The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1939-03-18
THE RAINS CAME
BY LOuO BnOMFIELD
Copyriaht. 1897, Isss 1919 by Louis Bromfieil
Distrfbutea b. Ledger Syndicate

alarmed him. II was there that
the element OF the unpredictable,
the undLssectible made its appear
ance. In the west they called the
thing love. making from it novels
and ronsances and plays and poems
and cinemas. few of them under
standing that II was, when dis
sected, mixture OF chemicals of
instinct, of mans fear of loneli-
ness and the compulsion upon him
TO breed as he ate and slept and
breathed. IL was all that but
something more as well. for there
WAS the unpredictable element
which one might call quantity X
which could not be pinned down
and analysed. that element which
had made its appearance at the
moment he had looked up and
seen her coming up the drive of
the hospital, clad in one of Mrs
Smiley's calico dresses.
1t was this unpredictable. un-
familiar element which put him on
his guard. II might lead him into
the most absurd follies; II might
blind him TO his knowledge that
she was too old and too expert
enced. II might blind him even
To the fact OF what he was and
what he must 90 on being, until
he died-a worker. scientist,
man without emotions who must
guard his body and keep it free,
as perfect machine. for the work
he had 10 do.
That was why the Msharanee
had kept him behind to talk TO
him, 10 urge him TO marry. In
her wisdom she OWNED the dam
ger. and she would fight 10 save
him from folly when he could no
longer save himself. In an odd
fashion. his life did not belong TO
himself any more than the Ma
haranee's had ever belonged TO her.
There was side OF her which was
for all the world like dancing
girl. But she had remained
queen. beyond folly. all her life.
But he asked himself. too. what
was 30 easy to ask, what Edwina.
he OWNED. had asked herself many
times. 1T is my life. am alive
but once. Why should I not do
with it as please? Why should
I not have that satisfaction which
fate has placed in my path Why
should l turn away and deny
il >" But another voice answered;
And destroy yourself" In spite
of her gsllsntry, In spite OF her
honesty. in spite even OF the Curl
Gus, childlike quality which he.
like Ransone. had OWNED in her.
there was something corrupt about
her. something wrong and old.
born more Of blood that was too
old than Of experience.
At 5 o'clock little Or. Pindsr
came 10 wake Edwins. II had
stopped raining and the night was
still. the air washed clear. no
breeze stirring the leaves Of the
burgeoning trees. She Weakened
slowly. woolly-headed from the
medicine she had taken 10 stop
the ache at the back OF her eyes.
The ache was still there and her
body felt hot. not with the damp
heat of the monsoon. out with
dry. burning heat which came
from inside herself. For a mo-
ment she did not know where she
was: IL was not until her mind had
focused itself on the absurd figure
OF the little doctor standing there
holding q candle stub that she re-
membered.
YEARLY she rose and lighted her
own stub Of candle from his.
Go along to bed. doctor; III be
there in a moment"
The ward was unchanged. save
that here ard there against the
wall candles burned 10 give the
patients cheer sr1 courage. The
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