Show V M LAWI I BY ROBERT ROBERT W. W CHAMBERS i INSTALMENT 43 It was slowly becoming evident to Neville that Valerie's was the stronger character not character not through any genius for tenacity nor on account of any domineering domineering domineering domi domi- instinct instinct but but because mistaken en or otherwise in her ethical reasonIng reasonIng reasoning reason- reason Ing she was consistent true to her belief and had the courage to to live up to it And thi this made her convictions almost un unassailable sailable Slavery to established custom of a any y kind she smIlingly disdained refusing to submit to restrictions which centuries centuries cen cen- tunes of social usage had bad established when such social restrictions and limitations limi lImi- hampered or annoyed her Made conscious by the very conventions conventions conventions conven conven- designed to safeguard unconsciousness f made wise by the dom dorn of a civilization which required ignorance of Innocence she had as yet lost none of her sweetness and confidence confidence confidence con con- in herself and in a world which she considered a friendly one at best and at worst more silly than vicious Her life the experience of a girlhood In the world wide and varied reading unwise and otherwise and an intelligence which needed only experience and training had hastened to a premature maturity her er impatience with the faults of civilization And in inthe inthe inthe the honest revolt of youth she forgot that what she rejected was after atter all civilization Itself and that as yet there had been offered no acceptable substitute for its faulty codification To do ones one's best was to be fearlessly true to ones one's convictions and let Jet God Judge that was her only creed And AndI I from her point of view humanity needed needed need need- i ed no other c So she went about the pleasure and happiness of living with a light heart and a healthy interest Interest not doubting that all an was right between her and the w world and and that the status quo I must endure And endless misunderstandings ensued ensued en en- su sued d between her hei and the man she loved loyed She was a very busy business girl and he objected She went about to theatres and parties and dinners and concerts with other men and Neville didn't like it Penrhyn Cardeman met mether mether mether her at a theatrical supper an and asked her to be tie one of his guests on his big yacht acht the Mohave fitted out for forthe forthe forthe the Azores There Ther were twenty Inthe in inthe inthe the party and she would h have ye gone had hadnot hadnot hadnot not Neville objected angrily It was not his objection but his Ir Irritation Irritation irritation Ir- Ir that confused her She could discover no reason for it It cant can't be that you dont don't trust me she said to him so it must be that youre you're lonely without me even when you go to spend two weeks with your parents I dont don't mind not go goIng going going go- go ing if it you dont don't wish me to tor Louis arid and Ill I'll stay slaY here in town while you visit your our our father and mother but it seems seems a little bit odd of you not pot to let me go when I can be of no earthly use to you Her gentleness with him him- and her sweet way of or reasoning made him Im ashamed Its the crowd that's going Valerie Cardemon Querida Marianne Valdez where did you meet her anyway In her dressing room at the opera She's pe perfectly sweet Isn't she all aU allright allright right Cardemon's mistress he said bluntly A painful color colot flushed her face and neck and at the same instant t he re realized realized real real- l- l what he had said Neither spoke for a while he went wenton on with his painting she standing once more for the length full-length portrait resumed her nose in silence After a a. while she heard his brushes clatter to the floor saw him Im leava lea his easel was aware that he was coming toward her And the next moment he had dropped at her feet kneeling there one arm tightening around her knees his head pressed close Listlessly sh she looked down at him dropped one slim hand on his shoulder shoulder der del considering him The curious part of of- it is she said I that all aU the scorn in your voice was for Marianne Valdez and none for Penrhyn Card Cardemon em on He said nothing Such a a. queer topsy world she sighed letting her hand wander from his shoulder to his thick short hair hall She caressed his forehead thoughtfully I 1 suppose some man will say that of ot me some day But that is a lIttIe littIe little lit lIt- tIe tle matter matter compared compared to malting making life Ufe happy for tor you To be your mistress could never make me py To be your husband husband and and to put an end to all these damnable doubts and misgivings and purposes cross would make me happy all my life he burst out with a violence that startled her Hush Louis We must not begin tha hopeless argument again Valerie Valerie You are breaking breaking break break- I ing my heart Hush dear clear You know I am not nOL She looked down at him her lip was trembling Suddenly she slid down to I the floor and knelt there confronting him her arms around him Dearer than all the world and heaven en en-do en do you OU think that I am breaking I your heart You know I am not You Tou know what I am am doing for your sake for for- your family's sake ke for my own I I am only giving you a love that can cause them no pain bring no regret to you Take it then and kiss me But the were the days were full of little lIttIe scenes like this this this-of of earnest fiery discussions of passionate arguments of flashes of temper ending in tears and heavenly heavenly heavenly enly reconciliation He had g gone ne for two weeks to visit his father and mother at their summer summer sum sum- mer mar home near near Portsmouth and before he went he took her in his arms and told her how ashamed he was of his bad temper at the idea of ot her going going on on th the Mohave and said that she might go that he did trust her any anywhere where and that he was t trying ing to learn to concede to her the same liberty of action and of choice that any man enjoyed But But- she convinced him very sweetly that she really had no desire to go and sent him off to Spindrift House happy and madly in love which re resulted resulted re- re in two letters a day from him and In her passing long evenings in confidential duets with Rita Tevis Rita had taken the she bedroom I I next to Valerie's and together r. r they had added the luxury of a tiny living room to the suite It was the first time that either had ever had any ny place in which to receive receive re re- anybody and now delighted to b. b be t able able to ask people people- they let Jet It be known that their friends could have tea with them Ogilvy and ancl An Annan an had promptly availed themselves This is exceedingly grand said sald I Ogilvy examining eV everything in a atour atour atour I tour around the pretty little sitting I room We Ve can have all ll kinds of a rough house now And he got down I on his hands and knees in the middle of the rug and very gravely turned I a somersault Sam I Behave Or Ill Til set my par parrot parrot par I rot on you exclaimed d Valerie i Ogilvy gUvy sat up and I Inspected the parI parrot par par- II I ro rot I You know he said I believe Ive I've seen that parrot somewhere I Impossible my dear friend unless friend unless youve you've been in my bedroom Ogilvy got got up dusted his trousers I and walked oV over r to the 1 parrot parrot- Well it Jo looks ks like a bird I 1 used to I know know It I it certainly resembles resembles- He t hesitated then addressing the bird I Hello you you ou old scoundrel I rel rell reli he said cautiously Forget it muttered the bird cocking cocking cock cock- ing his he head d and lifting first one slate- slate colored claw from his perch then the theother other other forget forget it If Help Oh very well God bless the l ladles Where on earth did you ever before see my parrot asked Valerie aston- aston J Ogilvy appeared to be a little out of oC countenance too Oh I really dont don't remember exactly I where I did see him he tried to ex explain explain ex- ex plain and nOb nobody dy believed him him- Sam Saml Answer me Well Yell where did you get him Jose JoS Querida gave to tome I me rae I Annan and Ogilvy exchanged the I briefest glance glance glance-a a perfectly blank blankI glance It probably isn't the same bird said Ogilvy I carelessly There are plenty of parrots that talk talk plenty plenty of ot em named probably Sam how can you be so untruthful untruth untruth- ful rita nIta hold him tightly while I I. I pull hu hill cars It was a form torm of admonition peculiarly peculiar peculiar- ly b. distasteful to Ogilvy and he made mad madea mada a vain effort to escape Now ow Sam the truth the whole I I I I I I I I i II I I I t I I truth and nothing but the tru Quick or Ill I'll tweak AI Al right then he said ly Queridas got relatives In 0 Op Opo who send him these kind of p parr occasionally He names em all nil Le rello teaches em all an the same j Ja jars and and- gives and em to girls How funny said Valerie i looked at Sam aware of else in his grin and gave an little laugh J g He sat down rubbing his l elU lob ear b the malicious grin still lingering on r countenance What he had not to t her was that Queridas Querida's regular affair of the heart always e eed ed with the gift of an Oporto pa pa pan Marianne Valdez owned one So Mazie Gray His Ilis cynical gaze rested on V Va s' s reflectively He had heard plenty rumors and whispers and never believed any of them f I j could not b believe lIeve now that the gift this crimson green and sky blue cr cro o oure ure signified anything Yet Qu Qua Quer t thad had known her as long as anybody i c pt Neville When did he be give you this p pam he asked carelessly Oh one day Just before I Waa Iwas- was Ing to o Atlantic City He was c co con down too to stay a fortnight w wI z zI I was there and come back with and he said that he had Intended give the parrot to tc tome me after our turn but that he be might as wen t tit It to me before belore I went 1 m ir irI I see said Ogilvy thoughtfully few tew moments later as as' as he ha an and t A Ani were leaving the house he saM said It looks to me as though our fri frie Jose had taken too much for tor ed e eIt It looks like it nodded Ani smiling unpleasantly 4 Too sure of conquest st added 0 61 VI vy Got the frozen didn't he g And the Grand Cordon of the do dot do cross 15 And the hot end of the he poker y ye Sure and Its It's still sizzling 0 vy cast a gleeful glance back at house Fine little girl eirl All white 1 No All white nodded Annan And Neville Isn't that kind of a a anyway Ogilvy said So you think so t tOh toOh to toOh Oh yes Hes He's crazy about her heri she she- isn't taking Sundays out if J jl hl his day in Only what's use I 1 INo ij No use I guess Kelly Keny vile ville has seen as m many ny artists wh married their models as we have sides his people are frightful sn sno mc Annan walking along wong briskly a W his big stock vigorously a sweet little thing he heI heI heI I know it Its It's going to be betor 1 for tor her She can cant can't t stand mand for a a. m mand mu niu and Its It's the only sort sort that will m as her I 1 dont don't know know she she's healthy kind of girl girl but but G God d help if she slie ever eyer really Tails falls In love A Aone one of our our sort I think she's done It said eald An AD Kelly It look life Ufa It Oh it win will wear off ott without harm bann to either of them That girl is is' smart smart all right shell she'll 5 waste in an evening screaming for for moon And Kelly Neville Is is-is is is K Neville Neville-a Neville a dear fellow so utterly In the career of a brilliant I Intelligent young artist named I Neville that if it the entire earth up up hod hed begin a new canvas the after Not that I think hearted cold no not even selfish that little bounder Allaire say has ha's a man man who has never yet had hadI 1 to spare the m most st hopeless served Annan the Annan the men en who h b hI time to spare spar Because it takes take a. a a moment to say Hello old maIn ma in hell ar are you 7 It takes only oaly a a aI ment to put yourself mentally In Int inless j less lucky mans man's shoes and ly y and sorry and Interested Hes a pretty decent so sort Ogilvy Anyway that thata 1 1 child is safe sate enough in tem adoring Kelly Neville eville To be continued |