak and debated.
Shes dead" Christopher said. SIM
ply, and the words expressed an in
effable sorrow that time had barely
healed.
/, I'm sorry" said Denise, softly, not
knowing how to mask the ungenerous
relief that Christopher's misfortune
caused her.
so was l." Christopher observed,
''but it was just as we'll. She couldn't
nave stood up under my disgrace"
Denise moved closer to him on the
settee. why not?" she demanded.
"She married you for better or for
worse, didn't she? I'd say that was
poor sportsmanship."
Mo- he said. There shouldn't
have been any worse. She had no
reason to expect 1t: had not reason
TO demand that she submit to the
calamity that bowled me over"
Denise considered that Christopher
had a queer conception of recipro-
cal affection but permitted him to
continue without pointing 1t out to
him.
Il had my education at Cambridge"
he said. "and after knocking around
for few years I went into the army.
was quite lucky and promotion was
rapid. Things might have been better
II I hadn't reached the responsible
position Of major at such an early
age, but my record theoretically
Justified my advancement. My wife
was very proud of me and urged me
to greater heights in my profession.
To make long story short, I was
sent to India. It meant the first
separation from my wife. was sup
posed to become established at my
post and then send for her. I never
got the chance"
Christopher went back in retrospect
TO a land as hot and as treacherous
as Timora Island where men fought
and bravely died IN the service of
their country. If he had any regrets
he did not permit them to exhibit
themselves on his earnest countenance.
"one day the colonel sent for me.
Christopher he said, pointing to 4
spot on the map that marked a par