San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1892-12-02
THE END OF HIS TIME.
By JAMES KNAPP REEVE.

DOylSn duOrdIlOn UudI CUES Will lC"SA
years and narrower experience. l do
not say that this was the reason why he
could not win her; he might not have
won her in any case, even had there
been no one else. But there was an
other, younger, more ardent, perhaps
better fitted to mate with her young
life. And so when she had stopped him
with that gesture, and said, II love
your brother" he had not argued his
cause further Whatever the prize was,
however much he might otherwise have
striven for it, he would not strive against
him.
And as for her-she was but woman,
and with such woman the passion and
abandon of love outweighs all else. One
might protest as we'll against the sweep
ing power of fire or flood as t9fry and
stay its course. Such love gives much,
and gives freely and gloriss in the Civ
ing, and it demands much in return; it
will share with nosother. And such
love will forgive much, but there are
some things twill never forgive.
ChalmerSfhad not expected any out
break. He knew that her pride would
force and sustain calm and confident
extsrior, and he felt that to him less
than to any other would she willingly
fay bare any of the tOrturings of her
heart in this trial. Yet he had hardly
looked to meet at once the CLINT of femi
nine armor. Perhaps he would have
been better prepared had he known more
of women. How they steel themselves
sometimes against those who would help
them most-whose help in their very
hearts they most desire.
The room into which Chalmers was
ushered, and where he waited for her
only brief moment, bore evident traces
of Individuality. Somehow you could
have told that it was woman's room,
though there was nothing of mere pref
tiness about it, no knickknacks, no
hodgepodge of bric-a-brac and home art
with which women of nonindividuality
clutter their surroundings. There wer"
many books, a few good engravings upon
the wall, a small bronze of flying Mer-
curry, and these were disposed as if they
We're severally read and studied and look
ed at-not as mere decorative parapher-
nalia-but as part of the everyday life
of the inmate.
Into such room, thought Chalmers
land to such woman, too, perhapS), a
man could come and be at his best; here
a man land this mythical woman) could
meet upon a common level, talking,
thinking, bringing out the best that was
in each other, forgetting or unheeding
that lesser and baser life that must per-
force be lived out in the world and
among men.
Into such room land to such a wom-
an, too, perhapsy he had once thought
it might be possible for him to come;
but that time had gone now. He must
only think of these things impersonally.
To this point in his reverie had Chal-
mers come when Miss Tenant entered
the room.
"You have come at last" she said, in
an even monotone, as she gave him her
hand.
Chalmers was not prepared for the
GOODNESS or restraint of her greeting.
Yet with charity that not many who
knew him would have thought him
capable of he did not resent it.
"You blame me for not coming soon
err" he answered.; "but did not know.
Your letter and his and the paper that
you sent all came to me at the same
time. Since then have come as fast as
steam could bring me. have been in
Mexico"
Thus much he felt he must say in his
own defense, but ii awaited him nothing
."You should not have gone away so,
she said. "You are older than YOU
brother; you have some duties"
You do well to reproach me-" hi
said modify. II went away for yor
and for him"
You should not have gone," she sale
again insistently, Eat least not so far
not in this way. There was no reason
why you should go at all; and he hac
only you to look to-"
Doubtless she had been sorely hurt
Women do not stand well the breakin.
of their idols. And to cover her hurt
womanlike, she turned upon him VIII
had been in nowise to blame.
Chalmers thought to himself that
was strange that he should not resen
this. He had always been a man VIII
was impatient of criticism. Perhaps
he had been in any way to blame in thi
matter, if there had been any self acct
sation to contend against, he might hav
resented her words. She was calm an
pale and cold. But looking at her MOI
closely he could see that she kept he,
self under control only by the most d,
termined effort. He would not make
any harder for her.
eyes, have been to blame" he sal
finally 81 shnnld not have gone b