The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1898-08-30

$oro talking nonsense. I'm sure no such
] Thought has ever entered my mind-or
his. Weare just good friends. Cannot
you understand that? IL believe in
him, and-and because-because be-
lieve in him-well-he works-and
talks to ne about his work, and Oh,
ycut mind runs in very narrow
grove.
A groove that has been proved again
and again to be only we'll worn road,
my dear, with experience for Il finger
post.
1t was on the occasion of her next
visit to Richard Felgate's studio that
the lesson was driven homo She had
been admlring q picture of his which
was nearing completion, picture which
was to show to the world that the old
promise Of great things was not dead;
that the man they had given over to OBJ
livion and failure had something of tho
quality of more abiding things still in
him. She had spurred him on to the
work; had gloried i'll the thought that
but for her it would never have been
done. She sighed happily as she turned
away from it and faced the painter.
1t isKery good" she said softly. 81
knew that you could take up the old
thread again.
Is The old thread would never have
Been taken up but for you,' he replied.
And yet, sometimes 1 ask myself
even now-what it is all for. All, no
fcwgive me. don't ask that-because
it's all for you. Every stroke of the
brush is for you; each moment that l
set myself to something worthier is for
you. IL want to ask you something,
little friend %
He was looking at her gravely; she
glanced up at him, out of her clear eyes,
and read the something there-read, in
a flash, the full tragedy of it. She wait
ed, heartsicl, helpless.
You have seen so much Of me; you
came to me when all the world passed
me by; you stretched out your dear
hands and grasped me as foated past
and held me. All my world, all my
life, is with you AID in you; without
you am nothing. I thought at first it
might be your sweet ccmradeship; /
was SO worthless I was grateful even
for that. But now know that IL wom-
an may only reach q man through love
love OF the highest. Had | not heard
that voice you might have called in
vain. Little Dora, love you; there is
no hope, no heaven, no life for me with
out you. Dear, r.
She got firm hold of herself at last
saw that here was question to be faced;
a terrible business on which she had
not counted. She had gone into this
matter with the blindness of pity, with
the high and lofty purpose of the cru
sader. Passion and human nature were
not to be reckoned with in the fight.
But they must be reckoned with now.
Stop!" she cried. "You-you don't
understand. IL never meant-I-Mr.
Felgate, it is impossible. I"
There was dead silence for mo-
ment. The man stood perfectly still,
with his hands gripping each other be-
hind his back.
IT see," he said at last in low
voice. "Your belief in li.e won t extend
SO far as that. %
"Oh, no, no. do believe in you, in
deed do. Butt
Well, what is it? There is some one
else, SUPPOSED"
She nodded slowly. She did not care
to trust her voice at that moment. He
came suddenly toward her and gripped
her by the shoulders and looked down
at her. She thought she had never seen
his eyes SO hopelessly weary as they
were then.
"Do you know what you have done?"
he cried almost harshly. "Did you
think you could come into man S life
as you have come into mine, and then
smilingly wave your hand one day and
pass out of it all and be forgotten, with
only your good deeds left behind? Did
you think that?"
81 did not know. IL wanted to help
you. have been engaged to this man
since was a mere child. We knew
each other as children. He is in India -
"Does he know you as I know you
this man who is to claim you? Have
you done for him what you have done
for me, you sweet little blunderer?''
ut was not necessary. She was
shaking and trembling. She had covered
her face with her hands.
II see," he said again. s'He wasn't
on the downward path. He'd something
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