The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1896-07-09

her door, still humbly followed by poor
Moll There he finds the thumbpiece
gone from the latch, TO him a well
known sign that Mother Fitch has gone
out a-nursing. So, pulling the hidden
string he wots of, he lifts the latch
within, and the door opens to his hand
A rush is Burning in a cup of oil upon
the table, casting a feeble glimmer round
the empty room. He closes the door
when Moll has entered, sets chair be-
fore the hearth and rales the embers to-
gether to give her warmth.
Forgive me- oh, forgive mep' cries
Mol, casting herself at his feet as he
turns and clasping his knees to her
stricken heart.
Forgive you'll says he bitterly.
"Forgive you for dragging me down to
the level of rogues and thieves, for max
ing me party to this vile conspiracy of
plunderl A conspiracy that, if it bring
me not beneath the lash of justice, must
blast my name and fame forever You
know not what you ask. AS well might
you bid me take you back to finish the
night in drunken riot with those others
of your gang.
"Oh, no, not now-not nowp' cries
Moll in agony. "Do but say that one
day long hence you will forgive me.
Give me that hope, for 1 cannot live
without it. ~
"That hopes my fearp' says he. II
have known men who, by mere contact
with depravity, have so dulled their
sense of shame that they could make
light of sins that once appalled, them.
Who knows but that one day l may for
give you, chat easily upon this villainy,
maybe regret l went no further in it?'
80 God, forbid that shall be of my
doingl" cries Moll, springing to her
feet. Broken as / am, I'll not accept
forgiveness ON such terms Think you
I'm like those plague stricken wretches
who, of wanton wickedness, ran from
their beds to infect the clean with their
foul i'll? Not 4"
81 spoke in heat" says Mr. Goodwin
quickly. II repent even now what
said "
Am so STEPPED in infamy," con-
tinues she, THAT 1 am past all cure?
Think, adds she piteously, II am not
q
with no more Judgment Of right and
wrong than a savage creature. Until l
loved you think l scarcely knew the
meaning of conscience. The knowledge
came when I yearned to keep no secret
from you. / do remember the first strug
gle to do right. Twas on the little
bridge, and there l balanced awhile
'twixt cheating you and robbing myself.
And then, for fear you would not mar
ny me, dared not own the truth. Oh,
had l thought you'd only keep me for
your mistress I'd have told you l was
not your cousin. Little as this is, there S
surely hope int Is it more impossible
that you, strong man, should lift me
than that l, a weak girl-no more than
that-should drag you DOWN."
81 did not weigh my words "
Eyes, they were true" says she.
"'Tis bred in my body-part Of my ma.
ture, this spirit Of evil-and twill exist
as long as l. For, even now, do fee
that would do this wickedness again
and worse, to win you once more.
my poor wife," says he, touched
with pity, and holding forth his arms
she goes to them and lays her cheek
against his breast, and there stands cry
ing very silently with mingled thoughts
now of the room she had prepared
with such delight against his return, OF
her little table in the corner, with the
chimney image atop, and other trif1es with
which she had dreamed to give him
pleasure-all lost No more would she
sit by his side there watching, with
a wonder and pride, the growth of beauty
meath his dexterous hand, and then sh'
y feels that it's compassion, not love, tina
IS hath opened mis- arms to her; that sh'
hath killed his respect for her, and will
@ it his love. And so, sitting the sobs tina
l. rise in her throat, she weeps Oh til
u her tears, trickling from her cheek, fal
o upon his hand.
n The icy barrier of resentment is melt
ed by the first warm tear-this silen
testimony of her smothered grief-an'
q bursting from the bonds Of reason b
r yields to the passionate impulse Of hi
10 heart, and clasping this poor sorrowinj
n wife to his breast he seeks to kiss ava
II the tears from her cheek and soothe he
Is with gentle words. She responds to hi
"a passion, kiss for kiss, as she clasps he
!, hands about his head, but still her tear
X flow on, for with her reader wit sh
st perceives that this is but the transpor
S of passion on his side and not the III
or taxed outcome of enduring love, provin
S, again the truth of his unmeditated propf
ar ecy, for how can he stand who yields S
g. quickly to the first assault, and If h
=, cannot stand her can he raise her
10 Surely and more surely, little by little
10 they must sink together to some lowe
N depth, and one day, thinks she, repeatin
IN his words, 1--WE may chat easily upon thi
villainy and regret we went no furtht
lg in il. -
y Mr.. Goodwin leads her to the adjoil
lg ing chamber, which had been his, an
10 saws:
IN "Lie down, love. Tomorrow we sha
m see things clearer and think more re-