Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1898-06-11
CHAPTER XXxIII.
IKE STRANGER or TIE SANDS

over the sea; the crimson and golden light
seemed 10 be reflected in each drop Of water
until the waves were one mass OF heaving
roseate gold; n sweet western wind laden
with rich, aromatic odors from the pine
woods seemed TO kiss the waves as they
touched the shore and broke into sheets of
beautiful white foam. IL was such sunset
and such a sea-such q aim and holy still
ness. The golden waters stretched out as
far and wide as the eye could reach. The
yellow sands We're clear and smooth; the
cliffs that bounded the coast were steep and
covered with IuXuriant green foliage. Pau
line Darrell had gone 10 the beach, leaving
Miss Hastings, who already felt much bet
ter, TO the enjoyment OF an hours solitude.
There was a small niche In one Of the
rocks, and the young girl sat down In il, with
the broad, beautiful expanse of water spread
out before her, and the shining waves break
Ing at her feet Size had brought a book
with her, but she read little; the story did
not please her. The hero of il was too per-
feet. With her eyes fixed on the golden,
heaying expanse of water, she was thinking
OF the difference between men in books and
men in real life. In books they were all
either brave or viciOus-eitheT very noble or
very base.
She passed in review all the men SHE had
ever known, beginning with her kind-heart.
ed, genial father, the clever humorist artist.
who could define a mans character in an
epigram so skillfully. He was no hero of
romance; he liked his cigar, his glass and
his jest. She thought OF all bis rugged, pict-
uresque missionaries, blunt OF speech.
honest of heart, open-handed, generous, self
sacrificing men, who never enyied a COM
rade's prosperity, nor did even their greatest
enemy an evil turn yet they were not heroes
OF romance. She thought of Sir Oswald
the stately gentleman OF the old school, who
had held his name and race so dear, yet had
made so fatal an error in his marriage and
Will. She thought Of the captain, handsome
and polished in manner, and her face grew
pale as she remembered HIM. She thought OF
Lord Aynsley, for whom she had a friendly
liking, not unmiXed with wonder that he
could so deeply love the fair, sOft-yoiced, inane
Lady Darrell.
Then she began to reflect how strange it
was that she had lived until now. vet had
never seen a man whom She could love. Her
beautiful lips curled in scom as she thought
of il.
IF ever / love any one at all" she said 10
herself, "it must be some one whom | feel to
be my master. | could not love a man who
was weak in body, soul, heart, or mind. /
must feel that he is my master; that my soul
yields 10 his; that / can look up 10 him as
the real guiding star Of my life, as the guide
OF my actions. III ever | meet such a man.
and vow to love him, what will my love do
for me? | do not think / could fall In love
with a book-hero either; they are too coldly
perfect. | should like a hero with some hui
man faults, with a touch of pride capable OF
being reused ntO passion"
Suddenly, as the thought shaped itself in
her mind, she saw q tall figure crossing the
sands-the figure OF man. walking quickly.
lie stopped at some little distance from
the cliff, and then threw himself on the sand.
Ills eyes were SSca or the restless, beautiful
sea; and she, attracted by his striking mascu-
line beauty, the statuesque attitude, the
grand, free grace Of the strong limbs, the
royal carriage of the kingly head, watched
him. In the Louvre she had seen some mar
velOus statues, and he reminded her OF them.
There was one of Antinous, with a grand,
noble face, a royal head, covered with clus-
tiers OF hair, and the stranger reminded her
OF il.
She looked at him in wonder. She had
seen pieturesque-lo0king men-dandles, fops
but this was the first time she had ever seen
a noble and magnificent-looking man.
If his soul is like his face" she thought
to herself, ''he is a hero"
She watched him quite unconsciously, adj
miration gradually entering her heart.
II should like to hear him speak, she
thought. II know just what kind of voice
ought to go with that face"
IL was a dreamy spot, a dreamy hour, and
he was all unconscious of her presence. The
face she was watching was like some grand,
harmonious poem Ia her; and as she so
watched there came to her the memory of
the story OF Lancelot and Elaine. The rest
less golden waters, the yellow sands, the
cliffs, all faded from her view, and she, with
her vivid imagination, saw before her the
castle court where Elaine first saw him, lifted
her eyes and read his lineaments. and then
loved him with a love that was her doom.
The face on which she gazed was marked by
ho great anu guilty iv,e--is ~as TIC face OF
Lancelot before his fall, when he shone no
blest, purest and ~grandest OF all King Ar
thurs knights.
lit was for his face Elaine loved him.
thought the g~irl-'grand and noble as is the
face on which the sun shines now"
Then she went through the whole OF that
marvellous story she thought of the purity,
the delicate grace. the fair loneliness Of
Elaine, as contrasted with the passionate
love which, flung back upon Itself. led her TO
prefer death To life-of that strange, keen,
passionate love that so suddenly changed he
whole world for the maid of Astolat.
And | would rather be like her,'' said the
girl to herself; IL would rather die loving the
highest and the best than live loving one less
worthy"
1t had seized her Imagination, this beauti-
full story Of a deathless love.
II too could love as Elaine did" she
thought; '.for love cannot come to me wear
ing the guise ii wears to others. I could read
the true nobility of a mans soul In his face:
1 could love him, asking no love in return. l
could die 50 loving him, and believing him
greatest and hest"
Then, as she unused. the sunlight deepened
ON the sea, the rose became purple, the wa
tiers N beamlng mass OF bright color, and
he who so unconsciously aroused her sleep
ing soul TO life rose and walked away over
the sands. She watched him as he passed
out OF sight.
II may never see him again. she thought:
s'but / shall remember his face until 1 de-
A great calm seemed 30 fall over her; the
very depths OF her heart had been stirred.
She had been wondering 80 short a time be-
fore II she should ever meet any one at all
approaching the ideal standard Of excellence
she had set up in her mind. II seemed like
an answer 10 her thoughts when he crossed
the sands.
u may never SEQ him again" she said;
'but ] shall always remember that ] have
uet one whom coald have loved"