The Camden chronicle. (Camden, Tenn.) 1890-current, 1903-12-25
A SIREN OF THE SEA.
= STORY or TWO LOVES.

lin June viii go TO live in the vll-
lage on the island. but my daring old
dad must come. too. / would die q /
were separated from him"
Again there was a pause. which Ned
Holcomb filled up mentally by plctur-
Ing what those iuttlng rocks would be
without Yyetto's presence, how DESC
late when her voice would no longer
mingle with the beating of the surf.
and She would not be there 10 give him
a gay greeting as his boat ran up TO
the stone steps; when she would no
longer stand looking down on him with
q light Of greeting in her great honest
eyes, which he had grown to expect.
while a sudden glow intensified her re-
markablc beauty.
why must you go to live on the ISL
and-in June?" Ned queried, without
excusing the inquisitiveness Of the in
quiry.
Il am to-bo-mar-ied in June"
Yvette answered "a a quiet, troubled
voice.
TO whom? Holcomb asked, rough
ly.
"A good mon--Peter Stevenson"
Yyette answered, turning to look out
over the water where the last golden
sun rays were lingering before twilight
would soften the crimsons and vivid
puppies of the sky to pale tints and
fading grays.
"And-you care for him, of course?
We have grown to be such good
friends, have we not? know you will
not mind telling me- Ned Holcomb
said, in a friendly voice, which had
queer ring in it. You won't mind
you are so honest and straightfor-
ward"
I've known him all my .ife," Yvette
said slowly. GAS a little girl and
when l was in the convent. In the
holidays we used to play together. He
was always kind and nice. and dad
loves him dearly. Dad was so grieved
when he was i'll, thinking about me,
that l promised him l would marry
Peter in June. Just two weeks OF
now!"
you did not answer me. Yvette,"
Ned half whispered, taking Yvette's
hands and holding them tight. Tell
me-"
A whole lifetime may be lived some
times in a few moments. The future
may stretch out before us in luminous
colors, and just as a flash of lightning
during the density Of a storm will re-
veal all the hidden features Of a land
scape with a precision never to be
oDiiterated from memory, so a few
words under the intensity of feeling
will unriddle the strange mystery of
tangled hopes and desires to which we
have been drifting, perhaps uncon-
sciously.
Yvette raised her eyes steadily and
met Holcomb's look and read it, as no
woman ever fails to do.
Il do not now, but will in time. He
is good and loves me dearly. Stop! /
know what you would say. Do you
think l would let you-marry a light
housekeeper's daughter2 You, with so
much to live for? Oh, no no! But it
was pleasant. You have made these
past months so bright. When l go l
will remember how you used to come
to our lighthouse to cheer US, and how
pleasant the evenings were. Good
BY"
Standing before her. Ned Holcomb
lost his head, and poured out the pent-
Up words which. by Yvette's beauty
and constant companionship during
the past months, had been stored up,
waiting for just such an occasion for
utterance.
What did he care for the worlds
opinion? Ned asked. Was not hap
piness the sole and rightful aim of
life? Has not each one the right to
seek it. and grasp it. wherever and
whenever the chance occurs? Is it
not far more honest to break faith
with one when ones whole soul and
thoughts are wrapped up in another's
Yvette spoke like a child! Like the
dear, honest, unsophisticated little
girl that she was. It was absurd, hid
eous, to think for an instant of throw
ing herself away on a common ship
wright. She must marry him. and
they would go away, anywhere, and
Ben Ker would join them. Who in al
this world was so beautiful and noble
as Yvette- His Yvette
'You think so now. but it's all Z
mistake, dear" she answered, slowly
a great tenderness yelling up in hel
heart. "Ycur life and mine lie far, fal
apart You must go your way, and