Cañon City record., 1903-10-29

and himself and Marie's father were
the best OF friends. Medallion was also
busy watching NJ. Camille for he felt
that here was something wherein a
friend might serve Marie. th ugh how
he did not know. He liked the young
mau's face for 1t had that touch Of
loneliness and native solitary thought
which the present gayety Of eye. voice
and manner made almost pathetic. lie
| even saw something more-a reckless
| ness. not natural to the youths charac-
ter. which sat on him Ike a touch of
| doom-and as he thought Marie's al
Iegory = her wonderful. beautiful.
| Dreadful Chose were her words, tale
| OF Iove-kept showing in vivid pictures
In his eye.
But II he could have read the young
mans mind could have seen the str:.:---
| gle going on there. the despair. the
wild hope. the daring. the revolt. the
| brea king up of all the settled courses
| of a life. he would have been as star
tied as apprehensiye. for while Camille
Debarres WIS urging on this mirth and
reyeI with a nervous eagerness he kept
saying TO himself over and over again:
"I can't give her up, God forgive mel
Marie, Marier'
The words beat in and out Of the
music. Youth. humanity. energies Of
the active world. were crying out. fight
ing for mastery in the breast Of one
soon to be given to the separiteness of
| the church. wherein the love of man
and maid must be viewed with a dis
| tant paternaI eye. A hundred forces
had been at work to put him and keep
4 him in the church. and when. as a
student. Marie came into his life these
forces. with loving yet severe appre-
hension. closed on him and on the girl
and had separated them. as IT seemed.
i forever.
He was older now. but as he neared
the final act that should set him apart
| from the world and close up for always
1 the springs Of youth and desire the OLD
feeling had ieaped up. had filled him:
he had somehow got a few days Of
respite. and this was the result, this
mad escapade. this dangerous play
timei
The night wore on At last he was
able TO catch Marie's eyes She could
not resist that pleading. the inexpress-
fble hunger In that look Sl.e came
and sat down beside him. and again
Medallion called Oh the figures ef the
dance
They spoke in very VOW tones zying
With what desperate anxiety - ~
vent their hearts = s.ng in thei,
faceA
What do you want to sayf' she
asked. her breath catching
Il want to know. Marie. II you still
love rley' his voice whispered through
the music.
What does II matterr' she said-
~And is it right TO ask"
-I've come all the way from Quebec
to ask it, he said.
You came TO ask thatr What did
you come TO sayT she flashed out. her
| lips quivering little
He understood Forgive me-
| thought you knew I couldn't ask you
r you cared unless r.
He paused. for II be spoke the words
the die would he cast forever: he would
never return 10 those quiet walls
where incense and not the breath Of
woman-a breath like this soft. sweet.
instinct with youth and delight would
touch his senses Yet what had be
come for; To rack a girls heart and
soul and then return to his masses
and prayers. leaving an injured life BE-
hind himg When be started from Que
bee he scarcely knew what he was 60
ing to do. save that be must see this
girls face once-once again. He had
had no thought beyond that. That de
sire WIS hot within him. He did not
know-she might be married or dead
t.w.e -
would see her. then return to his "a
cred duties and forget In coming at
all he had committed sin for which
he would have to atone bitterly when
he returned. II be returned. but the lat
I ter thought had not presented Itself TO
him definitely. though Il had flashed In
and out of the vapors of emotion like
I flying flame
But now here was Marie. and here
was he in the garb of the workaday
world. and frivolity and irresp nsibie
gayety around thcm- and he. all on a
sudden. with his fariway boytsh resk-
| lessness again alive in him. the master
/ of the revels.
"CuIess:' Marie asked Yes. 'un-
less:'- There were two little lines at
the corners OF her mouth-lines which
never come to u girls face unless she
! has suffered and lost. Marie had not
! only a heart. but sense OF honor. too.
| for the mau. Having come TO her thus,
whatever chanced he should justify
/ himself In so far as might be by say
ing what auy honest man would say.
She had q right to know If he still
loved her. and he had no right to know
if she ssin loved him until that was
done He must be justified in her sight.
u Il a lS,s