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Show j HOME!ki?,;;M i By of Alt Days 5 GEORGE AGNEW CHAMBERLAIN I 1 5 WJ Copyright by The Century Company " understand. Have yon ever sat In the j desert on a moonlit night and looked at the Sphinx? It holds you it holds yours eyes in a rice. You wonder why. I'll tell you. It knows. That's the way it was with Bodsky. He only towered knew understood. If that is nothing, Bodsky was nothing." They were silent. Presently Colllngeford Col-llngeford helped her out and together they passed through the rich foyer, the latticed palm room, and up the steps into the latest cry in dining rooms. A little table in the far corner had been reserved for them. As they crossed the crowded room a hush fell over the tables. : Some looked and were silent because Alls was beautiful and daintily dain-tily gowned and Colllngeford all that a man should be, but those who knew looked because Alix was Alix and Colllngeford Col-llngeford was Colllngeford. These soon fell to whispering, predicting a match. Alix bowed abstractedly here and there as she followed the head waiter to her seat. They sat down, each half facing the room. Alix caught her breath. "Whiffing "Whif-fing the old air?" asked Colllngeford. "No," answered Alix. "Only sighing. sigh-ing. I feel so out of it and that always al-ways makes one sigh whether one wants to be in it or not." Alix paused. "Go on," said Colllngeford. Colllnge-ford. "There are only a few men in the room, but almost all of these women have husbands. The husbands are in 1 two tenses past and future. There ' must be a present but it is nebulous. I didn't know before but I know now that in time these women will go back or forward to their husbands. Some day they will get dizzy and fall and the shock will wake them up." ' "You see, you understand, you arc ' prophetic," said Collingeford, smiling. "But I do not tower like your Bod- sky," said Alix and then bit her tongue at the slip. A shadow seemed to fall on them r The room's high, delicate paneling and ' the paiuted oval of the ceiling seemec to hover over a suddenly darkened emptiness. The hum and chatter ol 1 the throng became little and far away ' Colllngeford and Alix felt as thougl they sat alone and yet not alone. Col ' lingeford nodded as though Alix hac ' spoken. "Yes," he said, "Bodsky ha: 3 come back to us. Don't regret it. 1 don't know how it is with you but : 3 feel that we two are alone with bin 4 and that it's worth while. He's come e on us like a cloud. e "But I like clouds," he continued 1 "big black clouds. If it were not fo e them you couldn't see the lightning o 1 hear the thunder. They make light ning and thunder the arm and th e voice of the gods. "Bodsky was elemental. He was ai element. He could not produce but h could make fertile the lives of Iesse 3 men. I've sat at his feet ever sine the first time he spoke to me. I didn' know I was doing it but I can see 1 now. And the result it this: Bodsk, couldn't go home. But I can and I'r Y going home before I've seen the whol "1 world. Only only I wish I could tak you with me." "There, there," said Alix, playfullj but her eyes were soft. "We must g now or you will miss your ship." s As Alix and Collingeford left th dining room she said, "They weren all butterflies after all. I saw a ma ' and a woman." "Not really!" said Collingefori "Who?" "Alan Wayne and Dora Tennel." s At Alan's name Colllngeford's fac lit up with interest. "Ten Percei Wayne, eh? Yes, you're right. He a man. And Dora Tennel, ex-Lad Braeme. Yes, she's a woman too I a way." "Has she a tarnished reputation?' Collingeford stopped short in h stride and looked keenly at Alix. "1 A dear lady," he said, "that is a que li tion one does not put to a man. Ho I, ever, It doesn't embarrass me to a swer it in this case. She has uc What on earth put it into your head' "I don't know," said Alix. "Oh, y I do. I remember. Someone told n once that Alan surrounded hirnse ie with tarnished reputations." Each followed the train of his ow d- thoughts until they reached the pic re Alix did not get out of the cab. SI ist leaned from the window and sa ie, good-by. Collingeford held her hai Id and her eyes long, then he turni or away and hurried into the elevator, d. When Alix got home she sat don n- and wrote a note to Alan Just a Hi ke to tell him that she was ready ni in. wished to see him. He came the fc ho lowing afternoon. At first he was little awkward, straining Just the lea gh too much not to betray bis nervoi; ness. But the sight of Alix put hi ict at his ease.- She had become a tr ?d, woman true in the sense of honor by and she was tempered as steel, b lis soft with the softness of motherboci t's About her there was the peace of i iv- inner shrine. She drew him Into It u iv- hesitatingly and he suddenly felt u clean Just as he had felt unworthy ' I that other day when he had recoil an from Nance's loving arms around 1 23 neck. "You're not looking very well. Alai rd. said Alix when he was seated, of "No, I'm not on the top of the wa )d- just now," replied Alan. "Touch ad river fever. It's like memory a hn ke thing to shake." ?ut "I'm not trying to shake mine," S : a Alix calmly. "My memories have ma ra- me." nd "No wonder you don't quarrel w ig. them," said Alan in frank adml: nd Uon. "Alan, when are yon going to come back? Don't you ever tire of life as a variety show? Wouldn't you rather have one real steady star In life than a whole lot of tarnished tinsel ones?" Alan Jumped to his feet, stuck his hands in his coat pockets and started walking up and down the somber room. They were in the library. "A steady star," he repeated. "What a find that would be! I've raised many a star on my horizon, Alix, but the longer I look at 'em the more they twinkle back. It's easier to down conscience con-science than to down blood." "In the end," said Alix, "a man must down blood cr it downs him downs him irretrievably. Blood unchecked un-checked is Just common beast,"- "Do you think I don't know it?" flashed Alan. "Each day I find an old haunt denied to me. I am 111 at "You're Not Looking Very Well, Alan. ease. My world has left yours behind 1 There is a pale. Behind it lies Re ; Hill. Do you know I haven't been t the Hill for three years? Behind 1 lies Nance, the faithfullest, most trusl r ing foster-sister a waster ever hac r And now you. You lie behind it an " toy with my soul through the bars." e Alix sprang to her feet and lal strong, nervous hands on Alan's shou 1 ders. She shook him and turned hii e so that he faced the light Alan di r not laugh. There was Are in All: e eyes. "You little thing," she sal 4 tensely, "not to see that the bars ai ' down." T He turned under her hands and si Q let him go. He stood looking out ( e the window at the bare trees. All e watched him. "Alan, you cau come 1 the Hill tonight. They we are a ' going to be together here. It's Clem 0 birthday. If you can feel the pal that's enough for me. I want you i be with us." "Alix, believe me or not, it's b ) cause I feel the pale that I won't com ) If there's a ship sailing for the enc "" of the earth before night It shall can I me. This big city isn't big enough hold all the Hill and leave me roo ie to wander outside." ,t "Then why why " n "I'll tell you. The last time I sa J. Y., he said to me among oth j things, 'Yesterday Clem was crying b cause you had not come to the hous I try to think, Alan, that it is becau ,e Clem 13 there that you have not com. lt Well, there it is In a nutshell. I be; .g the mark of the beast. Do you thii I want Clem to see it?" u Alan's hands were locked behii him. He turned from the windo' . "Alix, 1 can't see Clem yet. She ls expecting me. I told her that the b( ter half of me would look her up a. soon as I got back. But what if som 7. body that doesn't know my better ho Q. at all should see me riding walkli lt with Clem? I can't risk that. Do yi j.l understand?" Js "But oh, Alan," said Alix. "If y je could only see Clem now. She's glo lf ous. Why it's three years three yea since you saw her. You used to thii me beautiful " "Used!" protested Alan, casting valuing glance at Alix' pale beauty, id "Well," conceded Alix, "you thii j me beautiful. Beside Clem with h ?(j heapB of brown hair and deep bl eyes, I am nothing. I am worse-am worse-am a doll. And she was born with ' strange wisdom and strength of t 1(j own. The world has never reach n ner will never reach her. She's ma a her own world and she's made It rig! t And yet the wisdom in ber deep ey Alan. She knows she knows it all and you know that she knows, on af faith sits enthroned." "Faith sits enthroned," repeat j Alan; "that's why I can't come (j night." He looked around for his t ln awl stick. "By the way," said Alix, "why J. and why Mrs. J. Y.? I've alwaj-s w on dered'" j "I don't know," said Alan. "I always wondered too, I suppose. F here's the Judge. He can tell you.' ! .. "Tell what?" asked the Judge as walked in and took Alix' outstretch Te hand. rd ; Considering his part delir. ; quenciee, do you believe that lid Alan Wayne has a moral right de I' even to hope for Clem's hand In '; marriage? Will this fine, clean ith girl look on Alan with favor? ra" j (TO BE CONTINUED.) SYNOPSIS. 8 Alan Wayne 1b sent away from Red 1 HIU. hl8 home, by his uncle. J. T.. as a moral failure. Clem runs after him in a tangle of short skirts to bid him good-by Cap tain Wayne tells Alan of the failing of the Waynes. Clem drinks Alan's health on Wa birthday. Judge Healey defends A an In his business with his employers. Alan and Alix, Gerry's wife, meet at sea, homward bound, and start a flirtation At hom& Gerry, as he thinks, sees Alix and Alan loplng. drops everything, and goes to Pernambueo. Alix leaves Alan on the train and goes home. Gerry leaves Pernambueo Per-nambueo and goes to Piranhas On a canoe trip he meets a native girl, ine judge falls to trace Gerry. A baby Is born to Alix. The native girl takes Gerry to the ruined plantation she is mis ress of. Gerry marries her. At Maple house Colllngeford Col-llngeford tells how he met Alan- len Per Cent Wayne'-bulldlng a bridge in Africa. Colllngeford meets Alix and ner fcaby and gives her encouragement about Gerry. Alan comes back to town but does not go home. He makes several calls In the city. Gerry begins to Improve Margarita's Mar-garita's plantation and builds an Irrigating Irrigat-ing ditch. In Africa Alan reads Clem s letters and dreams of home. Gerry pastures pas-tures Lleber's cattle during the drought. ?;'C'ST' $ TO YOU WOMEN JJ 2 Suppose your husband desert- j $ ed you because you played a J il rather dangerous prank on him ,4 danger of family dishonor? Sup- fej pose, after he had been gone Z two years, another man camo j along and laid his love at your 5j feet? Would you do right In en- JJ couraglng him 7 Should you J( M wait ionger for the husband 7 A 14 CHAPTER XVI Continued. Gerry still waited. It was terrible to wait. Then she called to him, "Geree! Geree!" He leaped up and pounded on the door but nobody tame. Yesterday they had all been servile to him; today he was nothing. Be shouted, "I am here! I shall always al-ways be here." She did not call again. He paced up and down the veranda saying to himself, "A little roll of blue ribbon a little roll of blue ribbon!" He stumbled on the saddle that Lieber had sent him. It held his eye. He picked up the bridle and ran down to the pasture. He caught the oldest and gentlest of the horses, opened a gap In the fence and led him out. Then he called Bonifacio. "Listen," he said "you must take the fattest of the steers--the red one with the blazed ace you must drive him Into towr nd sell him." The darky demurred. "It is too late for market, master." "It does not matter. You must d( s I say," said Gerry angrily. "Yoi must sell the steer. If you canno sell him you must give him for blu ribbon. Do you understand? Yot must bring back blue ribbon for you; -mistress. She says you must have i little roll of blue ribbon." Hours passed and Bonifacio re turned. He laid a little package ant some money beside his master. He un saddled the old horse and turned hin into the pasture; then he came back sat down at Gerry's feet and slept Gerry looked with wonder on his nod llng head. Then the door opened am Dona Maria came bustling out. "Com in," she cried; "thou art the father o a man child." Gerry went In and knelt beside th bed. Margarita looked at him am smiled faintly, proudly. He laid th little roll of blue ribbon in her wea: band. She turned her head slowl; and looked down. She saw the glin of blue and understood. She turne her eyes, swimming black pools In white, drawn fnce, to Gerry. To sac rlfice she added adoration. The calm which had settled on All: life puzzled her. She wondered if sh was beginning to miss Gerry less. Sh was still debating the point when Co lingeford arrived lu the city. Upo arrival he called on Mrs. J. Y. an then on Nance and then, of course, o Alix. As she came Into the room t felt a strange fluttering in his throa It stopped his words of greeting. H stuttered and stared. He had neve felt so glad at the sight of auy one. "What arc you looking so dismayc about?" cried Alix with a smile an 'holding out her band. "Has a shoi year changed me so much? Am I e thin or so fat?" Colllngeford recovered himself. "Ne ther too thin nor too fat. It is pe fectlou, not imperfection, that di mays a man. You call lt a short year' lie added gravely. "It's been au ete jilty not a year!" Hut Alix was not to be diverte from her tone of badinage. She lookt him over critically. "Well," she sal "I congratulate you. I didu't know- b fore that brouze could bronze. Wh a lot of health you carry about wl you." Ollingeford smiled. "Clem said looked as though I had been living ( babies." They sat and stared at each oth Each found the other good to look u ,,!!. Seen alone. Colllngeford's ta tense figure or the fragile quality Allx' pale beauty, would have seemed hard to match. Seen together, they were wonderfully in tone. Alix grew grave under inspection, Collingsford nervous. "There is no news?" he asked. "None," said Alix and a far-away look came Into her eyes as if her mind were off, thousands of miles, intent on a search of Its own. Collingeford broke the sp-11. He Jumped up and said he had come for just one thing to take her out for a walk. It was one of those nippy early ear-ly winter afternoons cut out to fit a walk. Alix must put on her things. She did and together they walked the long length of the avenue and out into the park. By that time they had decided It was quite a warm afternoon after all almost al-most warm enough to sit down. They tried it. Colllngeford sat half turned on the bench and devoured Alix with his eyes. And Just as he was going to say a word Alls gave him a full, measuring meas-uring look and said, almost hastily, "It is too cold, after all. Quite chilly. It was our walking so fast deceived us." She rose and started tentatively toward to-ward the gate. "Come on, Honorable Percy," she said playfully. Colllngeford caught up with her and i said moodily, "If you call me Honor- able Percy again I shall dub you Hon-i Hon-i est Alix." ! ' They were walking down the ave-I ave-I nue. "Honest Alix isn't half bad," he continued thoughtfully. "The race has got into the habit of yoking the word honest to our attitude toward other people's pennies but it's a good old word that stands for trustworthy, sincere, truthful and all tie other adjectives ad-jectives that fit straight riding." "Speaking of riding, Mr. Colllngeford, Colllnge-ford, you're riding for a fall." Alix glanced at him meaningly. "How did you know?" he stammered , and then went on rather sullenly, "Anyway, you're wrong. I'm not. But , I was just going to." He prodded vi-, vi-, ciously at the cracks in the pavement , with his stick. ; "Don't," snid Alix. "Don't do that, i I mean. You'll break your stick and ! it's the one I like." Collingeford turned a flushed face '. to her. "Look here, Alix," he said, I "you are houest and sincere and all ! those things I said. Don't let's hedge not just now. If your bad luck . doesn't let up if you learn anything anything you don't want to know 1 , can't sny if right out would you , d'you think you ever would " t Alix did not smile. He was toe , much in earnest and she liked him toe much was too much at one with hin: r not to . feel what he was golns a through. "I like your Honest Alix,' she said, after a pause, "and I'm go ing to let her do the talking for a mo j ment. If I learned absolutely that that Gerry can never come back to me there is no man that I would turn t( quicker than to you." Collingefort '.' gave her a grateful look and the flusl " under his tan deepened. "Don't mis j understand me," she went on "I liki e you a whole lot, but I have neve: t thought of marrying nnyone but Ger ry. I'd like to marry Gerry. I've nev e er married him yet. Not really." a They walked on for some time in si e lence. Colllngeford's thoughts hai k raced away southwards and Alix t followed them unerringly. "Don' lt make one horrible mistake, Percy, d she said when she was sure. "Don' a imagine that I could ever love th .. bearer of ill tidings." Collingeford flushed, this time wit! shnme. "No, of course not," he stam mered. "You see or enn't you see?" sh went on, "that all this new life o i mine I've hung on to a single hook o I faith. I could not break out from thi J probation for any other man. I d not mean that a woman can love bu c' once not necessarily. But I do thin e that one's life must spring from a ne e chrysalis to meet a new love fnlrlj 1- Second ioves at first sight have a tan n of the bargain counter and the read d made. Love is not a chance tenan n He must build or grow into a nei home." t. They walked on In a full silenci e Colllngeford's shoulders drooped. Fc ?r the first time in his life he felt oh "You are right you are always right, d he said at last. "I shall go away-d away-d somewhere where It's easy to sweat, rt "Somewhere where it's easy t o sweat!" exclaimed Alix. "What a uglv thought." 'I- "It's only Bodsky." said Colllngefor r- remlnlseently. "Bodsky says you ca s- drown any woman's memory In swea r Good old Bod! I wonder where I shn r- find Llm." "Oh," said Alix. "if it's Bodsky': 'd one musn't' quarrel with' it simply b' 'd cause lt is ugly. But" d, "But what?" said Collingeford. e- "I was going to say. 'Hut what nake at language'.' Teriiaps It is one of thos th truths one shrinks from because starts in by slapping one's face. An; 1 way. even If it is n truth, it's horrl m It hurts a woman to be forgotten." Collinirefonl smiled. "Just so," 1 r. said and stopped before au up-tow P- ticket agency. "Do you mind?" 1 II, asked, with n wave of his hand. The of went in and he bought a passage f England. He was to sail the following afternoon. He looked so glum over it that Alix consented to lunch with him and see him off. He came for her the next day a little lit-tle late but, when she saw his face, she felt a shock and forgot to chide him. Her eyes mirrored the trouble in his but somehow she felt that it was not the parting from her that had turned him pale in a night. He helped ber into the waiting cab and then sank back into his corner. Alix laid her gloved hand on his knee. "What is it?" she asked. Colllngeford's face twitched. He fixed his eyes through the cab window on nothing. "Bodsky," he said, "is dead. He has been dead for months." "Oh," cried Alix, "I'm sorry. I'm sorry for you." She did not try to say any more. She had put all hei heart Into those few words. Colllngeford drew out his pocket-book pocket-book and took from it a soiled sheel of paper a leaf torn from a field notebook. note-book. He held it out to her with trem bling hand. "I wouldn't show it tc anyone else. Trouble has made yot great-hearted. Read lt." Alix puzzled over the slip of paper "What's the name of the place? 1 can't make it out." "It's a little hole on the borders o: Thibet. That paper's been handec along for five months. The envelopi it came in was in tatters." "Dear Old Pal," read Alix, "Do yot remember what I used to tell you When a man has seen all the world hi must go home or die. When we las parted I had three places left to see but they haven't lasted me as long a: I thought they would. I have sent yoi my battery. The bores are a bit to: big for the new powder and you can' use the guns, I know, but you'll hav a home, old man, and you can giv them a place in a rack. They wll make a little room as wide as th ends of the earth. I didn't kill her. ' made her kill herself. Bodsky." Alix was puzzled again but then sh remembered. "So he didn't kill hei after all," she said. "Kill her! Kill what?" said Co lingeford. "Oh, yes. I remember. A if that mattered." "It matters. It does matter," crie Alix, outraged. : "Forgive me," said Colllngeford. " : had forgotten that you never knei I TvtT.cA s Gerry Went InTand Knelt Beside tl Bed. k Bodsky. You said yesterday that Bo v 6ky used naked language. You we '. right. Bodsky undressed things. Ju g as some people see red and some bli y Bodsky saw things naked. He cou t, look through a black robe of rum v spangled with lies and see truth nake He was naked himself naked and u ashamed. It's hard for me to ma ir you see because you did not know hi: 1. Bodsky was one of those men w " could have accomplished anything - only he didn't. He sifted life throu " a big mesh. All the nonessentials o the trivialities fell through. An (i n with Bodsky was a volition, measure welgheel, and then hurled. That's w d If you knew him you knew that in 1 n hands a crime was not a crime. Tha t. why I know that he is dead. He ne II er used n stale cartridge his gun ne er missed fire." s, Alix mused. "I can't see him-?- can't quite see him. A man who c accomplish anything and doesn't seei wrong a waste." cl "You don't see." said Collingefo :e "because you are facing my point it view. You must turn around. B( r- sky used to say that all humanity h il. a soul, but it took a tragedy to ma a man. Ilis tragedy was that life ie him out from the herd. He wasn't n creator, he was a creation. Gene ie tions, laces, eons, created Bodsky a y left him standing like a scarred er: )t lie had but one mission to see a |
