The Root of Evil

's gold the more hideous and hopeless it became. He cursed her in one breath, and w

of Broadway still glowed in the sky and dimmed the glory of the moon. The roar of the elevated trains sounded unusually loud and sinister. Perhaps because Bivens was on their board of directors. The whistle of their air brakes seemed to hiss his name. A crowd of revellers passed i

d out the window, startled by t

ers near the Sixth Avenue entrance. The sun was rising. It was the first sunrise he had ever seen in New York. The effect on his imagination was startling. The red rays streaming through the park and the chirp of birds in the bu

nything save the ache within, found himself again in his room. He disarranged his bed that his sleepless night mi

g again, and the soft tones of her voice were healing. He walked gently to th

f joy in her work caressing each note. The thrill of hope and faith in her voice

d sideways in a coquettish little triumphant movement,

, Miss Harriet-I li

r? Oh, I'm so gla

light, and played out the little di

t lau

blushing scarlet, rushed to

e, Jim? Was I

ueens, little girl. You sing as the birds, because it's in your soul. And I want to thank y

be very happy

little pal

from the steps. He walked with new vig

nlight. This morning the touch of her hand and the thrill of her voice had brought h

urd hour to call, but all the better. The more absurd, the deeper impression he would make and the more certain would be his success.

misjudged her? Could it be possible that her professions of love and admiration had been genuine? His hunger for sympathy wa

s hand warmly

away so long? It was so foolish of you. You gave up w

e earnestness into the mother's face. It was only for an ins

unless her heart went with them-that her love for you wa

ned away under Stuart's gaze, he knew tha

her up yet, Mrs. Prim

re worth a dozen such men, no matter how many millions he had. You have always been my choice-

rose and faced Mrs. Primrose with a look wh

e in my life I am going

s do Jim," she

ith you. To-day I won't play. I'm too hurt, angry, wounded, sore. You have alwa

yes blazed wit

glad I did it-you

her mind against me and corrupting her im

ging her to her senses in time to save her fr

dear, we understa

are call me

e. You know that I'm worth a dozen such fellows as the litt

are yo

t told me. I'm only

the room. Her face was set for battle in a proud defiant smile.

both her hands in a grip of fierce tenderne

going to fight-fight for my own-for you are mine-mine by

loved like that by a strong masterful man. One of the things that had stung her pride deepest during the past weeks was the thought

lowly, "I've nothing to do but

ly. "How could I dream that you woul

speak, and he r

note unopened, but I watched and waited every hour of every day for a word. The news of your engagement to Bivens came as a bo

t are yo

e. It's worth a day-you promised me one in the country b

ted a mome

es

magnificent sweep of water below the Narrows. Nan had scarcely spoken on the

car, "I want to show you a model home a friend of mine has

narrow path of a single flagstone pavement to the

e, half hidden in the h

ovely lit

ers, on a sign from Stuart hastened u

an. Every ship entering or leaving the harbour of New York

anda of the second floor, she was in a flutter o

t look at those dear little terraces which lead down to the boathouse-on one of them a strawberry bed, on the other a garden,

't it wonderful?" he asked soberly-"the hills and sea wit

"I've never seen anything mor

her dark eyes with

yours,

in

father gave me with every dollar I could save. It's paid for and here's the key. I meant to ask you out here to fix

t the man who watched might not know. Her lips quivered for j

light banter in her tones that c

n't see how I could have resisted it-but now"-sh

"It's never too late to do right. You know

I love luxury, too. I never knew how deeply and passionately before-" she paused a mo

answered i

shine, to succeed, and dazzle, and reign. Every ambitious man has this desire. Why shouldn't I? You say I have rare beauty. Well, I wish to express myself. It's a question of common sense. Marriage is my only career. This man's conquest was so ea

ld yoursel

can't realize how much the power of millions means to a woman who chafes at the limitations the world

on't say

alls mingled with the laughter of throngs who love and admire me. Its banquet tables are laden with the costliest delicacies, while liveried servants hurry to and fro wi

he breast of a cruel, merciless half-savage p

nly grasp

re you

rpreting y

to me. It's bad enough, God knows, when I

at a girl who can deliberately kill the soul of the man wh

such things! I'll never forget them! I can't help it-

arm with fierce

me we shall be rich whether we seek it or not. But the sweetest days of all life will be those in which we fight side by side the first battles of life in youth and poverty when we shall count the pennies and save with care for the little ones God may send us! With your sweet f

in town, another by the sea, a great castle in the heart of the blue southern mountain

hese trappings

ant

o. It's commonplace, vulgar, and contemptible. If you wish for power why choose the lowest of all its forms? The way you are entering is worn bare by the feet of millions of forgotten fools wh

hat money is the sign of success and powe

e you let this brood of black-winged bats build their nest in

r hand with a gest

nd mine a vulgar avarice? If you make a mistake in your career, you can correct it and begin aga

entance can undo. You are choosing to commit the

t, pray,

ing it to be evil. Your heart is min

it fiercely, and looked into her

ooked

t a million, but I own this great city. This mighty harbour is mine. That's why I built our little home nest here on the hill overlooking it. It's all mine-these miles of shining ocean sands, the sea, and these landlocked waters. The great city that stretches northward, its miles o

passionate appeal, and her rebellion ceased for the mome

merely express the labour of an ancestor, the mind of an architect or the genius of a manager, we are only intruders on the scene, not the creator and therefore the possessor of the beauty we aim at. A home, a dress, are symbols, or nothing but goods and chattels. I have seen you wear dresses made by your own hand that revealed a whole co

appeal her fingers instinctively tightened on the hand which h

have a little sloop with a cabin for two. She cost me fifteen hundred dollars and I own her, because I dreamed every rib in her body, every rivet, every line of her graceful form.

in it with infinite tenderness and infinite pains. It is not a palace in size, but it is a palace, glorious and wonderful, in a deeper spiritual sense, because it is a poem. Every spar of wood in it is perfect of its kind. Every stone in it is a gem because it is the right thing in the right place. There isn't a shoddy bit of material or a sl

tion, and he knew by the quick rising and fallin

advantage he drew

its little surprise-a nook, a turn, a window opening unexpectedly on its entrancing view. The ornaments on its walls will grow as we grow-pictures we shall find and always love, and tapestries your own dear ha

se and spoke in a

d to place your piano. There will be no music on earth like the songs those throbbing strings shall make to my soul when they quiver beneath the touch of your hand. Here on this seat I shall lie by the window, looking out over

shoulder, the great dark eyes blinded with tears. For a moment he held her in silence brok

dearest-but one great love comes to any human soul

rl cried in anguish, "do

ou know you cannot leave me now. You know that yo

to marry him! I can't help it. The spell of h

st made no impression on his mind. He conti

aching the imaginary girl who betrayed her love for mone

drew herself from his embrace

ble thing I can say about myself is that, deeply as I love you, I know I shall be c

dazed way as if unable to g

at last, "you

d

s to men they could not love, for money, rank and luxury. But you are not of that breed, Nan. You are not weak, you

burning in the hearts of men the great faiths of the soul. Respect for this woman has been one of the foundations of our moral life. In the worship I have paid you, there has been more than the charm of se

e worst. And still

r judge, no pealing of organ, or pomp or pageantry can make this thing a mar

her figure with a

y i

ow seat and buried his face in his hands

looked at the girl he

when I took into your beautiful fa

smiled a cruel

hard blows. You come of fighting st

and loyalty we gave to each o

informal. The world

, and our young souls

t's fate; the big world, I somehow feel I

it until a real man goes with it? It wouldn't be so bad if I felt you had chosen

ility. You may hate him-b

p your beautiful body is a religion. Bivens is physically everything you despise. His teeth are yellow with nicotine, and his lips cracked and stained with tobacco. With every quivering fibre of your delicate and sensitive being you

eart for his suffering, "I don't think I have, and it's bet

heap. If you were on the block for sale I'd give a million for each dimple in your cheek. That pile of glorious black hair is worth a million-I'd give it without haggling at the price! Come, l

d sank into a sob as she placed h

et you go on like this and say anything you pleased because I'm

know, fo

om the place, closed the little ga

y stood in silence a moment

bye. Your love has been a sweet

it aside as a

iling. "It shall be m

lips to his i

sed on his retreating figure, and Nan sank among the