Produced by Don LainsonTHE PATH OF A STARBy Mrs Everard CotesAKA Sara Jeannette Duncan1899CHAPTER IShe pushed the portiere aside with a curved hand and gracefullyseparated fingers it was a staccato movement and her body followed itafter an instants poise of hesitation head thrust a little forwardeyes inquiring and a tentative smile although she knew precisely whowas there You would have been aware at once that she was an actressShe entered the room with a little stride and then crossed it quicklythe train of her morning gownit cried out of luxury with the cheapestvoicetaking folds of great audacity as she bent her face in its loosemass of hair over Laura Filbert sitting on the edge of a bamboo sofaand saidYou poor thing Oh you POOR thingShe took Lauras hand as she spoke and tried to keep it but the handwas neutral and she let it go It is a hand she said to herselfin one of those quick reflections that so often visited her readymadethat turns the merely inquiring mind away Nothing but feeling couldhold itMiss Filbert made the conventional effort to rise but it came tonothing or to a mere embarrassed accent of their greeting Then hervoice showed this feeling to be superficial made nothing of it pushedit to one sideI suppose you cannot see the foolishness of your pity she said OhMiss Howe I am happier than you aremuch happier Her bare feet asshe spoke nestled into the coarse Mirzapore rug on the floor and hereye lingered approvingly upon an Owari vase three feet high and thickwith the gilded landscape of Japan which stood near it in the cheapmagnificence of the roomHilda smiled Her smile acquiesced in the world she had foundacquiesced with the gladness of an explorer in Laura Filbert as afeature of itDont be too sure she cried I am very happy It is such a pleasureto see youHer gaze embraced Miss Filbert as a person and Miss Filbert as apictorial fact but that was because she could not help it Her eyeswere really engaged only with the latter Miss FilbertMuch happier than you are Laura repeated slowly moving her head fromside to side as if to negative contradiction in advance She smiled tooit was as if she had remembered a former habit from politenessOf course you areof course Miss Howe acknowledged The words weremellow and vibrant her voice seemed to dwell upon them with a kind ofrich affection Her face covered itself with serious sweetness I canimagine the beatitudes you feelby your clothesThe girl drew her feet under her and her hand went up to the onlysemiconventional item of her attire It was a brooch that exclaimed insilver letters Glory to His Name It is the dress of the Army in thiscountry she said I would not change it for the wardrobe of a queenThats just what I mean Miss Howe leaned back in her chair with herhead among its cushions and sent her words fluently across the roomstraight and level with the glance from between her halfclosed eyelidsA fine sensuous appreciation of the indolence it was possible to enjoyin the East clung about her To live on a plane that lifts you up likethatso that you can defy all criticism and all convention and goabout the streets like a mark of exclamation at the selfishness of theworldthere must be something very consummate in it or you couldnt goon At least I couldntI suppose I do look odd to you Her voice took a curious softuplifted note I wear three garments onlythe garments of my sisterswho plant the young shoots in the ricefields and carry bricks for thebuilding of rich mens houses and gather the dung of the roadways toburn for fuel If the Army is to conquer India it must march barefootedand bareheaded all the way All the way Laura repeated with atremor of musical sadness Her eyes were fixed in appeal upon the otherwomans And if the sun beats down upon my uncovered head I think Itstruck more fiercely upon Calvary and if the way is sharp to my unshodfeet I say At least I have no cross to bear The last words seemedalmost a chant and her voice glided from them into singing     The blessed Saviour died for me      On the cross  On the cross      He bore my sins at Calvary      On the rugged crossShe sang softly her body thrust a little forward in a tender swaying     Behold His hands and feet and side      The crown of thorns the crimson tide      Forgive them Father loud He cried      On the rugged crossOh thank you Miss Howe exclaimed Then she murmured again Thatsjust what I meanA blankness came over the girls face as a light cloud will cross themoon She regarded Hilda from behind it with penetrant anxiety Didyou really enjoy that hymn she askedIndeed I didThen dear Miss Howe I think you cannot be very far from the KingdomI Oh I have my part in a kingdom Her voice caressed the idea Andthe curious thing is that we are all aristocrats who belong to it Notthe vulgar kind you understandbut no you dont understand Youllhave to take my word for it Miss Howes eyes sought a red hibiscusflower that looked in at the window half drowned in sunlight and thesmile in them deepenedIs it the Kingdom of God and His righteousness Laura Filberts clearglance was disturbed by a ray of curiosity but the inflexible qualityof her tone more than counterbalanced thisTheres nothing about it in the Bible if thats what you mean And yetI think the men who wrote The time of the singing of birds has comeand I will lift mine eyes unto the hills must have belonged to itShe paused with an odd look of discomfiture But one shouldnt talkabout things like thatit