The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1897-04-30

to rescue, speaking in her voice and
eyes, gave Thorndyke his first glimpse
of that sexless shrine hidden deep i'll
the heart of all womanhood, upon whose
altar burns the light of pity and compass
sion for all the world-a Light which is
not divine only because it is human.
To the woman who first reveals her.
self TO any 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. 1t 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 a 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, L 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 hesita-
ton.
Didn't I promise, yesterday, that
would help you? We will all do that
cheerfully and gladly"
''No, but that is not what I meant.
You know what I mean, Elsie. Look
at me. Will you be to me all the way
through what you are just now, the
cne person in the world who knows
my weakness and my need of inspra-
tion-who will hold up before me the
crown of reward when 1 am down un-
der the hoofs of the horses?"
There was no mistaking him now,
and in twinllling Elsie the priestess
became Elsie the simple-hearted maid
en-, blushing painfully under the ruth
less questioning of his eyes. What she
might have said in reply Philip was not
to know, for in the moment of embar-
rassed silence Mrs. Duncan called her
to the kitchen. When she was gone,
Philip was left to compound as best he
might with the throng of mercifess ac-
cusers rising up in the name of justice
and honor to demand satisfaction.
Through all the desperate assault he
clung obstinately to the thought that
he was fighting for his life.
"Do what you will and say what you
will" he said to himself, when the battle
with his aroused conscience ragged the
fiercest, ''my life iS my own, and mean
to live if l can. So far, I have been
nothing better than a child in leading
strings, but from this day l 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.
fro RE CoNTINUED1