Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-03-08
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and modest you no more"
His forehead scanned with sudden anger.
"A mere bait" he protested. In any
event it is hardly worth discussion"
And the answer came, clear and reso-
lutte:
Il think will agree to those terms"
At first he regarded her with undis-
gu1sed and wordless amaZement. Then
the appalling thought darted through his
brain that she contemplated this supreme
sacrifice in order to save him. A clammy
sweat believed his brow, but by sheer
will power he contrived to say:
You must be mad to even dream Of
such thing. Don't you understand what
1T means to you-and to me? 1t is a ruse
TO trap us. They are ungoverned savages.
once they had you in their power they
would laugh at a promise made to me-"
You may be mistaken. They must have
some sense of fair dealing. Even assuming
that such was their intention, they may
depart from it, They have already lost a
great many men. Their chief, having
gained his main object, might not be able
to persuade them TO take further risks l
Will make it part of the bargain that they
first supply you with plenty of water. Then
you, unaided, could keep them at bay for
many days. We lose nothing; we can gain
them"
"Iriis!' he gasped. What are you say
ing?"
The unexpected sound of her name on his
lips almost unnerved her. But no martyr
ever went to the stake with more settled
purpose than this pure woman resolved to
immediate herself for the sake of the man
she loved. He had dared all for her. faced
death IN many shapes. Now it was her
turn. Her eyes were lit with seraphic
hre, her sweet face resigned as that of an
angel.
Il have thought it out" she murmured,
gazing at him steadily, yet scarce seeing
MIN: 1T is worth trying as a last ex-
pedient We are abandoned by all. save
the Lord; and it does not appear to be His
holy will to help us on earth We can
struggle on here until we die. Is that right,
when one of us may live?'
Her very candor had BETRAYED her She
would go away with these monstrous cap
TORS endure them, even f1atter Them until
she ana they We're far removed from the
Island. And then-she would kill herself
IN her innocence she ina gined that self
destruction, under such circumstances was
pardonable offense. She only gave a life
TO save life, and greater love than this is
not known to God or man.
The sailor, in a tempest of wrath and
WIG emotion, had 1t in his mind to comnel
her into reason, to shake her. as one shakes
Maynard child.
he rose to his knees with this half
formed notion in his fevered brain Then
he looked at her, and a mist seemed to
shut her out from his sight Was she lost
TO him already? Was all that had gone
peIore an idle dream of joy and grief a
wizards glimpse of mirrored happiness and
vague perils? Was Iris, the crystal souIed
thrown to him by the storm-lashed waves
TO be snatched away by some Irresistible
and malign influence?
In the mere physical effort to ,ss,ra
himself that she was still near to him he
gathered her up in his strong hands. Yes.
sne was there, breathing wondering nal
ppltatins. he folded her closely to his
breast and, yielding to the passionate
her: W
My darling. do you think I can survive
your loss! You are life itself to me- If
we are to die, sweet one, let us die to-
gether.' ' oio 'o-
linen ..I Iris flung her arms around his neck.
sohhea am quite. quite; quite happy now she
would come-this way, butt am thankfni
For a little while they yielded to
the glamour of the divine knowi.
e eogf that nat amid the chaos of eternity each
no need for words. Love, tremendous in
IT'S power. unfathomable in its mys-
terry, had cast its spell over them. They
were CARRIED in light throned in a palace
quilt by fairy hands. On all sides souatted
the ghouls of privation misery, danger.
even grim death; but they needed not the
inferno; they had created paradise in an
Then Iris withdrew herself from the
mans embrace. She was delightfully."- sbv
and timid now. ely
SO you really do love me?" she wbis-
PSfSo, Siii1cOil-ldCGu, with SHINING and
parted lips.
He drew her to him again and kissed her
tenderly. For he had cast all doubt to the
winds. No matter what the future had in
SORE, she was hls-his only; it was not il,
mans power to part them. A glorious Ell.
rulgence dazzled his brain. Her love had
given him the strength of Goliath. the con-
ndence of David. He would pluck her from
me PeriIs tnat enV1roned her. The Dyak
was not yet born who should rend her from
him. " o'''
He fondled her hair and gently rubbed
her cheek with his rough fingers. The sud
zen sense or ownership of this fair woman
was enhancing. 1t almost bewildered him
to ind Iris nesting close, clinging to him
In utter confidence and trust
But l knew, l knew" she murmured
You betrayed yourself so MANY times Won
wrote your secret to me- and though vo,,
did not tell me, 1 found your dear words
on the sands and have treasured them next
my heart"
her away gingerly, just so far that he could
look into her eyes.
Oh 1T is true, quite true" she cried
drawing the locket from her neck. Don't
you recognize your own handwriting or
were you not certain Just then that vo,,
really did love me p 49,
Dear, dear! How often would she reneat
tnat Wondrous phrase! Together they bent
over the tiny slips of paper. There 1t was
again - Il love you"-twice blazoned in
magic symbols. With blushing eagerness
she told him how, by mere accident of
course, she caught sight of her own ma me-
IL was not very wrong, was It, to pick mn
that tiny scrap, or those others which she
could not help seeing and which unfolded
their simple tale so truthfully? Wrongi II
was so delightfully."- right that he must kiss
her again to emphasize his convictions.
All this fondling and love making had. of
course, an air of grotesque absurdity be-
cause INDUCED in by two grimy and tat
tered individuals crouching beneath a tar
paulin on rocky ledge, and surrounded bv
oloodthirsty savages intent on their de-
struction. Such incidents require the set.
tlng or conventfon-the conservatory. with
It's wealth of flowers and plants; a summer
WOOD. Chippendale drawing room And
yet, God wot, men and women have loved
each other in this gray old world without
stopping to consider the appropriateness of
place and season. -
After delicious pause Iris began again.
Robert-I must call you Robert now
there, there, please let me get a word In
even edgeways-well, then, Robert. dear T
90 not care much what happens now.
suppose 1t was very wicked and foolish of
me to speak as did before-before Won
called me Iris. Now tell me at once. Wbv
did you call me Iris?' '
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