Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1896-02-27
ACCORDING TO HER LIGHTS.

OmOflOW Sdlu Rdlpn 1OIllmeI >
this time tomorrow, Joan, we shall
have crossed the Rubicon. A new
life, Joan. New interests ties
new hopes. Isn't it so?"
marvellous light dawned brightly
in her eyes. glowed and fingered.
YES she whispered, yes"
His clasp frightened little on the
hand he held.
Its a grave step, though, Joan" he
said, 'and once taken it can never be
retraced. You-you have considered it
we'll, dear? You are quite sure that
you have no regrets-that you will
never blame me?"
Il have considered it WELL" she AN
swered, "and | have not one regret.
shall never blame you. Why should
To- She looked at him gravely,
"Why should l blame you?" she
asked again, with simple direet1fess,
tell me-"
Because of all that you are giving
up for my sake he answered in a
low tone, and then he turned his head
away.
Ralph" she said, softly and stead
lily, 1.-The woman who puts any earthly
consideration between the happiness
and welfare of the man she loves is
not worthy the name of woman. The
love that doubts and fears and counts
the cost and gain is not worthy the
name of love"
He looked at her, as he had often
done before during their short ac-
quaintance, with wondering tender
ness not unmixed with awe, but he
did not speak-he could not--and they
walked on side by side, and hand in
hand. Through the broad, rich pas
ture land, where the drowsy cattle
stood knee deep in the lush green
grass and golden buttercups, on the
bank of the narrow winding stream
they went, in the scented summer
dusk, and paused by the old gray
ruined bridge, their favorite TRUSTING
place
Ralph leaned on the moss grown
wall and gazed down at the swift,
silent waters beneath.
DO you remember the first time we
met here?" he asked. What con-
trast between then and now"
All! what a contrast--what q con-
trast, indeed! Then they had been
acquaintances of g day, and now-well,
now they were all in all to one an
other, and the morrow would mark
the beginning of a new life-a life in
which the conventional laws of social
custom and morality would have no
part or lot "All for love and the
world we'll lost was the keynote Of
their future.
How it had come about, that was The
puzzle, for Ralph Lorrimer seemed the
most unlikely man in the world to go
mad for a womans sake. A big,
strong, self-contained self-reliant
man, caring little or nothing for the
society of women, and having many
interests in life apart from and be-
yond merely sentimental ones. he
did not understand what had hap
pened; he could not attempt to explain
it. 1t was beyond him. He only knew
that the very first sight of Joan Mere
dith's face had filled him with such
love and longing as no mortal man
could Withstand.
They were an oddly-assorted pair; a
typical study on contrasts. He was an
ambitious man of the world, imbued to
a certain extent with the reckless
cynical spirit Of the age. she was an
idealist. dreamer Of dreams; un-
practical and unworldly. The spirit
of the age had passed her by in her
quiet country home, and she still
cherished the illusions with which she
had entered on woman's estate.
He turned and looked at her as she
stood there by his side, tall and
straight and slender, her face little
unified so that the fading light lin
gered upon it, Something in the gaze
of those innocent eyes. with their soil
unwayering light, touched MIN as he
had never been touched in all bis life
before, and a great wave OF remorse
ard shame swept over him.
I'm a brute" he cried, even 70
think Of letting you make such q sac
rifice for me. ought TO refuse II. but