The Washington times., 1906-11-25
Copyright. 1901. BY Upton slnclair)
PART II.
CHAPTER I (Continl ID. }

voice David / DO not ike 10 near
such words as that from you"
What words. dearestT"
do you mean actually that it some
times seems to YOU wrong 10 live hap
Dlv with me as you haveT'
David hid his hand quietly upon
hers. watching for minute her anX-
ious couutenance. Then he said in a
low voice, You ought not TO ask me
about such things. dear. or blame me
for them. Sometimes / have 20 face
The very cruel thought that / ought
not ever TO have linked my fate to
one SO sweet and gentle as you, be
cause what / ought To be doiuG ia
the world 10 win "a right conscience is
something so hard and SO stern that il
would mean that / could never be real
~ happy all my life,
David was about 10 SO ON, but he
stopped again because OF HeIea's look
of displelsure. David she wills
pered, that IS the most unIoving thing
that / have ever heard from you"
And YOU must blame me- dear, be-
-ause of it," he asked.
- I suppose" Helen answered, that
sou would misunderstood me as long
as / chose To let you. DO you not sup
pose that j, too. have "a Conscience
do you suppose that / want any happI-
ness il is wrong for us 10 take. or
that l would not dare 10 go anywhere
that your duty took you2 And do you
suppose that anything could be pain
ful 10 me as 10 know that YOU do not
trust me, that you are afraid 10 live
your life and do what is your duty
before me-"
David bent down suddenly and
pressed a kiss upon the girls fore
head. Precious little heart" he wills
peTed, those words are very beauu-
ful.
7 did not say them because they
were beautiful" answered Helen.
gravely; 81 said them because I meant
them, and because / wanted YOU 20
take them in earnest. l want To know
what il is that you and I ought 10 be
doing, instead of enjoying our lives;
and after you have told me what il is
can tell YOU one thing-that / shall
not be happy again in my life until
Il is done"
David watched her thoughtfuuy a
while before he answered. because he
saw she was very much in earnest.
Then he said sadly. Dearest Helen,
perhaps the reason that L have never
been able all through my life 10 salts
~ my soul IS the pitiful fact that
have not the strength to dare any Of
the work OF other men; 1 have
had always 10 chafe under the
fact that must choose be-
tween nOurishing my poor body. or
"easing 10 live / have learned that
al my pOwer-and more. too. as Il
sometimes seemed-was needed 10 bear
bravely the dreadful trials that God
has sent 10 me-"
Helen paled slightly; she felt his
hand trembling upon hers. and she re-
membered his illness at her aunts.
about which she had never had the
courage to speak 20 him. And so.
dear heart" ne went on. slowly. let
us only be sure that we are keeping
our lives pure and strong, that we are
living in the presence OF high thoughts.
and keeping the mastery of ourselves,
and saying ard really meaning that we
live for something unselhsh: SO that If
duty and danger come. We shall not
prove towards, and II suffering comes
we should not give way and lose our
faith. Does that please you. dear
Helen?"
here. After a while he went on still
more solemRly: Some time" he said.
II meant TO talk 10 you about just
that. dearest. 10 tell you how stern
and how watchrul we ought 10 be. II
ls very sad to me to see what happens
when the great and fearful realities
Of life disclose themselves to good and
kind people who have been living with
49, z D. al
that It is very wrong 10 live so. that
i We wished 10 be right we would
hold the high truths before us, no
matter how much labor t. cost"
What truths do you mean?' asked
Helen. earnestly: and he answered
her: For one. the very fearful fact OF
which I have Just been talking-that
YOU and I are two bubbles that meet
for an instant upon the whirling
stream Of time. Suppose, sweetheart,
that 1 were to tell you that ! do not
think YOU and I would be living our
lives truly until we were quite sure
that we could bear to be parted for
ever without losing our faith IN Gods
TiEhtcousnesS2
Helen turned quite white and clutch
ed the others hands in hers; she had
not once thought OF actually applying
what he had said TO her. David!
Davidg' she cried. MOI"
The man smiled gently, as he brush
ed back the hair from her forehead
and gazed into her eyes. And when
you asked for sternness. dear" he
said was Il that you did not know
what the word meant? Life is real,
dear Helen. and the effort II demands
is real effort"
The girl did not half hear these last
words; she was still staring at her
husband: Listen TO me. David" she
said az last, still holding his hand
tightly in hers. her voice almost a
whisper; Il could bear anything; ]
could really die for you. / say that
with all my soul-that was what 1 was
thinking OF when you spoke OF death.
But. David. if you were 10 be taken
from me-if YOU were TO be taken from
me" and she stopped. unable to find
q word more.
Perhaps II will be just as well not
to tell me, dear heart" he said TO her.
gently.
David" she went on more siren
uOUsly yet. 'listen to me-you must
not ever ask me to think Of that! Do