Poppy

sed of the thousand tiny sounds and scents that make the charm and wonder of an African night. The moon-flowers were tolling their hea

een, clinging plant, waving long tendrils, clutched at her gown as she passed, and she broke it off, and, twining it into a crown, put it on her hair.

Natal, and through the thin nainsook of her gown Poppy could feel the warmth still in the earth. She stared into the solemn velvet sky where Orion, in gleaming belt and sword, leaned above her, and the Milky Way

om. You are the only mother I have ever known.... Whatsoever you give unto me, I will take and say it is good. I feel predestined to-night.... If I lay my ear to you, will I hear the foot-falls of my fate approaching?... What is there for me? Fame

ht he saw a slim beam of moonlight lying there, and gave a startled exc

o himself. "I'll swear I saw.... A

that he saw a moonbeam, shaped graciously like a woman's face, looking back at

e a bad attack when I see moonb

bushes seemed to him to give

loud. "I must go behind these bushes an

oonbeam disappe

e a good idea to light a cigar and let her see my guileless features.... I think I'll sit down too ... it's odd how queer I feel!" He sat down in the grass among the fallen stars, a tall, powerful figure in a light-grey lounge suit, and taking out a cigar he carefully lighted it, making as long a process of the lighting as possible. Then he threw away the remains of the match and looked up at the bushes, but his dazzled eyes could see no wedge of moonlight in the Egyptian darkness. It was there, however. And by the time the match had burnt his fingers, Poppy had been able t

lding his cigar between his kn

ws no wane," he gently misquo

leaves before the wind. No woman

n my garden?" she said in

eins thrill

if you tell me to, but I'd much rather sit here and listen to your vo

?" asked Poppy. "Is

of which one translation r

must be

h if this were my garden, it sh

peak coldly; "nearly as oddly as old Khayyam

the night which affects me in spite of myself. You suspect some more occult reason, I see, but I can assure y

nce pr

o come and sit near me on the grass. I would like to look at you close

ver been i

n my own land. The women t

ne of beauty

magic l

music on

weet voi

ds, and a little shiver of happiness flew through her. She hoped he

eland and I'll believe you wit

as born

sappointment in it; he added: "I wish you were mad

you wi

by me on the grass and talk to me. I

y, "Il n'est jamais de

elirious," he muttered to himself. "I suppose you h

to laugh. Her laugh was rather like the first note of a

sh, sin

st really be a

only be a li

am-I of

patch of lesser darkness that smells passing

ome over there

strangest, wildest urging to come at his call. She wondered

ld you wa

re that the world is still going round, and that I am still in it. All I can see is a faint wedge-shaped gleam of white, crowned with

; it

s long cameos of

are in

rissima ... come an

could throw the thrush's note into her voice, and quote Voltaire, and daintily but cynically suggest that he was drunk, was no simple maid to be beguiled by the tongue. This was a woman who knew her world and all the

rkness he descried her white gown, and down each shoulder of it a long, long rope of blackness. The thought of a woman's hair had always some sorcery for him. He could never look at beautiful hair, even

e earth beside him. He could hear her breathing. A perfumed warmth came out of her and stole to him. He desired greatly that she should speak; but she did not; only sat there giving out perfume and weaving God knew what Ephesian spells to bind him. At about this time it seemed to

low, and jarred like a fine in

you! Tell me

touch. In that moment his heart and his purpose changed. At the greatest of all games he was no novice; but he had always played honestly as far as in him lay. It was his principle not to gamble unless the chances were equal for both players. As if they ev

ose ensnaring plaits of hair ... was not conducive to coolness and sanity. It should be written down to him that he m

ma," he said softly. "Tell me that you are

strange he was! Was it possible that he was mad? Was it at the bidding of a madman that the little cold stone

and clearly. "I am only a girl of eighteen ...

which might ha

good girl!... gates and girls! ... gates!..." Suddenly he leaned closer to her and peered into her face, strivin

n Africa," said she, smiling subtly

andragora.'... Poppies give sleep ... I believe that is what I want ... I am a sick man .

et me go to the house and get you some

go." He sprang up and stood at his full height above her. She, too, ro

.. be good.... Girls should always be goo

rough the darkness, and leaving her standing there on the gras

again ... I wish to die! I wish to die!... Does he love some other woman?... Oh, I cannot live any longer ... he despises me because

, and hurt her feet on stones and thorns, and presently, as she ran, she stumbled and fell over something or someone lying prone on the grass. In horror and fear she sprang away, but th

breathing reassured her; peering into his face she could see that his eyes were closed. She considered swiftly what thing she could do that would be best, presently resolving to run to the house and get brandy and restore him; and quinine, too, as he had asked for it-sh

breathing changed to that of a conscious, wakened man. In a moment he had dragged himself up into a sitting pose, with the tree-trunk a

oyously. "I am going to fetch you some restora

slewed his head round suddenly and his mouth was hard on hers, dragging terrible kisses from it-kisses that shook her through and

n, and kissed her again; then took her hair in his hand and wound it round his throat, hold

t, and pet, by God! it breathes of Heaven, too!... I think it is a flower that grows upon the eternal hills ... those strange red flowers.... Ah! poppies smell so, I thi

"Speak to me in the voice I love!... O! Ci risuoniamo in cristallo ... wine in a crystal beake

t," she said, "I would put it into these t

take it!... I will rob

.. I was born for thi

at them, drenched them, kissed them, crushed them to its breast; lapped them

never forget this night. There has never been a nig

ove you!" her vo

ew you were mine. I saw it in your eyes ... but always you denied me even the touch of your hand ... and I ne

e lay like one dead against the wild, loud-beating heart under t

ers touched the fabric of her gown,

slipped back to girlhood for love of me. God forgive me my s

bush and tore her hands and gown, but she felt no pain nor the warm blood running down. She only stopped at last because she found herself in the street with a ricksh

ill. Come and help him to your rick

nded the boy. "I go no more on t

give the boy his address, the safest thing would be to send him to the Club, where he ha

and nodded sagaciously; Ker-

s and over the soft, dark lawns to the tree where the

you had better let him help yo

p like a well man, but his

right in the morning. Good-night!" He went away muttering,

he long hill. Then she broke into dry sobbing, clutching at her throat with b

o-night!... but first I wi