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Alexina got up and carried her tears to her own room. It spoke her infantile capacity to discriminate that she bore away no resentment; there are things that the Aunt Harriets with the best wills in the world need not be expected to understand.
Alexina was driving her little car up the avenue at Rincona on the following morning when she saw Joan running toward her through the park and signaling to her to stop. "What is it?" she asked in some alarm as Joan arrived panting. "Any one ill?" "Not so's you'd notice it. Leave your car here and come with me. Sneak after me quietly and don't say a word."
Democracy! Oh, God!" He caught up his cap and rushed out of the room, Alexina ran after him and caught him at the garden door. But she felt only pity for Kirkpatrick. She had intended merely to insist upon shaking hands with him, but when she saw his contorted face she slipped her arm round his neck and kissed him warmly on the cheek. Then she pushed him gently through the door and locked it.
Alexina would listen to no remonstrance. Gora might send her trunks to Geary Street if she liked, but she must come home to Ballinger House and spend at least one night with her brother and sister, who had missed her quite dreadfully.
Few are the years in which one of these "rain-makers" does not perish, unless he is crafty enough to effect his escape before his deception is discovered. From Gondokoro Alexina Tinné returned to Khartûm, where the European community received her with applause. Her restless and adventurous spirit, however, could not long endure the burden of inaction.
Gathering her in fiercely, presently the sobs grew quieter. Later she wiped her eyes upon her child and, kissing her tenderly, put her down and went over to King William's; the time was short and she could have Sally Ann afterward. The next day the cottage was closed and the shutters made fast. Alexina felt lonesome even to look over there, and Sally Anns are but silent comforters.
"It never fades," they said; "the Turk renews it constantly in the blood of the poor black man." They learned to distinguish, however, between the slave-dealer's boats and Alexina Tinné's steamer. Twice or thrice they boarded the latter; at first very timidly, but afterwards with courage. "Is the young lady in command," they said, "the Sultan's sister? Comes she to assist or to persecute us?"
Alexina had fascinated him against his best class principles; but he not only jumped at the chance of meeting her again, he was excessively curious to understand a woman of her class, to watch her in different moods and situations.
But Harriet already had reached the stairs going for the wrap herself. Alexina followed her. "What is it, Aunt Harriet?" she begged. "Where are you going?" Harriet answered back from her own doorway. "To the infirmary." Action is the one thing always understood by youth. Alexina entirely approved. "I'll go, too," she said, and ran into her room to change her wrap for a darker one.
Alexina gave a little gasp as Gora finished. "Many people won't like that story," she said. "It shocks and jars and gives one's smugness a pain in the middle. But those that do like it will give you a great reputation, and after all there are a few thousand intelligent readers in the United States. How on earth did that magazine come to accept it?"
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