The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-06-13

| million questions she could not utter
! one. least of all the eternal question,
more surely asked and answered in
silence. With her love came terror,
too, lasting the space of d heartbeat,
dying out with quick sigh, flutter
of Silken laSheS, a parting of scarlet
| lips divinely wistful.
AS for the man beside her, he stood
thrilled, yet thoughtful, following his
thoughts through the dim labyrinths
of his heart. that beat deeply, heavily
against her yielding breast. What had
happened he scarcely comprehended
He only knew that love is sweet The
beginning was already so long ago, so
far away. When had it been? Had
they not always loved? And if the be-
ginning of love was already half for
gotten, the end doomed wagner still,
the distant future promised nothing
yet; veil of mist, rose-tinged, ex-
quisite, although behind the veil some
thing was already stirring, a shape
nothing-because he refused to see.
Yet it was there. Hide felt it's pres
ence, unconsciously shrinking in her
lovers arms. and again the questions
stung her lips. rs it love-love for
me? Is it truly love? Is it forever?
Is it truth and faith and constancy,
forever and forever" Her breathless
lips parted, but no question passed
silence.
Hide and Hardwood moved once
more to the door. Night stretched its
star-lined tent from the zenith: the
moon. enmeshed in a fathomless film.
hung in corner, a furnished rim of
tlnsel, pale as a silvery withered leaf.
As they stood there Bourke came
through the hall with Yolette, bidding
them hurry. for dinner was over Then
they went away close together, and
their voices were lost on the dim gla-
els where the scented shrubbery spread
its perfume through the shadows.
Hide glided silently to her chamber;
Hardwood waited for her standing BY
the table where Bourkes and Yolette's
plates had already been removed. Red
Riding Hood came to the kitchen door
with a shy good evening"" and. when
Hide had returned and seated herself,
the child brought dinner and served it
with the alteration that serves a
shrine. Twice Hide kissed her, for
she NEEDED the love of all. now that she
had given love, infinite and innocent:
love that embraced the world and life
and death.
Red Riding Hoods father has gone
with the Thirteenth battalion" she
said. looking across at Hardwood. Il
begin TO think our little one will al
ways be with u.s." The child listened
with downcast eyes Hardwood smiled
at her and drew her to him.
When did he go?'' he asked.
To-day, replied Red Riding Hood.
He is a brave soldier"
AS the child spoke her dark eyes
glowed; for at last he had, been justi-
fed in his daughters eyes-this suua-
lid, drunken father, glorious in the
shining garments Of resurrection-a
homemade uniform with epaulets.
War, the great purifier, had come with
blessings to Red Riding Hood, and the
child of chance, whom chance allotted
to her father, sewed gilded braid and
brave buttons on her fathers clothes,
that he might be fine among the fine:
that he might no longer be ashamed
among men; that she no longer need be
silent when men spoke of honor and
virtue and brave deeds and the soldiers
of France.
He will fight until he dies" said the
child, SERIOUSLY
Pray God he may not die" said
Hide, gently.
He will die" replied Red Riding
Hood, with that quiet conviction that
makes children sometimes feared.
Late that night Hardwood, sleeping
on his tumbled bed, was awakened by
Bourke.
Jim, there's a man at the door be-
low; Red Riding Hoods father is
dead"
'.Dead?" repeated Hardwood.
He was drunk-he fell from the
drawbridge at the Porte Rouge
Hardwood threw on his coat and
went gravely to the little room where
Red Riding Hood lay asleep. Little
one he whispered. She felt for his
hand in the darkness, ciasped it in
both of hers. and pressed her wet face
to the pillow.
1T was a brave death-a soldiers
death" lie whispered. She wept; it
was the one pleasure her father had
ever given her, his death She thought
of the man himself and wondered why
she wept. HARDWOOD, too. wondered
and she answered his unasked cues
ton:
Il weep because I have nothing to
weep for Go, now, and leave me with
my happiness"