The Richmond palladium. (Richmond, Ind.) 1906-1907, 1906-09-09

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 mon
strous captors, endure them, even fiat
ter them, until she and they were far
removed from the island, and then
she would kill herself. In her limo
cence she imagined that self destruc-
ton under such circumstances was
pardonable offense. She only gave
life to save life and greater love
than this is cot known to God or man.
The sailor in a tempest of wrath and
wild emotion. had it in his mind to
compel her into reason-to shake her as
ore shakes a hayward child.
He rose to his knees with this half
formed notion I'm 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 before an idle dream Of
joy and grief, wizards glimpse of
mirrored happiness and vague perils?
Was Iris, the crystal sOuled, thrown
to him by the storm dashed wave, to
be snatched away by some irresistible
and maIign influence?
In the mere physical effort to assure
himself that she was still near to him
he gathered her up in his strong hands.
Yes, she was there, breathing, wonder
ing, palpitating. He folded her closely
to his breast and, yielding to the pas
sionate longings of his tired heart,
whispered to her:
"My darling, do you think 1 can sur
ive your loss? You are life itself to
me. If we have to die, sweet one, let
us die together"
Then Iris flung her arms around his
neck
II am quite, quite happy now" she
sobbed brokenly. Il didn't-imagine-
it would come-this way, butt am
thankful-it has come
For little while they yielded to the
glamour of the divine knowledge that
amid the chaos of eternity each soul
had found its mate. There was no need
for words. Love, tremendous in its
power, unfathomable in it's mystery,
had cast its spell over them. They
were CARRIED in light, throned in pal
ace built by fairy hands. On all sides
squatted the ghouls of privation, mis-
cry. danger, even grim death; but they
needed not the inferno; they had ere
ated paradise in an earthly hell.
Then Iris withdrew herself from the
mans embrace. She was delightfully."-
shy and timid now.
$50 you really do love me?' she whis-
pered, crimson faced, with shining eyes
and parted lips.
He fondIed her hair and gently rub
bed her cheek with his rough fingers.
The sudden sense of ownership of this
fair woman was enhancing. 1t almost
bewildered him to find Iris nesting
close. clinging to him in utter conf
dence and trust.
But l knew, / knew" she murmur-
ed. You betrayed yourself so many
times. You wrote your secret to me,
and, though you did not tell me, 1
found your dear words on the sands
and have treasured them next my
heart
What girlish romance was this? He
held her away gingerly, just so far
that he could look into her eyes.
"Oh. it is true. quite true" she cried,
drawing the locket from her neck.
Don't You recognize your own hand
writing, or We're you not certain, just
then. that you really did love me?'
Dear. dear. How often would she re-
peat that wondrous phrasel Together
they bent over the tiny slips of paper.
There it was again, 81 love you," twice
blazoned in magic symbols. With
eagernesS she told him how,
by mere accident of course, she caught
sight of her own name. 1t was not
very wrong, was it, to pick up that
tiny scrap or those others, which she
could not help seeing and which I'M
folded their simple tale SO truthfully?
Wrong, 1t was so delightfully."- right
that he must kiss her again to empha-
size his convictions.
They grew calmer, more sedate. 1t
was so undeniably true they loved one
another that the fact was becoming
with age. Iris was perhaps
the first to recognize its quiet certain
ty.
''As l cannot get you to talk reason
ably" she protested, Il must appeal
to your sympathy I am hungry, and,
oh, so thirsty
The girl had hardly eaten morsei
for her midday meal. Then she was
respondent. utterly broken hearted.
Now she was filed with new hope
There was fresh motive in existence
Whether destined to live an hour or
half a century she would never. never |
leave him, nor of course, could he ever
ever leave her. Some things We're
quite impossible-for example, that
they should part
jerks brought her biscuit, a tin of |
meat and that most doleful cup of /
champagne.
at is not exactly frappe." he said, |
handing her the insipid beverage. but, |
under other conditions. it is a wine al |
most worthy to toast you in
She fancied she had never before no.
hced what a charming smile he had.
Toast is a peculiarly suitable |
word" she cried. Il am simply friz- |
zling. In these warm clothes
She stopped. For the first time since /
that prehistoric period when she was
Miss Deane" and he Mr.. jerks" she /
the manner Of bar oar