The Washington times., 1906-12-02

daZed. trying To bring back To her mind
what had happened; and then she put
out her hand and discovered that her
husband was no longer by her. She sat
up with a wild start. and a the same
instant her ear was caught by "a sound
outside, of footsteps pacing swiftly
back and forth. back and forth, upon
the piazza. The girl leaped up with Il
stified cry and ran out Of the room and
down the steps. The room below was
still half lighted by the iickering log
fire. and Helen's shadow loomed up on
the opposite wall as she rushed across
the room and opened the door.
The gray light OF dawn was just
spreading across the lake. but the girl
noticed one thing her husbands
swiftly moving figure. She rushed TO
him. and as he heard her he turned
aud stared at her am instant as il
dazed and then staggered with cry
iulo her arms. David. David she
exclaimed what Is the natter
Then as she clasped him la her she
found that his body was trembling con-
Nusively. and that his hand. as she
took ID was hot like fire: she called -
him again in yet greater anxiety.
"Da vid. David, What Is az You VIII
xiii me ID YOU treat me So,
tic answered her weakly. Nothing,
dear. nothing and she cJugEt him
.o her and turned and half carried
him into the house. She staggered
into a chair with hIm. ana then sat
gazing in terror aJ his c'Gutenan'e-
FOR the mans forehead was burning
aud moist and his frame WAS shaking
and broken. he was completely pros
trated by the fearful ogitatl0u that
had possessed him Helen cried L"
him once more, bIt he could only
pant Wait. wait and sink back
and Iet his head fan upon her arm;
ue lay with MS eyes closed. breathing
swiftly ma shUddeTing now and then
ut was Cod he painted with q sud
den start. his voice Cholans. He has
shown me His face. lie has set me
free
Then again FOR "a long time he lay
with heavmg bosom. Helen whispering
60 him pleadingly, David, Eavld-
As he opened his eyes the girl saw
wonderful look upon his face, and al
last lac began speaking in a low. shah-
ing voice AMI pausIng ofcen 10 eaten
his brelJh: oh. Helen" he said, ".t
is an gone: out ] won, and my ufes
prayer has not been for nothing; !
was never so lost. So beaten; buJ all
The time there was a voice iu my soul
that cried To me To fighJ-thaJ there
was glory enough in Gods home foT
even me, Aud Oh. tonight II came
20 came"
David sank back, aud there was
long silence before he went on. 1t
was wonderful Helen" DE- whispered.
there has come nothing like IL To
me ia an my life. for I had never
drunk such sorrow before, never
known such fearful need. u seems
as II all tHe pent-uD forces Of my
nature broke loose in one wild. fear
ful surge. as II there was force be
hind me lks "a mighty, driving storm,
that swept me on and away beyond
self aud beyond time and out into the
fife OF things IL was like the surging
~ fierce music. II was the great ocean
~ the Infinite bursting its way into
my heart And II bore on me SO that
; was mad with il. so that I knew not
where ] was. only that / was painting
for breath and that I could bear il no
more and cried out in pain"
David as he spoke had been lifting
himself. the memory OF his vision TAX
ing hold OF him once more; but then
he sank uown again and whispered
on. / have no more strength. l can
do no more; but IL was God. and am
Iret.'-
lie lay trembling and bI eathing fast
again. but sinking back from his ef-
fort and closing his eyes exhausted
ly- Alter long time he went on in
a faint voice: Il suppose If / had
lived long ago tnat would have been a
vision of Gods heaven; ard Vet there
was not an instant OF it-even when |
fell down upon me ground and when
/ struck my hands upon the stones
because they were numb and burning
when ! did not know Just what IL
was. the surGing passion Of my soul
flung loose at last. II Vas like the
voices Of the stars and the mountains
that whisper Of That which is and
which cOnquers. OF That which CON
quers without sound or sign; Helen,
] thought OF that wOnderfIG testament
of Pascars that has haunted me all
my lifetiIne-Jhose strange wild. gasp
ing words OF soul gone mad with
awe and beyond all utterance except
a 2ry-Joy JOY; tears OF joy And l
thought of a suu more fearful story:
/ thought that 1t must have been such
thunder-music that rang through the
soul of the Master and swept Him
away beyond scom and pain. SO that
the men about Him seemed like teer-
ing phantoms that He might scatter
with His hand before the glory of
vision in which II was all one to live
or die. Oh. il is that which has brought
me my peace. GOOD needs not our
help, but only our worship: and be
side His glory all our guil' is nothing.
and there is no madness like our fear
And oh, If We can only hold to that
and fight for 1t. conquer all tempta-
tion and all pain-all fePT because We
must die and cease TO be"
The man had ciinched his hands
again and was lifting himself with the
wild look upon his countenance; he
seemed To the girl TO be delirious. and
she was shuddering. half with awe and
half with terror. She interrupted him
in z sudden burst of alarm: Yes,
yes; but, David. David, not now. not
now-it is too much-you will kill your
self"
4 can die he painted; Il can die,
but 1 cannot ever be mastered again,
never again be blind. Oh. Helen. all
my life / have been lost and beaten
beaten by my Wea knAss and my faar.