Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-02-01


''Of course / sympathize with you"
said March, earnestly. "But you must
see that. though you may be in the right,
all TIE conditions cOnspire to put YOU in
the wrong"
sob, you don't like to aid and abet re-
bellionr' cried she. NIIs quite right; l
feel so myself. l am on the side of sub
mission. however may seem to contradict
it. | deplOre my ideas. / feel with regret
that | am rebel, and should like to sup
press my instruction. l I'm constantly
leading out armies against it; but thus
far the rebel has the best of it. He appears
to carry the stronger guns"
Il think l should run up a flag of truce
and hold a parley," laughed March.
''l'Ye tried that. But he has no respect
for the laws of war. He keeps on firing.
Seriously, Mr.. March, you understand my
situation. l would not leave my father,
Of course, if a hundred gates stood open
to the world | long for. Yet l cannot
help wishing. We left New York, you
see, just IS | began 20 go out little. If
l had been brought here as a child |
should have known nothing else and
might have been content. But | have had
sight of the promised land, and | cannot
tell you how | wish ID 90 down into it,
She paused with a sad smile. 1T seems
wicked to be talking in this way. Father
is so good and we should be so very hap
Ply if this wretched question of my faith
and intention could be put away from be-
tween us. He thinks of it constantly, |
know, though he will not urge me. But
his very silence is a reproach, and stand
ing before the two paths l have drifted
into one little way from sheer remOrse
and sorrow for his feeling"
''Why not 20 on in it? 1t won't run di-
rectly to the Elysian fields, Pm afraid,
but-but l presume"
"Pray, don't fancy it!'
Il have offended your"
'Oh, no!'
She smiled uncertainty.
But see tnat l have. Pardon me,
Miss Van Cleef. | ought 10 know better
than to play the mentor with YOU"
Don't abuse YOURSELF" exclaimed she.
1T was only a sense OF duty, Mr.. March.
l believe | understand it better than you.
You are so very earnest. 1t is delight
full quality, and you use it generously.
But l warn you TO be careful how you
employ it in others interest. See, even l
who know you, have the dizziness for a
moment not to perceive the perfection of
your uncOnscI0usness."
Il shall be complaining presently that
you have yourself your didactic me-
ments," observed March, gayly.
''D0, by all Means smiled she, with
I her usual setf-pOssesSiOn. 81 can't tell
you how glad | should be Of an oppoTtu-
nifty to put you in the wrong Just now.
You see, Ouaht to have remembered you
have not lived for three years among %hese
people. 1t is not strange that it seems so
fine thing to you. | thought Is so at
first. ESut nothing could be as perfect as
Morayiauism appears. 1t is for the DID,"
March remembered, self-accusingly, what
he had said to Conrad. 1T has the quail
ty Of every faith that separates itself. that
I N Of il
sweetest to the worlds victims, to the
worlds failures. You see / am neither
yet, Mr.. March," said she, smiling with
I mOurnful humor.
you would like an opportunity to bef"
i don't say that" she answered, slow
ly; but ! should like freedom to take the
world as it comes to others. l can't ac-
cept the protection from it that these
good pe0ple-they are very good, Mr.
March; don't think | am blind to that
could offer me. That is their cOmpensa-
/ ti0n they have given up the world, but
/ the world has surrendered its claim.
1 They have escaped the pains by renOunc-
/ ing its joys. That is very well; l only
/ say that for me the reward is not high
| enough. 1 am not sure that, even if l
/ would make up my mind to turn my back
/ upon life, as you advise, ! should be able
4 TO conquer my feeling about certain
! things. Oh, you don't know, Mr.. March!
/ Think OF the absurdity of separating the
/ sexes in a community which does not for
/ bid marriage. You can't fancy the
/ stringency of their rules"
! Perhaps not" said he, respectfully.
"YOu know that the young men and
/ women seldom encounter; but can you
! imagine how all intercourse, even the in
/ nOcent play Of children, is abolished?
/ Why, MIR. March, if l were half so good a
/ MOravian "a you thought me, do you sup
| pose l could sit here and talk with yOu?"
/ why" March started and flushed.
Il DON'T know. Why not?"
1 "Ah, that you must ask the founder of
/ the church-COunt ZjnZeldOrf," cried
/ she, hastily, with ner eyes fixed on the
tip of her boot.
She took up the trowel which she had
/ laid by her side and began to play with it
uneasily. Her inquiry may very well
have seemed ilEtimed.
! March stared at her bewildered.
Il scarcely understand, Miss Van
/ Cleef. Is this what you meant when you
/ said? Have l been transgressIng? Is
| there ?-surely there can be nc. rule of the
settlement that prohibits innocent con-
YersatiOn.'
Constance was pulling a rose to piece8
| with do ncast eyes. She made it an
| elaborate operation, surveying each petal
| critically before drawing it from the
! calyX as if it might after all be the par
! tcular petal which ought not to be
! plucked. She did not look up as she an
! swered at length:
"In-in certain cases."
She cast away the naked calyX impa-
/ tiently and strOVe to raise her eyes and
confront his boldly, but modest seizure
/ defeated this and she hurricdlv fixed her
glance on the hands she folded in her lap.
i don't see. Miss Van Cleef," cried
March, in a mystery. Il won't see. l
should be afraid to believe what you seem
to say. If But it is impossible, it Is
mOnstrous. Pray, tell me what you
mean,' he begged, more calmly. "GOu
| can certainly make it plain with word;
say that word, Miss Van Cleef. There
can be no Otfense: yet l must ask you TO
to assure me that there is nOne." He
| laughed painfully. "This is t0rturing.
Speak! Say that | am bastard, if you
will. There Will he others To say if it is
true. l may better hear it from YOU"
"1Ou must 90 to the others, Mr..
March," answered she, looking up at him
With brave smile. You miscOnstrue;
you misunderstood" she told HIM, with
sad calm. 1t is natural; bUt l can't eX-
plain" she went on, drearily. Il can tell
you that you have done nothing IN
worthy of yourself; that you can go be-
fore your conscience and ask favorable
verdict with security. But | can say
iAULLAAtE " MANI - NiCt4i u ~ - wv bsNt
to have veXed you. / ought not to have
spoken"
She ceased quietly, with a note of con-
triton, and March regarded her for mo
ment stupetied.
That is very well, Miss Van Cleef," he
said, rousing himself at length. II APP
preciate your feeling. But you can hard
~ expect me to remain quietly with no
more explanation" lie rose suddenly.
Il am going in seach Of infOrmation,' he
announced.
Il wish you wouldn't"
Il won't if you ask NE not" he said,
quickly
She observed him questiOningly for an
instant and breathed a heavy sigh. Then
she dropped her trOwel and turned from
him on the stump with the glitter of tears
in her eyes.
Pray, gO!' she cried, brokenIy.
March glanced at her with compassion
and seemed about to speak. But he
abruptly turned from her and went up the
garden path with swift steps.
VI.
He went out into the street silently
basking in the afternoon sun, and after a
moments hesitation toward the church
and the choir houses. They stood mas
sively grouped at the end of the street
with something the appearance of a cas-
tie that had not attained its full stature;
though turrets and flying buttresses, gor-
gOyles and other proper architectural
az VQrp pODIO11GIV diSfrihnfp6