, 1902-06-25

world for two souls. or that evening
there is nothing more to record except
ing that He and She found opportunity
for a tete-a-tete. during which both
arrived at something like an adequate
understanding of the new relationship
which had come to them.
That night two people spent sleep
less nights. Perhaps there were 9th
ers. but with them this tale has not to
do.
Stephen Massard. with his trained
mind and complete self-mastery,
struggled through the entire night.
sleepless and haggard. He could no
longer evade the situation. The touch
of her hands with his, commingling of
flesh, had brought all the strange emo
tions of the past few days into defin-
lite being and relationship, that he
was compelled, upon his return home,
to acknowledge and cope with the sit
uation as it was. He was a student
and philosopher. was Stephen Massard.
n as the truth forced itself upon
Jill lie lult" uIlIlScll lltO Il EudlE al
his desk in a passion of sobs.
God help mel" he cried, with white
face and drawn eyes. Il love her! |
love her! l love her! And she is
married. She belongs to another. I
am = traitor and a coward: a poltroon.
by an the rules of manhood and chiv-
airy"
Then he rose, v bite faced and calm.
But l love her be, ter than honor and
chivalry," he whispered to himself.
Better one year with YER in dishonor
and obloquy than a thousand years OF
honor and success and public homage.
And who is this husband of hers. A
tinsel bedaubed butterfly with no bot.
tom nor real love for her, no natural
instincts. She is mine by every law
Of nature and affinity. By the eternal
power I will have her at any cost"
And she, retiring from the social tri.
umph Of her reception. flung herself
all be-decked and be-jeweled. on her
bed and wept in a transport of joy and
fear.
What is it all WORTH" she cried.
Position and hollow mockery of so.
cial commendation and jealousy. That
one thrill when my hand touched his
was worth it all, all. Oh, God in
Heaven, I am ruined. ruined. | want
nothing, crave nothing, desire nothing
but Him. All else. responsibility,
honor. life. is of no avail II only he is
mine"
There was but one ending. OF
course it dragged itself OUTFITS play
Of passion-for a wearisome length.
But the end was always in sight.
1t came n day at Newport when
the two-He and She-stood together
in her drawing room at the great no.
tel, and he reached out and cIasped
her in his arms passionately, saying:
whats the use? What's the use?
born for each other. destined so from
the beginning Of time. There have
been mistakes. horrible, CHASTITY mis-.
takes, but the end is clear and sure.
Let us find it now. here. I will sacri-
fee everything-position. property. all.
I have means sufficient. Let us 20
anywhere. everywhere, only so we have
each other"
She threw both round arms about
his neck and lurched forward upon his
bosom with the sob Of a happy child.
The d1or opened suddenly and Major
Putnam stood before them. Neither
He nor She moved a muscle. The ma
ior drew his hand across his brow az
to brush aside cobwebs. He and She
did not stir. except that the keen gray
eyes OF Stephen Massard was fixed up
on the blazing brown orbs Of Putnam.
WELL" remarked Major Putnam,
biting his neither lip until the blood
flowed. and speaking with some effort,
does this mean?"
1T means this. Majo. Putnam" cried
Stephen Massard. still holding to the
woman This woman-your wife, IL
you please-was born for me, and I
have her. We have found 1t out we
found it out the first time we met.
There is no mistake about Il. rhe
only mistake is her marriage with
you. Release her. r'sn. release her, or |
by the sacred light or love I will crush
you out Of existence. She is mine and
will have her"
The officer had controlled himself |
With a great effort.
Il will not fight You. Massard." he
l1I,oA .-. l.