Evening star., 1938-04-10
Continued from pose nine

tain road and the ghosts of the GEN.
turies came down to meet them.
Caesars Tenth Legion - ribald.
greave-clanking ghosts, privileged still
to make quips at Caesars bald head;
Attila's hordes bowling across the mar
row defiles.
"Now we will talk" Lathrop said
and he punched out his cigarette.
Josephine" he said, you and have
known each other for many years and
we have known each other as pretty
sensible. pretty hard-bitten people.
Let there be no misconCeption of my
motives in what say now. love you
- but that's beside the point, except
that it's why I'm here - why have
chucked my reputation for integrity in
this country. This man is eight years
older than you are in body and Lord
knows how many thousands of years
older than you, in mind"
'Yes. Lathrop?"
Those thousands of years have
made him something that no Ameri-
can girl - no American man can
understand - but you've got to un-
derstand itr'
Eyes. Lathrop."
Stop saying Yes, Lathrop'," he
told her. Hes bred to cruelty. He's
bred to ruthlessness. The entire fabric
of his social morality is diametrically
opposed to yours. You never could be
happy with him. You went to
Chicago high school - you can't be-
lieve in Graustarkr'
''Lathrop." she said, don't talk
any more. 1t can't do any good"
Its got to do good! He shook his
head Josephine, if you don't run
from this, it will damage you forever
- kill you. You must run now for
your own sake"
''Lathrop." she said. Il am twenty
seven. You're talking to me as if l
were seventeen"
He said. Would you marry this
man - if you could? You can't - but
vonid you?"
II haven't thought of it."
Think of it -- then! These noun
tains -- the cruel reality of the people
in them? II you stayed in them -
could you stand them?"
'Yes." she said quietly. They
don't seem cruel to me - they seem
to be what l was trained for. in some
obscure way. My grandfather must
have felt kinship to them. for he
bought home in them and in certain
ways he lived with the cruelty these
people have. It's only cruel if you
haven't got it. Lathrop. If you have it
its highly developed instinct of
self-preservation ="
'Oh. good gosh" he said.
mo" She touched his hand. That
isn't what he's told me about himself
That's what I've always believed. My
grandfather believed it, 50 he rough
ened me to the bone before he left me
his fortune, 50 it couldn't soften me-
Do you know how l was taught to
swim? was thrown into Lake Michigan
when I was seven years old - and
told to swim out That's what has
made the Prince Sergei what he isp'
well, what is he?"
Il - don't know"
'WeIl, III tell you then - he's an
egomaniac, a deranged fanatic who
has never had to face the costs of any
of his actions. He's not man, he's a
fiend - slim devil in field boots with
machine pistol in his hand. He'll
break your heart and tear the pieces
out by the roots" He clenched his
fists and pounded them on his knees.
Damn you, Josephine! Damn you
for your weakness You've smashed
all the respect ever had for you."
He turned from her and stared far
down into the Tashno Valley There
was still light enough to see the distant
cataracts and the white ribbon of the
Nauburg Road. There was long gray
worm swallowing the whiteness ii that
road nOu rraul;pu cuiftJv aIonu frop,