The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1897-02-26

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you think 1 should be justified in taking
the help need wherever find it?"
"Why not? Isn't it right and neces-
sary that you should? Father says if
we will look around US we'll always find
something TO make bridges out of, no
matter how deep Or how wide the
stream is"
''And you think there is hope for me
I don't mean for a mere existence
that alone isn't worth fighting for-bJ
that / could win some of the bet
things if I should grid myself for t.
battle?"
Surely you could. What is the.
that you couldn't win, with health L,
strength and the will to win it?-not
ing that is worth having"
The fervor of her own appeal carri<
Elsie out of herself, and, remenll5
ing only that man before her nee
help, she answered out of the de,.i
of a compassion which was as profou
and comprehensive as it was inn
sonal. She saw, as only woman G.
see, the besetments that were dr.
ging Philip down into the quagr
of despair; and the passionate de-.
to rescue, speaking in her voice "a,
eyes, gave Thorndyke his first glimpse
of that seXless shrine hidden deep il
the heart of all womanhood, upon whose
altar burns the light of pity and compass
sion for all the world light which is
not divine only because it is human.
To the woman who first reveals her.
self to amy man in her true character
of ministering angel is given the power
to bind and loose, and the opportunity
which Elsie had unconsciously grasped
had never been offered to Helen save
at the moment of parting, when Philips
abruptness had forestalled it. It was
inevitable, therefore, with Elsie's words
ringing in his ears, and with the con-
sciousness that he had been permitted
to see the light of that sanctuary which
is closed to all but the suffering and
despairing, that Philip should be swept
far beyond the bounds of his allegiance
to Helen; and since he was q man, it
was equally inevitable that he should
be unable to dissociate the offer of help
from the personality of the woman who
rendered it. Raising himself among
the pillows, he answered her with the
fire of new ambition beginning to
quicken his pulses.
81 can win-or, if not, 1 can at least
die in harness. If try, will you help
me in the heat of the battle as you have
helped me just now? Think well before
you answer; it's graver responsibility
to save life than to take it."
Elsie saw that she had raised the
spirit of resistance, and her intuition
warned her that she also troubled the
depths of an unknown and unfathomed
pool, but she responded without hesitn
ton.
Didn't promise, yesterday, that |
would help you? We will all do thai
cheerfully and gladly"
mo, but that is not what meant.
You know what I mean, Elsie. Look
at me. WEI you be to me all the way
through what you are just now, TIE
enc person in the world who know
my weakness and my need of inspirs
tion-who will hold up before me tt
crown of reward when I am down uu
der the hoofs of the horses?"
There was no installing him nov
and in twinlxling Elsie the priest
became Elsie the supplemented ma
en-, blushing painfully under the rut :
less questioning of his eyes. What s:
might have said in reply Philip was !.
to know, for in the moment of cnha'
raised silence Mrs. Duncan called +
to the kitchen. When she was gon
Philip was left to compound as best b
might with the throng of merciless az
cusers rising up in the name of just
and honor to demand satisfaction
Through all the desperate assault h.
chung obstinately to the thought that
he was fighting for his life.
"Do what you will and say what yor
will" he said to himself, when the battle
with his aroused conscience ragged the
fiercest, my life is my own, and near
to live If can. So far, have beer
nothing better than child in leading
strings, but from this day shall live
what is left of my life in my own way;
and if this girl had to be raised up to
help me, why, so much the worse for
those whose opportunities were great
err"
And with such reckless shifting of the
responsibilities, Philip made the first
entry in the book of self-reliance, re-
fusing to have his dinner brought to
him, and insisting perversely on joining
the family at table.