The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1894-03-29
CHAPTER III.

night had changed. A light drizzle filled
the air. A red vapor rolled across the
sky, broken in places and giving glimpses
OF deeper murkiness beyond. Fog horns
beloved from the river. Freight trains
like dingy serpents crawled past tho
western boundary of the college campus
and went kissing into the fog. He paused
irresolute for o moment after the gate
changed behind him, then crossed the
street and entered the college grounds.
An unquiet spirit possessed him as he
strobe along the familiar paths. He was
only trespasser in this place where
hitherto he had roamed at will, but
whether he was seen or not was of little
consequence. He had escaped from his
quiet room into the wet, massey darkness
to question himself. The vapor that
CARRIED every tree in ghostly robes, the
light sweep of the wind passing his ear
like woman's sigh, the peace here and
the reminders of life on the river and
market places beyond were all old and
dear to him. They had helped him be-
fore.
It was not Of his rejected play he was
thinking. Somehow the keenness of the
sting left by failure had subsidized. In
fancy he saw a woman's face-Virginia' s
face. 1t seemed to float before him,
sometimes the eyes hidden as with a
veil. sometimes the sweet, proud mouth.
He was filled with this new feeling
that In the twinkIing of an eye had
rushed over him. Was it love? Love!
Oh, the ecstasy ringing in the soft VOW
els as he murmured them in tender
semitone.
Hitherto he had written of love, had
believed that he understood it. But to-
night in every fiber he felt the illimita-
BILE, untranslatable difference. He had
been like a blind man dwelling on the
beauty Of the light he had never seen-a
stay at home describing the marvels of
lands never journeyed through. Ills
heart had been sleeping while in his
writings he had prated of passion.
But this sweeping forgetfulness of self
even in a bitterly critical moment; this
reaching ont to and flooding immersion
in the personality of another; this mad
ness that shook him, trailing its seduc-
tive sweetness over his soul and making
him light headed; this insistent burning
in This blood; this yearning newly born
this was love.
He flung himself into restful position
against tree and looked over at the win
dows where at times Virginia's shadow
touched the shade. His face had grown
haggard; his eyes were alight. Oh, he
loved heri 1t seemed now lie had always
loved her.
ITO tell her oh, to tell herr was his
unuttered cry. "Oh. if l had something
to offer worth her taking-not my beg
gar's portion, not the ashes of my dreams.
Virginia--dear, tender, sweet voiced,
strong hearted Virginia, am not fit to
love you."
And now state Of feeling beyond ex-
preston or definition assailed him and
held him as in coil. 1t was strange,
subtle, exquisitely sad. The mist and
rain were part of it. the blustery dark
ness, the troubled breath in the trees, the
longing and indecision in his soul, the
ache of passion, the ambition so Emitless
and unavailing. the dull acquiescence of
the conquered.
How merciless destiny seemed in that
moment! How empty the world! The
race SO long. so firing, ending-even at
the best--in WHAT
He was stirred to an ecstatic sadness
Something vital auickened in his con-
seriousness.
The serenity Of his fair, Uninterrupted
years sank from sight. and he seemed to
look down an illuminated depth into the
very heart Of life. Love and death were
there; agony and sin; joy, derision. temp
tation, despair; the curse of the suicide
the laughter Of young girls, the sorrow
that cries in the night. 1t was all 80 ter.
ribly clear. 1t racked him, inundated
him, knitted itself to him.
One after another faces arose, young
and old; hands seemed outstretched. ht
heard words that contained the glory and
Gre Of diamonds. SO real they were. sc
trenchant. Oh, II he could but write
them as they thronged into his mind-ii
be could tell the wonderful story thai
unfolded itself before him like scroll
upon the darkness-might not some stant
and listen?
shivered and looked around, emery
ing from his waking dream as from {
trance, and almost startled to find him
self alone.
What was this marvellous change? Fl,
seemed on the threshold of secret, til,
door open to his hand. He was as on,
born again under new conditions, witt
keener faculties for reasoning and feel
ing. A fire had touched him--a fire o
love. It lightened the dark places of hi
nature, melted the crust that held tn
currents Of knowledge imprisoned, ant
he felt stimulated to walk victorious
where before he had stumbled.
He thought of he play that but a shor
while since had been SO dear thing I,
him. Crude, false and sterile it seemet
now.
Andyettoventure again-dare he do it
Even while he questioned he knew h,
must. His fingers tingled to grasp a pen
The delight OF the artist, the creator
quivered through him. 1t was tempere,
by a sickening edge of dread, but still i
Noo Nchbnss
In little while he was again in hi
own room tearing the leaves Of the re
jected play to pieces. He flung them int
thegrate and touched them with match
Virginia was right, he said. his voic
broken, as IL he had run long way, an
indeed his inner self had journeyed :
far, undreamed of heights that night
You are false. Notaword of you shal
live"
az Al