The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1900-12-12


lie drew the white hands up TO his
lips and held them there long mo-
ment.
You are not merciful in your an
alysis,' he said slowly. "And perhaps
yon are right. But do not think so.
But why dig over the bones of the
past? Fate, Providence. God-what
you will-brouRht us together. out
here on the waters that you have al
ways loved. And there are no bar
riers. We are both free. Today, when
] saw the shore-line sink into the wa
ter, and turned and saw you on the
deck? Does it tell you nothing?"
She looked back into his eyes with
n shade of amusement in her own.
you were always bored. you knowl"
She laughed, little. low laugh. then
gently released one hand from his and
drew the tips of her fingers down over
his face. Then she held his square
chin in her hand and regarded him
gravely. You were always bored-all
your life IL was chronic You were
delighted to see me? OF course. II
worth something in this all too prosaic
life of ours. Don't you know, bore
dom Is accountable for far more than
Is generally realized? If the clergy
would only give us a palliative, their
efforts would be so much more fruit
ful! And | was equally delighted TO
see you. /, too, have learned to value
ta
did when I-er-ate Of the pomegran-
ate. There is a CLINT of silver around
the temples-but IL is becoming. |
could almost think we were back in
that other era when we were so tragic.
We were tragic, were we not? Life
bored you so-and | was new sensa-
tion-and l loved you with such feel
ing. And, after all, 1t was pouring wa
ter upon sand. It was seeing with a
child's faith-Ascension lilies grow
where only cacti were possible"
"No!-by all the gods L"
Never mind Olympia" She
laughed. and lifted her chin with de-
light as the chill wind whipped the
monks hood back from her face and
sent weird Aeolian strains through the
ships rigging.
The Olympian ladies and gentlemen
were persons OF very uncertain morals
And why swear at all? What matter?
All that was prehistoric. It was be-
fore the flood. Look at that phantom
ship with every sail set And the buz-
card sails on, and comes, and is gone
stately and still as a ship at sea- Do
you remember Lasca? You used to
tell me Lasca when-in the days of
lang syne.
Then you still-remember?"
Darkly luminous in the faint star
light, the eyes turned from the ship
back to his face.
Remember? Oh, yes! My memory
is very retentive. l remember every
phase-everything."
He leaned nearer and his voice sank
And care?" he added.
"M-Yes,' the little smile again in
her eyes.
You care-as you did them"
Her gaze went back to the ghostly
ship and she was silent as the black
sails sank slowly into the darkness
Over the battling waters fioated the
low, irregular tolling of distant buoy
bell. The waves leaped around them
like leashed hounds, and the rising
wind whistled and shrieked through
the rigging. His arms closed around
her and through the warning sounds he
whispered, his face close to hers-"I
have loved you-always."
Gently her fnger-tips slipped over
his face, then round his throat. Then
his lips rested upon hers.
Presently he raised his head and
! looked down into her eyes.
You care-as you did? You will be
my wife?"
A long moment she looked at him,
then very slowly che shook her head.
Il am afraid-it would never do" she
said. You have become fixed in my
mind as a dead and gone episode-a
romance that was and is not The
commonplaces of marriage would be
too complete a revelation. l cannot
imagine you in that role. No, it
would never do"
You mean that you no longer
love" His voice sounded strained,
and she interrupted him.
Il mean that l did love-too WELL"
she said gently.
Then she took his hand between her
two hands and drew it down to her
breast, while her lips fingered over his
eyes and brow and hair.
1T is life, my dear" she said, a
shade of bitterness for the first time in
the serene voice. II would have gone
to you on my knees over hot plow-
shares, once. But now-It is five years
too late"
The rising gale shrieked around
them in gathering fury an. she lifted
her face eagerly to the rough winu
The roar of the waves had deepened
to thunder. and the ship labored ano
quivered in their powerful grasp. She
stretched out her arms to the storm
| ND At,ne I,s- n &c