The Forbidden Way. Gibbs George

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СКАЧАТЬ them to get up in the world, they'll seek their own level in the end."

      "No, I can't stay here." She repeated the phrase mechanically, her gaze afar.

      "I've watched you, Camilla. I know. For all your warm blood, you're no hardy plant to be nourished in a soil like this. You need environment, culture, the sun of flattery, of wealth – without them you'll wither – "

      "And die. Yes, I will. I could not stand this much longer. Perhaps it would be better to die than to become the dull, sodden things these women are."

      "Listen, Camilla," he said madly. He put his arms around her, his pulses leaping at the contact of her body. Her figure drooped away from him, but he felt the pressure of her warm fingers in his, and saw the veins throbbing at her throat and temples, and he knew that at last she was awakened. "You must come with me to the East. I won't go without you. I want you. I want to see you among people of your own sort. I'll be good to you – so gentle, so kind that you'll soon forget that there ever was such a place as this."

      His tenderness overpowered her, and she felt herself yielding to the warmth of his entreaty. "Do you really need me so much?" she asked brokenly.

      His reply was to draw her closer to him and to raise her lips to his. But she turned her head and would not let him kiss her. Perhaps through her mind passed the memory of that other kiss only yesterday.

      "No, I'm afraid."

      "Of me? Why?"

      "Of myself. Life is so terrible – so full of meaning. I'm afraid – yes, afraid of you, too. Somewhere deep in me I have a conscience. To-day you appeal to me. You have put things so clearly – things I have thought but have never dared speak of. To-day you seem to be the only solution of my troubles – "

      "Let me solve them then."

      "Wait. To-day you almost seem to be the only man in the world – almost, but not quite. I'm not sure of you – nor sure of myself. You point a way to freedom from this – perhaps a worse slavery would await me there. Suppose I married you – "

      "Don't marry me then," he broke in wildly. "What is marriage? A word for a social obligation which no one denies. But why insist on it? The real obligation is a moral one and needs no rites to make it binding. I love you. What does it matter whether – "

      His meaning dawned on her slowly, and she turned in his arms, her eyes widening with bewilderment as she looked as though fascinated by the horror she read in his words. He felt her body straighten in his arms and saw that the blood had gone from her face.

      "Do I startle you? Don't look so strangely. You are the only woman in the world. I am mad about you. You know that? Can't you see? Look up at me, Camilla. There's a girl in the East they want me to marry – of an old line with money – but I swear I'll never marry her. Never!"

      Slowly she disengaged his arms and put the chair between them. There was even a smile on her lips. "You mean – that I – that you – " She paused, uncertain of her words.

      "That I'll stick to you until Kingdom Come," he assented.

      Her laugh echoed harshly in the bare room. "Whether you marry the other girl or not?"

      "I'll never marry the other girl," he said savagely, "never see her again if you say so – "

      He took a step toward her, but she held up her hand as though warding off a blow.

      "One moment," she said, a calm taking the place of her forced gayety, her voice ringing with a deep note of scorn. "I didn't understand at first. Back here in the valley we're a little dull. We learn to speak well or ill as we think. At least, we learn to be honest with ourselves, and we try to be honest with others. We do not speak fair words and lie in our hearts. Our men have a rougher bark than yours, but they're sound and strong inside." She drew herself to her full height. "A woman is safe in this country – with the men of this country, Mr. Bent. It is only when – "

      "Camilla! Forgive me. I was only trying you. I will do whatever you say – I – "

      She walked to the door rapidly, then paused uncertainly, leaning against the door-jamb and looking down the street.

      "Will you go?" she murmured.

      "I can't – not yet."

      "You must – at once. Jeff Wray is coming here – now!"

      "What have I to do with him?"

      "Nothing – only if he guesses what you've been saying to me, I won't answer for him. That's all."

      Bent looked up with a quick smile, and then sat on the nearest desk. "I suppose I ought to be frightened. What? Jeff is a kind of a 'bad man,' isn't he? But I can't go now, Camilla. Wouldn't be the sporting thing, you know. I think I'll stay. Do you mind if I smoke?"

      She watched the approaching figure of Jeff for a moment irresolutely and then turned indoors. "Of course, I can't make you go," she said, "but I have always understood that when a woman expressed a wish to be alone, it was the custom of gentlemen – "

      "You made my going impossible," he said coolly. "Don't forget that. I'll go after a while, but I won't run. You've got something to tell Jeff Wray. I prefer to be here when you do it."

      "I didn't say I'd tell him," she put in quickly. "I'm not going to tell him. Now will you go?"

      "No."

      He sat on a desk, swinging one long leg to and fro and looking out of the open door, at which the figure of Jeff presently appeared. The newcomer took off his hat and shuffled in uneasily, but his wide stare and a nod to Bent showed neither surprise nor ill-humor. Indeed, his expression gave every sign of unusual content. He spoke to Bent, then gazed dubiously toward the teacher's desk, where Camilla, apparently absorbed in her letter, looked up with a fine air of abstraction, nodded, and then went on with her writing.

      "Looks sort of coolish around here," said Jeff. "Hope I haven't butted into an Experience Meeting or anything." He laughed, but Bent only examined the ash of his cigarette and smiled. "I thought, Camilla," he went on, "maybe you'd like to take a ride – "

      Miss Irwin looked up. She knew every modulation of Jeff's voice. His tone was quiet – as it had been yesterday – but in it was the same note of command – or was it triumph? She glanced at Cortland Bent.

      "I'm not riding to-day," she said quietly.

      "Not with Bent, either? That's funny. What will people think around here? We've sort of got used to the idea of seeing you two out together – kind of part of the afternoon scenery, so to speak. Nothing wrong, is there?"

      Bent flushed with anger, and Camilla marveled at this new manifestation of Jeff's instinct. It almost seemed as though he knew what had happened between them as well as though she had told him. Jeff laughed softly and looked from one to the other with his mildest stare, as though delighted at the discovery.

      Miss Irwin rose and put her letter in the drawer of the desk. "I wish you'd go – both of you," she said quietly. But Wray had made himself comfortable in a chair and showed no disposition to move.

      "I thought you might like to ride out to the 'Lone Tree,'" he said. "You know Mr. Bent has leased it to me?"

      "Yes, he told me."

      "What else did he tell you?"

      "Oh, СКАЧАТЬ