Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1896-08-25
CHAPTER VI.
THE LAST CHANCE

"A person, miss. wants to SEQ you. 4"
''who is 10. Estheri'
A Salvation Army person, miss. HI
won't give his name or his business ~
We'll, i don't suppose he wants to
kill me. Let him come in"
IL was three years and more since
Margaret had seen her lover. You have
heard what happened to him during
those years. She had read in the papers
some Of those things. Nothing had
happened to her. She still lived in her
fiat and she was still single.
She looked mp when her visitor en-
tered and started. "You, Paul! expect
ed you before this. ] saw by the papers
that you had joined the Salvation
Army. I thought you would come tC
tell me something about yourself rs soon
ms you had anything to tell that was
not disgraccful
Paul stood humbly. perhaps too hum.
bly,. hanging his head, perhaps too low.
II come TO tell you. Margaret. that
have found and proved the reality of
WORDS
IF that is true. it il the happiest
thing that was ever granted to YOU
II know now what IL meant by the
words which ! formerly used without
meaning. / do not excuse myself, Mar.
garet; but remember that I used those
words twice day for years and years,
and that they became like my surplice,
something that could bc taken of OF put
ON at pleasure-part of the ceremony.
They lost their meaning TO me, Mar.
garct. ] have waited till I could come
and tell you this truthfully. remember
certain words you used when was here
last. the day after that unlucky cathe.
dral business"
Margaret was sitting Mt her writing
table. Paul stood mt the door. She
walked to the other side Of the table
and stood there. So that IL stood between
them. Thus fortified she made answer
What I said three years ago was
said ton young man who had committed
great sins, hut was not past hope. That
man has changed for the worse and fo,
the worst. Your record was bad ever
then. II II now unspeakable. You now
cay. however, that you have repcnted
that you have found the meaning Of
certain words So far it is good. What
made you come here?'
II thought you would have welcomed
q rcpcntant sinner.
''No. I do not welcome you. I an
glad to think that you are. as you say
penitent. But the time has passet
when 1could welcome you. On the con
trary look upon you'll think Of yor
with shame because 1 could at one tim,
love such man. I made an idol,
creature of fancy that had no existence
and clothed 1t with your form. l CAV,
1t your eyes. loved that itiol-no
you. OH ] never loved you 1t was an
other creature who was expelled from tn,
cathedral-not my idol. II was INV lido
who kissed mc-not you. No-neye
you. now understand what You wer
Always man without heart, withou
morals. without truth. without honor
without n soul You have ruined m,
life. II MI honorable man were to Low
me could not give him the lips tina
have been kissed by such rs you. Icoul
not give him the hand that was prom
ised to such man rs you.
II am sorry. Margaret. he said. ''
did not expect 10 find love left. but
hoped to find some interest-at lea.
some little kindness.
Il have told you how I now regar
you. Have you anything more TO say:
III may be allowed TO stay lou
enough to say II"
"Say IT, then"
"You speak Of my past history. Wei
10 Is. I acknowledge. q most disRracefr
history. Nothing can Re said about
shat IL too bad for IT, But il is past an
aone tits quite gone" He opened hi
arms 70 show that 10 was really gcu
into the cwiSkeit. Il have no past.
have now only present and future.
''Alasl The world will soon snow yo
that your past exists rs much M you
present Paul. man can no more ri
himself of his past life than he can n
himself Of his shadow. 1t is alway
with him
Not with me. have done with IN
past. have the present. which is N,
diseracesul. aud the future. which. Ma,