The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-01-21
RiZpab = : =: ; =; T.
Copyright. 1900. by Annie T.. Holdsworth.


had right to go to him when he needed
care and love. Why should conventionality
divide them when destiny had removed
the barrier between them7 Fawcett had
been dead year, and she had played
out the farce of mourning. She had not
loved him. She would never have mar
ried him but for that story he had told
her OF Marks desertion. And now Mark
needed her. and she would not allow her
husband to separate them any longer.
She trembled as she climbed the steps
of the studio. The thought OF the old
days. when she had run up swiftly to
meet her lover, shook ner limbs. The
hours she had sat to him for the design
he had carved on the chest lay on her
like lcaden weights, holding her back.
But their weight swung her forward. too.
III Rizpah could guard her dead from
the vultures. the modern Rizpah could
guard the living. No one answered her
knocking at the studio door. and after
few minutes she turned the handle and
went In.
As she crossed the room Mark lifted
his eyes and stared blankiy. He made
no movement of welcome, and the change
In him, his haggard face and strange
manner. were knives In her heart.
Weakness and irresolution crouched in
the figure she remembered with its splen-
did certainty of strength. She pressed
ed. 1t was true. then; he was losing his
reason!
"Oh, Mark--my dear love!"
At her cry he sprang UP and recogni-
ton sprang to his eyes. 'Rizpah Is
II you? You have conner" he cried won
deringly.
Yes" she answered, with a little sob;
II want you, Mark
She would have taken his hand but
he drew away from her.
Don't touch mel" he said, sternly.
you ought not to have come. You don't
know what has happened"
She smiled, calling all her courage to
her help.
Yes. know what has happened. You
must not send me away, Mark"
She looked at him. and did not falter
as she added:
II have come because love YOU"
you don't know what you are say
ing" he said, harshly. II am not the
Mark you loved. l am a"
II know-I know" she interrupted.
She could not bear to hear him put this
horrible fear of madness into words; and
she ran to him and took his hand and
pressed 1t against her breast with a
tender caressing motion. She looked up
at him. her eyes deep with love. Mark,
know everything" she said earnestly.
Don't let us talk about 1t. love you,
and that is enough. We must let the
past CO."
He stared vaguely at her.
you know about It? And you still
love me?'
II know everything" she replied. ten
derby and solemnly. "And l love you
Won't you believe me? Nothing can
change my love. Mark. you will let me
take care of you now?'
He drew away from her. and sat down
and covered his face; and Rizpah stood
looking pitffully at the wreck of the man
she loved. After a time she put her
hand softly on his head. and he lifted his
worn and haggard face. His glance
caught and mingled with the love in her
eyes
How can you love me still?' he said,
hoarsely. "A good woman-and l."
II am not good" she cried, with quick
insistence, and then shame stained her
face, and she bent her head. humbled.
Mark, let me confess. am not good.
am wicked" Her voice dropped till it
dragged on the ground. "Oh my dear,
when he died-when he died-I was glad"
She hid her humiliation on his neck, and
she did not see the flash in his eyes that
made weakness and irresolution drop from
him like dead things. He drew himself up,
and his look probed through her shame to
the love in her abandonment. He remem-
bered the passion and the promise of their
past. III was Tor ner sake that he had
dealt Fawcett that blow. She knew what
he had done, and she loved him still. She
was glad that Fawcett was dead That
justified his crime; he could bear pain and
remorse that bought happiness for her.
And why should they not be happy? Why
should Fawcett still spoil their lives?
All the old days of love thronged round
him, pleading for their contamination.
With Rizpah's heart beating against his
he could not deny them. His arm locked
round her, and he bent his face to her
face.
This atones for everything" he whs-
pered passionately. ''You shall be my angel
of lfe-my angel of love, that was dead
and is alive again."
She lifted her eyes to answer his, but as