New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-07-30
OUT OF STEP.
III.
. WHY DID YOU WAIT?7

the man walking so fast. To Moore that man s
face was familiar yet at the moment he could
not quite place it in his mind. And why was there
something so baleful in it?
When the horse and wagon had gone on, and
the hot, dusty highway was solitary again, sfVc
Tor his own figure, Moore exclaimed
"Why it was Redd" And then he had i'm
nediately forgotten Reid. He had something lar
nearer his heart TO think Of
Now, when he had left Mrs. Gerry he went as
,urriedly as if he had not almost three hours to
kill before he could hope to see Salomc. lie
pushed through the birch thcket and never stop
,ed in his walk until he came to another road
which went curving through a pine wood
His face was streaming with perspiration. lie
ook on his hat and tried to remain quietly SIT
ing by the wayside. He leaned back against
ree and gazed down the dim, secluded highway.
He thought il was beautiful. He said aloud that
was beautiful. But he knew that he carea
,otb;nr at all for it, He looked at his watch
,gain. 1t had taken him just thirteen minutes 10
,ome here. lie supposed that the time would
,sss. since time always did pass-if you could
n,v endure il. He rose mpatiently and crowded
lis hat down upon his head
There Was some one turning the curve lar
,long in the gloom of the pine trees IL was
roman too 1t was young girl
Moore's face suddenly grew pale from the 1url-
80 10, 10 bis nulses He began walking quick
- For some reason Salome might have left
cbool earlier The two drew nearer each othcr'
was SalOme. =,
She suddenly stood still. He could see her
lands hanging clasped tightly in front OF hcr.
10 could see those hands, and her white race ana
,at II seemed 20 him that there was something
ver his eyes And in his haste he stumbled
md it took him so long TO reach her tha' lie iei'
Is if he were in dream
But he did reach her. He had her In MS arms
md he looked down at her face on his shoulder.
Why should either Of them speak
After a while the two were walking slowly
,lonr under the trees. Moore was still holding
lis companion closely He had said'
al had to come. ,
Sbo had looked up at him and answered SOFTLY
ayes. of course you would come
And then there was long silence while they
walked aimlessly, and looked at each other.
Salome had thought that when he came sac
hould ask him many questions, she shouiu zen
i'm many things: but now that he had come she
al, as II she had no speech. And what were mere
,oras NOW that he was with her? There was
- foot in all the world but the fact that he had
Ome to her. ,-.
In this first moment there was no shrinking
m r,a;deuly circumstances, in the serious, fu
,aze that met his 1t was her soul meeting MS
n his eyes.
Il was Moore's face which suddenly changed In
ome Undesirable way. There was still th" rap'-
ire Of the meeting in it. But there was son'c-
hing elsa memory, a cloud came 20 IT, what
vcr II was it seemed intoerable 10 hihi' bcioio
he could speak he exclaimed: a.,
.Oh. why didn't you write me that line before?
Before ~ she repeated in a puzzled way. But
. 10 now a long time since / wrote. You have
,een away"
"No: 1 haven't been away. l received your
tote the day after you sent It,
Sa,ome looked at him in surprise. She moved
little away from him.
. lyon were kept from coming? ? she asked.
"Ycs.9 he answered hesitatinely, /" | was kept
Then he reached forward and took her hands
rhtly. exclaiming again, and even with fierceness
"Oh. why didn't you write II few months be-
ore? I tell you it's a deviiish thing you nave
ono BY waiting all this time"
These words seemed so entirely unlike Moore,
nd the blackness now in his face seemed also SO
ntirelv unlike him. that SalOme stared and slranK
way
II don't know what you mean,' she said az ias''
She tried 10 stand erect aud removed from hin'
SUIT he would not let her.
.you oucht to know what | mean" he went
A r.n;dIv "You told me there was no hope
So Won remember those times when came again
nd again to Augustine TO plead with you You
rouldn't relcnt. You loved me, mt you were
ard as stone in your resolution wanted you
lnce knew all about you, and you were not de-
ewing me, you ought to have married ME 'lci'
ind all this time have tried not to hope that
oil would send me word Finally gave up
one. That is I gave it up so far that had
nadia I'm my mind that I'd do all l could to smut
Al, the memory of you. Saome, do you under
tand me?'
He turned toward her with mixture OF pas
ion and regret upon his face that had terrible
fleet upon her. She was stunned oewiuereu'
mt she did not know what he meant
"Do YOU understand me? he asked again
mo, no." she answered
.ndn't Won ever think that there comes
inc when a manor woman. suppose, gives up
oninr and tries to put away every thought OF
hat be believes he cannot have? Didn't yol
yer think that =" ... g.
.No, said Salome again. She was trying, IN
vague and feeble way to recall what her mother
al said 70 her-was it upon this subject? What
rae coming to herp Had her mother been right
, somo way? Perhaps people who were Older
al learned some things. But it was OF no sooa
thev bad-of no GOOD. She could not learn Dy
he experience of other people
When she had said that last no Moore was
~ a moment unable to co on. lie though1 thcro
ad been no words made III 10 use Ill uion0"'
lie this. And yet how could he keep SILENT
salome WAS now walking apart from him. She
nd quietly insisted upon withdrawing herself
sh. .uddenlv turned from the road and sat
own an A stone. She took of her hat and presscd
or hands for an instant to her head
Moore stood before her gazing down at her Win
he look man gives to that which is inestimaoy
recious The black look was gone from his face
hut there was still intense suffering there.
At first she did not glance up at him.
"Oh, Salomei" he said softly
Sln nlAH a. nod 70 re-