Evening journal., 1905-05-01
WHERE LOVE
MAY BE
,1sOa. .Vby T. cAmcciure.l

rCouyright. 1901, Thy T. CAmcClure.1
The trend ofNtheAshore lay hard land
black and ragged in the moonlRgh4.
Long. even sweIlsslifted' the, yachttlike
a cork on their sgiant bosonns, rpised
her there for a moment and ,thenIwe Mt
sliding Iandward. Far awaypon a tiny
black dot OF an island a sleepy little
lighthouse blinkedswit lazy regularity.
now white, now red.
In the cabin the, piano tinkVed mer.
rily, and snatches, of ragtime pntl ex-
cerpts from the latest musical farce
were greeted with much laugh tel: and
noisy applause.
There was not seven a cats pa W Of
wind. The yacht lay 'becalmed, iciding
over the swells like a great wlh5te sea
. bird with folded,wings.
n two chairs near the wheeIl sat a
man and a girl The girl was q ressed
In white. Her face was hard an set.
Her eyes were fixed on the lstant
point where the breaking waves out
lined the shore lnsfrothing white The
mans eyes were regarding thu girl
gravely. His mouth was set tig itly-
SO tightly that harsh lines appeare and
gave his usual careless, jovial a Ice a
new and a far less attractive el pres
sion. But presently the harsh lini IS re-
Iaxed somewhat. and the man sm led
a rather artificial smile and FRI lught
with much cynicism. He leaned to ward
the girl.
"At least" he said slowly, "It have
been thoroughly honest for once.
The girl did not move, and fors some
time she did not speak. When she did
it was one questoningw WORD in tcolor-
less voice:
"Why?"
The man laughed, as If he were lill'at
ease
''WhyT" He repeated Der que stion
'T'm sure don't know. Believe me,
seldom am guilty Of the weakne IS oi
telling the truth-the whole truth. YoI
are the only one who has ever hefnd Il
from my lips, although''-his voice
hardened-"current gossip would give
you the story somewhat aniplihed land
with host Of narrowing details
81 thought the girl began.
"That really was possessed sth'
money my appearance and beilrin
seem to indicator he finished quickly
"They all think that. 1t has berI
amusing generally. Well, the fact is
haven't a sou. I'm punctured bflloo
a social confidence man, a ranh-pir
don the phraseology fusher; but
please heaven, with you l am honest. T"
The girl turned her eyes and loolse'
at him steadily. In the moonlight lae
beauty made him faint and sick a
heart with hopelessness.
"Why?" she asked again simply.
"Because-because." he stamme red
'there was something about you differ
ent from the rest of womankind-
something that touched my res pee
and pride and-and'-
He looked at her and smiled tn
girl bit her lips.
III wanted you to know what mtnne
OF man was" he went on. Il had {
tell you even at tine imminent ris
OF losing - oh, everytllingw he ende
vaguely.
rs poverty such a, disgracef"' sh
asked
"Yes." he said slowly. 1T is blgh
ing. belittling. mean"
as poverty never anything but ign'
blef" she persisted.
"Neverr' he replied.
"And you say you've told me th
whole truthY' she still questioned.
He nodded. The girl rose. Her eye
flashed
'You haven't" she said, with spiri
"You haven't said a word about VIII
you are poor You haven't mentione
to me that it was because you shou
dered your fathers obligations, whic
you s;s:s.ss Gpite as well have evade