Shiela

“ That he died full of fight was sufficiently evident: the battered body of an exceptionally large young wolf lay on the ground beside his own.
Shiela sniffed at the carcass of this creature, then moved away unconcernedly, circling for another scent; but the hide caught O’Donnell’s gaze and held it. The coat was of a peculiar tawny hue, running in spots to red. There was something in the lines of the body and legs that struck a reminiscent chord in his memory. He glanced from it to Shiela, turning the body over with his foot. ”

“ The quick, bright anger warned him from her eyes. But she said quietly: "You know that is utterly impossible."
"Is it impossible. Shiela?"
"Absolutely. And a trifle offensive."
He said pleasantly: "I was afraid so, but I wanted to be sure. I did not mean to offend you. People change and mature in two years.... I suppose you are as angrily impatient of sentiment in a man as you were then."
"I cannot endure it—"
Her voice died out and she blushed furiously as the memory of Hamil flashed in her mind.
"Shiela," he said quietly, "now and then there's a streak of misguided decency in me. ”

“ Hamil? I am, horribly. We're inviting all kinds of disaster—but isn't it delicious! Look at that whitish light above the trees. When the moon outlines the roosting-tree we'll know whether our labour is lost. But I wouldn't have missed it for all the mallard on Ruffle Lake. Would you? Are you contented?"
"Where you are is contentment, Shiela."
"How nice of you! But there is always that sweet, old-fashioned, boyish streak in you which shows true colour when I test you. Do you know, at times, you seem absurdly young to me." ”

“ Everybody had risen from necessity; chairs were pushed back, skirts drawn aside as the heavy table, staggering, lurching, moved out across the floor; and they all followed, striving to keep their finger-tips on the top.
Portlaw was speechless; Shiela pale, tremulous, bewildered; Tressilvain's beady eyes shone like the eyes of a surprised rat; but his wife and Malcourt took it calmly.
"The game is," said Malcourt, "to ask whether there is a spirit present, and then recite the alphabet. Shall I?... It isn't frightening you, is it, Shiela?" ”

“ He laughed. "Some of them were absurd, Shiela; the most abominably grotesque creatures came swarming and crowding around the bed—faces without bodies—creatures that grew while I looked at them, swelling to gigantic proportions—Oh, it was a merry carnival—"
Neither spoke. Her back was toward him as she knelt there very much occupied with her straying seedlings in the cool shade of the wall. ”

“ Hamil tucked her into her chair, the darky pedalled off; then the young man returned to the terrace where presently a table for two was brought and luncheon announced as Shiela Cardross appeared.
Hamil displayed the healthy and undiscriminating appetite of a man who is too busy mentally and physically to notice what he eats and drinks; Shiela touched nothing except fruit. She lighted his cigarette for him before the coffee, and took one herself, turning it thoughtfully over and over between her delicately shaped fingers ”

“ Yes—forearm you, Garry. Shiela Cardross is a rather bewildering beauty. She is French convent-bred, clever and cultivated and extremely talented. Besides that she has every fashionable grace and accomplishment at the ends of her pretty fingers—and she has a way with her—a way of looking at you—which is pure murder to the average man. And beside that she is very simple and sweet to everybody. As an assassin of hearts she's equipped to slay yours, Garry. ”

“ Malcourt bent forward saying something to her, but she rose while he was speaking, as though she had not heard him; and Hamil walked through the circle to where she stood. A number of very young men looked around at him with hostile eyes; Malcourt's brows lifted a trifle; then he shot an ironical glance at Shiela and, as the circle about her disintegrated, sauntered up, bland, debonair, to accept his congé. ”

“ Gray, still serious, said: "Unless we are outside of the danger zone I think father ought to teach me something about business."
"If we blow up," observed Cecile, "I'll do clever monologues and support everybody. I'd like that. And Shiela already writes poetry—"
"Nonsense!" said Shiela, very pink.
"Shiela! You do!"
"I did in school—" turning pinker under Hamil's tormenting gaze. ”

“ Shiela, then, must atone. With all the dogs of Deadeye to help, she should hunt these bold ravagers. Hers was the crime; hers must be the expiation, even at the cost of life.
“Well, old girl,” he said, as he ambled away from headquarters three days later, with Shiela beside him, “here’s your one chance to wipe out your little slip. A lot of us humans don’t get that, my lady. ”

“ Miss Clay, just released from duty, met them at the door.
"There is nothing to say," she said; "of course every hour he holds out is an hour gained. The weather is more favourable. Miss Race will show you the chart."
As Shiela entered the house the ominous sounds from above struck her like a blow; she caught her breath and stood perfectly still, one hand pressing her breast.
"That is not as bad as it has been," whispered Constance, and noiselessly mounted the stairs. ”

“ In February Constance Palliser wrote Hamil from Palm Beach:
"It is too beautiful here and you must come.
"As for Shiela, I do not even pretend to understand her. I see her every day; to-day I lunched with Mrs. Cardross, and Shiela was there, apparently perfectly well and entirely her former lovely self. Yet she has never yet spoken of you to me; and, I learn from Mrs. Cardross, never to anybody as far as she knows.
"She seems to be in splendid health; I have seen her swimming, galloping, playing tennis madly. The usual swarm of devoted youth and smitten middle-age is in attendance. ”

“ Down will come petticoat, Cissy, and all!"
"O Garry, how can you!"
"Because you've been too gay lately; you're marked for discipline, young lady!"
"Who told you? Shiela?—and it was my newest, dearest, duck of a gown!... The situation was perfectly horrid, too. What elephants men are!"
"You know, I'd accept him if I were you—just to teach him the value of gowns," suggested Hamil.
But Shiela said seriously: "Phil Gatewood is a nice boy. We all knew that he was going to ask you. You acted like a ninny, Cis."
"With my gown half off!—what would you have done?" demanded the girl hotly. ”

“ Hamil, dearest; and," to the young man: "My daughter Shiela."
She nodded politely.
"Now I've got to go, Shiela," continued Cardross. "Hamil, you'll amuse yourself, won't you, until I return after luncheon? Shiela, Mr. Hamil doesn't care to play tennis; so if you'll find out what he does care to do—" He saluted the young people gaily and started across the lawn where a very black boy with a chair stood ready to convey him to the village and across the railroad tracks to that demure little flower-embowered cottage the interior of which presents such an amazing contrast to the exterior. ”

“ If the fear of God doesn't help us it will end us. But—" He walked up to her and took both her hands frankly. "We'll try to be good soldiers; won't we?"
"Yes."
"And good comrades—even if we can't be more?"
"Yes."
"And help each other under fire?"
"Yes."
"You make me very happy," he said simply; and turned to the Seminole who was emerging from obscurity, shoulders buried under a mass of bronzed feathers from which dangled two grotesque heads.
One was a gobbler—a magnificent patriarch; and Shiela with a little cry of delight turned to Hamil: "That's yours! I congratulate you with all my heart!" ”

“ So you're going to Virginia's luncheon?"
"I am; Shiela won't." She frowned. "It's just as it was two years ago when Louis Malcourt tagged after her every second. It's stupid, but we can't count on them any more."
"Does—does Malcourt—"
"Tag after Shiela? Haven't you seen it? You've been too busy to notice. I wish you wouldn't work every minute. There was the jolliest sort of a dance at the O'Haras' last night—while you were fast asleep. I know you were because old Jonas told mother you had fallen asleep in your chair with your head among a pile of blue-prints. ”

“ Surely you don't say that the loud, fat General Adams," she wrinkled her nose with disgust, "is superior to someone like Primo."
His shoulders slumped with dejection. "No, Shiela, but what are we to do? The roboes won't work for the human race any longer and the humans will not admit equality. Even though it does exist now." ”

“ There was a moment of silence and Shiela's hand found its way to his. She sighed, "The harm's all been done now; people will never accept the roboes as anything but an animated calculating machine or 'electronic brain.' One or the other must fall." ”

“ Shiela shoots like a demon. You ought to have seen her among the quail, and later, in the saw-grass, pulling down mallard and duskies from the sky-high overhead range! I tell you, Amy, she's the cleverest, sweetest, cleanest sportsman I ever saw afield. Gray, of course, stopped his birds very well. He has a lot of butterflies to show you, and—'longicorns,' I believe he calls those beetles with enormous feelers. Little Tiger is a treasure; Eudo and the others did well—"
"And Mr. Hamil?" ”

“ In youth, sadness and silence are near akin. That was the only kinship they could claim—this slim, pale scion of a worn-out line, and the nameless, parentless girl beside her. This kinship was their only bond—unadmitted, uncomprehended by themselves; kinship in love, and the sadness of it; in love, and the loneliness of it; love—and the long hours of waiting; night, and the tears of it.
The sun hung low behind the scented orange grove before Virginia moved, laying her thin cheek on Shiela's hand. ”

“ Still silence from Don. "Why, that would be but mass murder!"
"It's nothing more alive than yeast, Shiela. How could it be murder to kill something that has no brain?"
"It's just as much alive as an unborn child."
Biting his lower lip, Don turned abruptly and pushed through the lab doors. The lines of low, gleaming tanks soothed him momentarily. A movement by one made him stop, startled. It was a roboe. The "mechanical" man came towards him, and Don recognized it as one of the regular technicians who worked without sleep as did all of the roboes, it not being needed. ”

“ Blake, one of the newer roboes, joined the conversation. "That would be true," he admitted, "except that when the general gives the signal, he dooms himself and the human race to instant destruction. The ancient weapon was designed for the human race and never used."
"You mean that humans were the robots referred to in the records?" asked the incredulous Don.
"Correct," replied Blake. "It appears that...."
"The sun's rising!" shrieked Shiela. "We're too late!" She threw herself over Don as if to protect him. ”

“ General Adams would like nothing better than an excuse to order me court-martialed."
"But he couldn't; you're a civilian!"
"Don't forget that all civil rights have been suspended until the roboes have been exterminated." Shiela's eyes dropped suddenly and she became sad.
"Do you actually hate the roboes now?" she asked softly.
Don was amazed, "Of course not; after all I helped to create them, you know. I've the greatest respect and admiration in the world for them. I still believe that they could have helped to advance man faster and further than he ever can himself." ”

“ If I did, how would you repay me, you Clodagh?"
She cocked her eyes, seeking to comprehend. God knows, at that moment I pitied the poor dumb waif, alone in all the whole round earth with me. The candle-flame, moved by the wind like a slow-painting brush, flickered upon her face, though every cranny was closed.
"Perhaps, then," I said, "I will teach you. You are a pitiable little derelict of your race, you know: and two hours every day I will let you come to the palace, and I will teach you. But be sure, be careful. If there be danger, I will kill you: assuredly—without fail. ”

“ When Shiana saw the change, and when he heard the sound and the power of that roar, swelling and rising, the house whirled about him, a cloud came before his eyes, and he fell like a dead lump on the floor, unconscious and speechless.
Sheila.—Oh, Peg! I see him, I see him! oh! oh! oh!
Peg.—Hush, hush, Sheila dear! What do you see?
Sheila.—Oh, the man with the horns! The man with the horns! What shall I do? What shall I do? Oh!
Kate.—The neighbours will hear her. Hush, Sheila, my darling. ”

“ And out of prison? And rolling in my wealth, my riches, my diamonds? Oh, no!—is that fair? A dog? Is that how the world is run? God of Israel!”
“There is this to be said for him: that he deserves to be rich—”
“Who? So you are taking his part now?”
“Tut—!”
“There is no tut about it! You confess that you are nothing more than a penniless hanger-on: well, then, I have you! back to prison you go this hour—-!”
O'Hara's cheek trembled; but he said: “A sufficiently vain threat, sir: I am Hogarth's tutor: he won't let me be taken. ”

“ As he stooped to the water, his huge stare ranged the moor, took in the truth of it, and, after waiting ten, fifteen seconds, he upset the can. As two officers, at the outcry, ran toward the spot, Hogarth, his eyes fixed upon them, waited—and all at once, with a flourish, drew his handkerchief.
O'Hara, with a heavy but impassioned run, was away...
He had not run five yards when a chorus of whistles was shrilling.
And quick, that monotony reels into a very frenzy of sensation: it is no more the same world, the same men. Lo, in the Palace of Continuity is an Event. ”

“ Sheila.—But listen, Peg; I wonder what power there was in that jewel that the barefooted woman gave to Shiana, so that the great grief left him so suddenly. What a pity that everybody who is in trouble has not one like it. ”