Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1892-03-31

| watched the white fingers deity fill the
bowl and strike the match for him; then
he took it from her hand and breathed
softly through tae curved stem until the
fire circled brightly round and the to-
bacco all was burning. He leaned back
ON his elbow and sent the smoke out in
long. quiet wreaths, and Pocahontas.
with her hands folded together in her
| lap, watched it rise and vanish dreamily!
81 wonder" she murmured presently,
''if the nights cut therein Mexico.
mean-can be more beautiful than this.
have read DESCRIPTIONS and dreamed
dreams. bnt / cant imagine anything
more perfect than that stretch of water
shimmering in the moonlight and the
dark outline of the trees yonder against
the sky"
''lt's more than beautiful; it's home"
Jim's voice shook little ''Do you
know, Princess. that whenever the mem
DRY of home comes to me out yonder in
the tropics it will be just this picture
shall always see. The river, the lights
and shadows on the lawn, the old gray
house. and you, with the flowers on
your breast. and the moonlight ON your
dear face. Don't be afraid, or move
away: I'm not going TO make love to
you-all that is over; but your face
must always be TO me the fairest and
sweetest on earth" He paused a mo-
ment, and then added, looking steadily
away from her: II want to tell you
this last time may ever have an OPP
portunity of speaking to you alone
that you are never TO blame yourself
for what has come and gone. It's been
no fault of yours. You could no more
help my loving you than | could help 1t
myself, or than you could make your
self love me in return.
"Oh, Jim, deartn spoke the girl quick
ly and penitently, Il do love you. do.
indeed"
II know it, Princess, in exactly the
same way you love Roy Garnett. and
immeasurably less than you love Berke-
ley That isn't what | wanted, dear.
Tn dull fellow, slow at understand
ing things, End | can't put my thoughts
into graceful, fluent language; but
know what love is, and what l wanted
you to feel is very different Don't be
unhappy about it--or Inc. Ill worry
through the pain in time or grow accus-
toned to it. It's tough, just ut first, but
I'll pull through somehow. 1t shall not
spoil my life, either, although it must
mar it. A man must be pitiful fellow
who lets himself go to the bad because
the woman he loves won't have him.
God means every man to hold up his
own weight in this world I'd as soon
knock woman down as throw the
blame of a wasted life upon her"
Pocahontas listened with her eyes on
the folded hands in her lap, realizing for
the first time how deeply the man beside
her loved her. Would any other man
ever love her with such grand unselfish-
ness, she wondered: ever give all. re-
ceive nothing in return and still give on.
Why could not she love him? Why was
her heart still and speechless and only
her mind responsive. He was worthy Of
any woman's love: why could not she
give him hers:
Ask the question how she would, the
answer was always the same. She did
not love him; she could not love him,
but the reason was beyond her.
After little while Jim spoke again.
when you were little girl" he said.
I'll always was your knight. In all our
plays and troubles it was always me you
wanted. Ny boat was the one You liked
best, and my dog and horse would come
to your whistle as quickly as to mine.
was the one always to care for You and
carry out your will. That can never be
again, | know, but don't forget me.
Princess. Let the thought of your old
friend come to you sometimes, not to
trouble you, only to remind you when
things are hard and rough and you need
comfort that there's heart in the woi ID
that would shed its last drop to help
you"
With quick impulse Pocahontas leaned
forward and caught his hand in hers,
and before he could divine her intention
bent her head and laid her soft, warm
lips against it. When she lifted her
eyes to his there We're tears in them, and
her voice trembled as she said: II will
think of you often. old friend: of how
noble You are, and how unselfish You
have been generous to me all my life.
far more generous than have ever de-
served"
As they arose to return to the house
the jasmine blossom fell from the girls
hair to the ground at Jim's feet. He
stopped and raised it. MAY keep it,
be said.
She bowed her head silently.
fTo BE CONTINUED.