The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1939-01-28
The Rains
Came
CONTINUED from Page 81

because 7 really didn't much care
whom I married For moment
she vas silent. thinking. ana then
she added Il think 1t was the
settlement that did il. That meant
that whatever happened I'd always
be independent
He looked at her for a moment.
understanding for the first time
the fathomless hardness Of the
woman he had married. Then
silently he rose and crushed out
The end of his hslf-smoked cigar
on the marble top OF the old
fashioned Victorian dressing table
II was a concentrated brutal
gesture and she thought. THAT IS
what he would ike 70 do 70 nc.
but he's afraid. He's not the great
bullying Lord Esketh now. Hes
poor, bumptious, awkward Albert
s Simpson scared of the gentry
He started to speak and then
j merely said. Good night and
went out of the room. closing the
door behind him. leaving her aware
that she had hurt him who she
thought could not be hurt. She
had found the vuncra bic spot in the
great Lord Esketh, born plain AL
bert Simpson. and she was not
+ sorry. 1t avenged her for many
! things. for his brutality and arro-
sance. for his vulgarity and lack
of all sensibilitv. for his brutal,
cold-hlooded love making taking
her as if she were a glass Of
brandy to be downed quickly with
out finesse or technique or under
standing. Perhaps now he would
leave her in peace forever Any
way, with the settlement she
would always have enough money.
Her slecpincss had worn off now
and she rose and took some sleep
ing medicine and final cigaret,
and as she regaincd the bed there
was a knock on the door and she
called out "Who IS it,
A voice answered, It's Bates,
me lady"
Come in"
In the heat the damp skin Of
the valet looked whittier than ever.
He came in, respectful and rather
cadaverous. The climate was get
ting him too. What is it," she
asked.
Sorry to disturb Your Lady
ship. but ! think there's some-
thing wrong with His Lordship.
He's not we'll"
What is it, Bates ="
I've no idea, me lady. but he
most certainly has a fever. I
wanted to take his temperature.
but he wouldn't hear of it. You
know how he is? He'll never ad-
nit it when he's feeling seedy."
Mysterious Illness
'What about a DOCTOR"
HE wouldn't hear of that.
either. He said there wouldn't be
any good doctors among these In
dams The ghost of a smile APP
peared on Bates face and he add
ed. He used much stronger lam
/ guage than that, but that was
what he meant"
For a moment she was silent,
thinking of many things. Then
she said, Thank you. Bates. If
he's not better in the morning III
find a doctor. I can persuade
him. I think
Thank you, me lady. Good
night"
Good night, Bates"
When he was gone. thinking
about Bates. she knew. even
though he had betrayed himself in
no way whatever. neither by
glance nor word. nor even by the
intonation of his voice, that he
was thinking of Esketh's death
and finding pleasure in the thought
that he knew she too had been
thinking of it.
She did not want him to die:
she did not wish it. vet she could
not keep herself from thinking
how much simpler life would be
with him dead and how pleasant
the freedom would be with all the
money which he would certainly
leave to her in addition to the
settlement, no matter what she
said to him or how she treated
him.
Presently she put out the light
again. but even then she did not
sleep for a long time. The sound
of the flooding rain and the buzz
ing of the insects which blackened
the surface of the white MEETINGS
annoyed her and for a moment.
while she lay between sleep and
/ wakefulness. the hysterical terror
Of India seized her second time
And then again just as she was
falling asleep She had a strange
dream. in which she was searching
desperately for something. but
what 1t was she did not know.
She was aware of a terrible anx-
lety and of wandering through
great dusty fields and ill-smelling
streets and at last through a
jungle. in which she seemed to
hear the plants. the trees. the
ferns, the vines, growing all about
her, closing her in. And then. lust
as she knew that she would find
what she was searching for be-
yond the next hill. she awakened
! screaming.
To Be Continued Tomorrow
Al1@0lR