The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1902-09-11

Miss Milne grew desperate as she
thought of her wrongs, and spoke out
with an entire vigor begotten Of the
memory of them.
Ugh" she continued, as she
stamped her foot-"ugh, Should not
have been justified in declaring eternal
war against the whole of your sex?
But what do | do? take my fate
bumbly, | accept the loss of the best
half of me and live for the rest | and
Arthur settle down to half existence,
when you come-yes, you need not
look up surprised; | do not blame you;
your intentions were all good, but the
results were all bad-you come. ami
you know what you did told you
Cnce-you awakened all my old better
self. You made me love you, love you
with the desperation of ones last hope.
!! caught at your love as a drowning
soul at a straw. | saw in it posi-
bllity Of restoration to a better and a
fuller life. | found | was not dead.
nor any part of me. Then came the
news Of your engagement, and with it
the death Of my last chance; then fol-
lowed what you call my fall, what |
call my, grand protest against the in
famous order of things, involving my
damnation here and hereafter: then
the birth Of that child that child whose
withered. wrinkled face seemed to be
the record of my destiny written small.
then its welcome death; and what fol-
lowed? Well. | do not want to be
pedantic or TO tire you, but with that
child's death came a reawakening OF
my dreams. a resurrection Of what I
might have been, and with that hope
the thought of you"
Miss Milne paused here to take
breath. ard the silence that followed
was painful in the extreme. All this
no answer was possible and any re-
mark out Of place, and so | sat and
listened.
You are not the man | ought to
love-" she continued. You are not
the strong man | want-yOu're a weak
character, but-but | love you. 1t
must have been that needed help and
sympathy, and you gave it to me, or
that with the better half of me died
my self-control. 1t doesn't matter.
loved you, and with that love there
came, in the stiffness of the night and
through the dark gloom Of the life
was leading, picture Of what was
even now possible il only you would
return my love. This grew upon me
cay by day, until my gay dresses and
gayer life were no longer possible. and
So | went back to my old dresses and
my quiet life; but the passion grew
stronger and stronger, until it drove
me here to learn my fate. You're star
t'ed-you think me an unnatural Wo-
mani cannot help that. A woman
fleeing from life of misery. with the
devil at her back. does not pause to
ask if the road she is travenng is the
conventional one. but only-is it the
road of escape?"
Butt. Miss Milne what on earth do
YOU expect of me? Are you mad? You
know | am engaged"
Il do know it, and to whom? To a
weak little"
Miss Milne" shouted, mot an
other word of her, How dare YOU"
Il dare anything. everything but
will not speak of her again; | Wilt
only you will sit down again and not
look at me so"-for | had risen to my
feet and with arms folded across my
breast stood staring at this mad wo
man-'I will only talk of myself, only
tell you as best | can of all that vii
follow if only you will take me &c
yourself. It shall be no sacrifice or
your part Go the way you are going
and where will it lead you. To life
of mediocrity. Come with me, take
my hand in yours. and you shall nave
every wish of your heart satisfied
She paused a moment for breath
and then, in a lower tone, but witt
the same firm voice. she continued: "
am no ordinary woman"
Indeed you are not
'If you mean that for satire I car
only say this is neither the time no.
the occasion for satire. | repeat, [ an
no ordinary woman. | can love as M
other woman can love. and can figh
for YOU work for you and sacrifice
myself for you as no other woman
can"
was, by some strange alteration II
Miss Mines voice, irresistably i'm
PEELED to look up at her, and | saw hel
as had never seen her before. There
was about her face and attitude an all
of firm nobility that testified to her ca
pacity to be all she said and do all she
promised.
You said just now" she continued
that you would grant anything | could
ask, because you were interested II
me. and | had nursed you and helped
you in your practice. Now, | want NJ
reward for the little have done; | an
not pleading on these grounds, but FOL
the good of both of us, perhaps the
very lives and destinies of both of us.
| rose from the chair, and, with a!
much composure. as | could assume
walked to the door. Holding the han
die OF it in my hand. | said: Miss
| NiiInn we must close this interYiaW-i