Show r I f SLENDER SWORDS t t l UJ L 1 i n r A An l Rom Romance e eD F. F D ERMINIE l RIVES JY J Thoi of J l cn n Sanderson kJ He Fleur The c. c y Ji Etc CHAPTER XI t Tho ho Island of Enchantment They by walked to together ether around the tho Ivi iii road leaving Haru with tho the ih Patsy would have hae come had bad said but she i is in the Hitches iches of her dressmaker And uni bad had answered answered I rI have a a distinct rd for that Chinaman is- is black mood had hud vanished and imps had had flown fown In the tightness ht ess of her physical presence Sw baseless and foolish seemed his len nen ima imaginings What man mau who led ed a steam yacht acht knowing her her- Suld uld not wish to name it the Bar Bar- Th r sky was duller duner now Its Is marous mar mar- rots ous haze haz of blue and gold god haded had ed pallid and the sun glared with pale ale 3 effrontery A strange ing was Tras in In the air air aI so BO faint faIt 4 how- how tr that it seemed only the stirring I innumerable loaves leaves the tho resinous t ping ing of pine pino needles and the lisping pf of the flaming petals from the fury ury old camellia camela trees that stained aund with hot bleeding red At i urn urn in jn the road stood stone stono image imae with a red red paper bib about its Ik k Before it lay jay three small smal rice I g somewhere in in the tho sick child 3 3 years years old At base were heaps of tny tiny stones piled nf Smothers m whose little children had rf hey went laughing liko two two two children children z zigzag ag stone steps past in- in rimson crimson benched tin houses J where grave Japan Japan- pedestrians sat eating stewed eels I chipping hard boiled eggs eggs to to to the I edge of the tide which now d d in with a measured sullen boom- boom He flo pointed to a gloomy fissure t h ran rn into the mountain at a It lit lit- distance istance IS ance 11 maiden journeying to Holy to-Holy Holy Ben- Ben 16 said shrine H Kow W disillusioning find Iov love so 50 sometimes sh shook k her head Not all aU I them b m she he said softly I i 1 am old oia enough not t to believe beleve that brown eyes were wistful and a lit lit- lt troubled 16 i bled and her voice was so ador- ador i that he could have gone none on his elto her I 1 wiil lo ik sk ten Ben-ten about it i he not we she he cried I Dont Don't you ou know the thed kd adf d f. f People quarrel if they thy go tobera to to- bera ant imagine qua quarreling reIn with II Id Id rather quarrel with myself I That would be difficult wouldn't t I I l. l in of moods Ask n some my my my Today for instance instance- M For he had bad paused meditating self destruction J l Hlf interesting met I- I I Iwon won won- o l' l II a c 1 I wig about to search for a volcano mn nto h the nearest active crater I miles mUes away It is but Im I'm Im an absent sent minded iari mif ST.- ST. May I 1 ask what int in- in in- in t dys dy's suicidal mood l' l Dt a wasa a telegram Wili 1 IL She colored faintly I I 1 I I up 10 no bad news looked into her eyes I hope sid said Something el else e wa waS on tongue onue when Look she ex- ex df How How strange the sea looks Bere erl t I Ij isi ister whitish bank like a mad I 1 lay far off of on the wanda wa- wa and anda a tense whistling hum came 1 th the up upper er air A A. A drop of of water hed redon on Daunts Daunt's s 's wrist Theres ato t be a blow he ho said t The I The id gatherers are re all aU comin coming in ten Ben n will wi have to wait Im I'm even even her high priest is is uig ing her her they stood steps were into the rock winding I the face of the cliff clif Beside stone pillars were carIan car car- Ian an ron iron chain that hun hung hun in rusted s Alon Along this precarious path path- from froin the he c cavern rn an p old man an was as frE coming y oming oy Dy a boy ouy wIth g ging y bundle tied in a white cloth no 10 doubt said Daunt Daunt lams the days day's offerings Wait not e e ot going goings I For she had r down the steps Ih had d turned to answer when with idd ness of an explosion a burst burs nd Ind lell ien on them like liko a sapping flapping tsp tern them with wih drops that the rock as if hurled from a roe of melted metal Barbara hadlin had hadlin I lin un her life experienced anything feroCi V. V I It l both both oth startled d and ed edher her liko lino a personal affront mt had sprung to her side and was as ng But the tho words indistinguishable she shook book herad her arid ad nd went on stubbornly clinging rehain h in a whirl of blown garments 1 thim him grasp rasp her arm she shrieked t Its I 8 i Ti i 1 9 w her there came a a see sec m menacing lull lul and in it she sprang th and ran swiftly out along He Ho Was a after her in an her on a frail frai board spanned a pool wh where re the theas as Here the tho wind 1 with spume hurled them tp- tp Daunt threw an ar about her g with wih the other hand to the 1 trailing railing r Ung Her hair was a reddish Cross r ss his shoulder and her br breath ath his throat ridged d his Ith a creeping d delight The rocks through trough whose fissures tf of water ran screaming vas was the f and with tawny wih sea- sea There was only a weird yellow h which tho the gale howled like lIk IkI dragons fighting A- A wave licked the palsied frame frame- shouted into her ear AH All Al aught augh was Must ca cave next vc-next next ded her head and her lipsa lips a t hIm through the confused ob- ob VAT thrill wept swept her ce silver siver Ulse Use on pulse an emotion like in one thrilled and chilled b closed her eyes with wih a a wild wid that the wind might last for iaL Jat that mO like liko the ecstasy dream might draw Itself length Slowly she felt th thC the C the tempest ebb about them felt fel herself lifted from her hey her r cye eyes opened into Daunts elay lay against his breast as ae ItIn it ItIn In ln that hort moment in the garden arden She f feel el his heart under the rough rough- tw tweed ed Once feind caught them but but he stag- stag it f. f and into the high rock o the cave cae tits Its is dripping rIpping rim the tho sudden ces- ces 1 the wind seemed almost tin un- and b m mot of ot the the- th sur w was s a roar He set her on I I I I her hr on 01 the damP roe roe-k and laughed roc I wildly Do you realize sho she said ald that we have 0 transgressed the most sacred tenet w- w of Ben Ben n cn by c coming here together we are doomed to misunderstanding Now ow w that I recollect that applies A i apples only to lovers he ho answered Then we- we V 3 weAre Are re Quio safe afe safe she quickly finished for him Come I l want to sec the thee shrine We e must find a candle He peered Into the gloomy gloom depths I Im will m f explore see ee some me burning ho he said sid Wo We A little way inside the they the cai came 6 to a a- thin small smal 11 blue well with wih th a dPP dipper r and a rack rc of 8 and white towels to cleanse to-cleanse the hands 1 of oC Worshipers On a square pedestal tal ta I stood a stone Buddha curiously Jn- Jn crusted by drippings from the roof Near it i was vas a wooden booth its is front hung with of oC twisted rice rico straw and strips of white PaPer folded in diagonal notches It I held a number of tiny wooden wood- wood above bove en olL toni torl strung with wih lighted tny candles each of which was nailed a paper prayer A few copper topper coins lay scattered scattered scat scat- beneath them Daunt thrust two of or the tho candles into wooden holders and they slowly followed the narrowing fis fis- fis sure guttered by the feet of centuries texts and small smal Images coated with the droppings from innumerable can can- dle She Slie hek held up her winking light toward his face What Wat a desperate tion ton she said sid laughingly You haven't said a thing for five minutes Im Im thinking we had better beter explain at once to ten Ben-ten that were we're not lovers Otherwise ve we may get the penalty Per Perhaps haps ved wed we'd better just tell tel her it was as an accident and let Jet It go so at that What do you ou think That might he be tho the simplest All AH right then Ill I'll I Al Il sa say Ben ten dear she wanted to come alone she really did We didn't intend If f- f fa a at aall all al So be a nice gracious goddess and ind nd dont don't make her quarrel with me What do you ou suppose she will answer an an- vi She will wt sa say Youn Young man in th same circumstances I should have done exact exactly the same sax m myself f The passage had gro grown so low that they had to bend beM ben their heads then all al alt at t t once A it if widened into a a. concave Ot chamber The cannonading 0 of the wind rumbled fainter and fainter He took her hand and drew her forward There is Ben Ben- ten he said The goddess of lo lox love e sat in a barred cleft of the rock enshrined In a a. dull a dul gold silence Beads of moisture spangled her robe glistening like brilliants through the mossy darkness Poor deity deiy said Barbara To have to live forever in a asea sea sea cavern Its It's Is I's a camm clammy idea isn't it i He paused I r could make could make a terrible pun but I wont ont One OnG shouldn't joke about love she said Have you discovered that too She gazed at t him strangely without answering In the wan light his face looked pale Her unresisting fingers still sUI la lay in his he felt fel th their ir touch like a breath of ot fire fin through all al his veins Her eyes sparkled hack back the pery cery witch glow of or the candle flames fames You are a. a green golden gnome girl girl he said unsteadily geen And I am under under under-a 8 spell Yes she yes said sald I am am- s daughter I have only to wave my candlestick candlestick so to so so to- to turn you into a She suited suied the action acton to the word WOd- WOd and dropped her candle which was as in instantly instantly in- in extinguished hed on the damp amp floor foor Bending forward to retrieve it Daunt slipped d. d The arm ar he instinctively threw out to save himself himsel struck the wall wal and his own candle flew few from its is socket As Ashe Ashe Ashe he regained his footing confused by the blank enfolding darkness he stumbled against Barbara and his face brushed hers In another instant the touch had thrilled into a kiss A moment she lay in his arms passive panting her mouth stinging with wih the burn bum bur of his lips The world I was a dense blackness shot with fire fre and full ful of pealing bells bels and the beating of her heart was a great wave waie of sound that throbbed like the fury of ot the seas I love you Barbara he said simply I love you The stammering utterance pierced the swift confused sweetness of oC that first kiss like a lance lanc of desperate gladness Through the tumbling passion of th the words he poured into her heart she could feel his hands touching her face her throat her loosened hair hall Barbara Listen dear I must say ay it Its It's Js stronger than I am am no no dont don't push me away Love Love- me You must love me With her arms on his breast she had make a movement to release herself We e u arc mad I think sho she breathed men may we e never oe ue sane I you I you have known me only two days What What- Ah no Ive I've Ive known you ou all these years and ad have been loving you al without really realy knowing it I made a woman out F of my own ov fancy that I dreamed alive Jn n the long inter v-inter winter evenings when alve I worked at the models in the little HUla house In ma I used to sec see te her face In my driftwood blaze and talk to her I called d her my Lady of tho the Many-Colored Many cal i Fires I never thought Fires she really ex ex- ex realy isted but that first night in the embassy garden I J knew that my dream woman was you you you-you you Barbara Her Pier hands pushed him from her no more They fell to trembling Cel on his breast breast In the dense salty obscurity she turned her head sharply to te feel fed 1 again his lips on hers her own molding to his kiss She drooped swaying stunned breathless Barbara I love loe you No not No not again Light the LIght the candle Just Tiit Til fit fit- a a. moment UA i 1 i. i 6 t- t dark with Ben a Its It's fate tate darling 11 LI Wl-iv Wl should I have been ben In Japan darlng and nit not In Persia PerIa when you came Calp Why did I happen to be there In the garden that night nigh at that particular moment Why it ft was the purest accident that I ram came here today not No-not accident It kismet Barbara was Make Make a a light I beg I-beg beg you His lips were murmuring against her cheek Say I love you you too can I not You you would hold me cheap I I bc-I arn What Yes it was a tulip tree I was 16 Oh you couldn't have Tv have y you'd forgotten the whole thing You hd you had Dort hold me No I dont don't care what you think t Yes Yep I do car Yes I I-I I I This is perfectly shameless Dark That makes it all the worse What will you No no You must not kiss trio hie again We must go back back I I will go back She freed herself and he fumbled for Or his fallen candle lie He struck a match The sputtering blue lame lit her white languorous f fice ce her fallen hair her heaving heavIng ing breast It went out He lie struck another another an an- other and the wick blazed up Look at me dear he said Tell mo ntO moin in the light Will ViII you marry me I can oan not answer answer now Why I Dont Don't you love mo me I in I in so short a time how could I Let us us- go now I dont don't know myself myself- nor nor nor-nor nor you She SI-ic was trembling and he noted it with a a. pang of compunction Tomorrow sweetheart Will Tj you give mo me iy my answer then Yes It was almost Inaudible At the foreign ministers ministers' ball tomorrow tomor row night Ill I'll come to you there dear dear- est ost I I- I He stopped She had caught her hand to her throat with a wild gesture Benten Benten Ben ten She She She-she she is frowning at us There There- look there My Mv poor darling ho said You are c nervous See it was only the tho shadow I ought not to have brought you into this dismal hole 1 V You are positively shivering 17 Let us us hurry she and they went quickly into the warmer air and light of the entrance The tf squall r had e. e passed with Pr the fateful 11 I gurgled and tumbled but the fury of the wind was over The Tho murk light had lifted showing the wet sky a patchy drab which again was beginning to show glimpses of golden hue Th The sun was setting when the Tokyo express pulled into the station As Haru disappeared into the compartment Daunt took Barbaras Barbara's hand to help her to the platform There had been no other first class passengers to embark and the forward for for- ward end of the asphalt was deserted Her lovely flushed face faco was turned to toward to- to ward him and there in the dusk of the station he bent swiftly and kissed her once more on the lips Dearest dearest he said behind his teeth and turned quickly away In the car as the train fled through the glory of the sunset Barbara closed her eyes the longer to keep the sion slon of that eager gaze the lithe muscular lar poise of the strong frame the parted lips he the brown hair curling under the agine peak of him the cloth cap She tried to im im- im I on his backward journey Now the trolley had passed the now he ward was striding along the shore road toward to to- to Kamakura where the great bronze r Buddha KY was arn lifting its face of dreamless j z a. a vv o ao back toward the deepening blur of the green Island She shivered she a little as remembered the frown that had seemed to rest on the stony ance of Ben ten In her cave Her thought drifted into tomorrow when she was to give him Ah she knew what that her answer be She thought answer would of the telegram of the night before which she had read In the candle y lIghten candle street Tomorrow Ware also was ws coming for coming for knew an answer She what that would be too She felt a sudden pity for him Yet she knew now what flow what wisdom she had gained in these two swift days that |