Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1906-07-17

out. IL am 90 dizzyT she nnisne0
appealingly.
He put her back into her chair and
wrapped the rugs about her. As she
still shivered he added his own to the
pile. When he placed the pillow be-
meath her head she noticed that bis
touch was as tender as a woman's.
The sneer was gone from his lips.
"But you will be cold," she remon-
strated from beneath his rug.
"Not L." he responded. II am q
tough knot. If the fiery furnace has
left me unscathed, little cold wind
won't do more than chap me-"
His voice had grown serious, and she
looked up inquiringly. 1.-THE fiery fur
nace" she repeated.
"Oh, predestined damnatlon, II you
prefer. Are you religious"
Don't" she pleaded, tender light
coming into her eyes, and she added,
1.-THE damned are not kind, and you are
very kind"
Her words faltered, but they chased
tie recklessness from his eyes.
"Kind?" he returned. II wonder how
many men we left In America would
uphold that-that verdict, or how many
women, for that matter"
Her honest eyes did not waver. II
will stand by it." she replied simply.
A sudden illumination leaped to his
face. Against twelve good and true
men!" he demanded daringly.
against thousand and the presl-
dent thrown in"
He laughed a little bitterly. BE
cause of the prunes" He was looking
down into her face.
She reddened. Because Of the prunes
and-and other things" she answered.
A ghost of the sneer awoke about his
mouth. 81 never did meaner thing
than about the prunes," he said hotly.
Then he turned from her and strode
with swinging strides along the deck.
That evening he did not speak to her.
They lay side by side In their steamer
chairs watching the gray mist that
crept over the amber line of the hori-
zon. She looked Mt his set and sallow
face, where the grim line Of the jaw
was overcast by the constant sneer
upon his reckless lip. 1t was not q
good face; this she knew. 1t was the
face Of man Of strong will and
stronger passions, who had lived hard
and fast. She wondered vaguely at the
furrowed track he must have made Of
bis past years. The wonder awed her.
and she felt half afraid Of his grim
ness, growing grlmmer In the gather
ing dusk. II one were in his power,
how quietly he might bend and break
mere flesh and bone But across the
moodiness of his face she caught the
sudden warmth of his glance, and she
remembered the touch Of his hands
tender as 1t was strong She moved
nearer, laying her fragile fingers on the
arm Of his chair. 81 am afraid you
are unhappy" she said.
| He started nervously and faced her
almost roughly. "Who is happy" he
demanded, sneerlng. Are you"
She sllrank slightly. Somehow l
think that woman is never happy"
she responded gently, "but YOU
He leaned toward her, swift
,hanoa crossing his face his keen
glance softening to compassion. "Then
1t is dastardly unfair" he said. "What
is goodness for II 1t does not make one
happy? am a rough brute, and get
my desserts, but the world should be
gentle to a thing like YOU"
mo, no." she protested. u am not
good"
His eyes lightened. "Any misde.
meanors punishable by law"
81 am discontented," she went on.
II rage when things 60 wrong. am
not saint"
II might have known it," he remark.
ed, "or you wouldn't have spoken to
me. have known lots Of saints-most-
ly wonderland they always look the
other way when q sinner comes along.
The reputation Of saint IL the most
sensitive thing on earth. 1t should be
kept in glass case"
"Are you 80 very wicked?" she asked
He was gazing out TO sea, where the
water broke into waves Of deepening
gray. In the sky q single star shone
| like IN emerald set in fawn colored
dome. The tapping sound Of the waves
at the vessels sides came softly through
the stiffness. Suddenly he spoke, his
voice ringing like a jarring discord In
q harmonious whole.
"Five days ago man called me q
devil" he said, land guess he wasn't
far wrong, only IL was single devil
he was a legion stepped In one. What
a scoundrel he vast"
The passion in his tones caused her
/: start quickly. The words were shot
o, t with the force Of balls from can
non. sustained by the impulse Of evil.
Don't" she said pleadingly; please,
please don't"
Don't what" he demanded roughly.
Don't curse the blackest scoundrel
that ever lived-and died?" Over the
last word his voice weakened as II In
appeal.
Don't curse anybody" she answered.
1T is not like you."
He, turned upon her suspiclously.
"Pshaw! How do you knowT"
II don't know. only believe"
81 never had much use for belief" he
returned. ut Is poor sort Of thing"
She met his bitter gaze with one OF
level calm. "And yet men have suf-
fered death for It."
Above her head an electric Jet was
shining and 1t cast white light upon
her small figure buried under the mass
of rugs. Her eyes were glowing. There
was n soft suffusion upon her lashes,
whether from the salt spray or from
unshed tears he could not tell.
(1o n CONTINUED ~,