The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1907-05-10

] I Aa&l MhA
"Halfg
"Yes. half" He repeated the word
! quickly, avoiding the question In bel
eyes. Then. conscious OF the need for
explanation. he plunged into rapid
speech
"a fraud like mine" he said, has
Sniy one safeguard, one Justiaeation-a
bOundless audscity. Once shake that
audacity and the whole motive power
crumbles. II was to make the audaclty
lmpOssIble-tO tell you the truth and
make II impOssible-tha I came TO
! night. The fact that you already knew
made the telling easier. but il altered
nothing"
Eve raised her head, but be went
resOlutely on.
Tonight" he said. II have seen into
my own life. into my own mind, and
my IDEAS have been very roughly shak
IN into new places.
1--WE never make so colossal a mis-
take as when we imagine that we know
ourselves. Months ago, when your
husband first proposed this scheme to
me, was. according to my own con-
ception. solitary being vastly III used
by fate. who. with. fine stolclsm. was
leading a clean life That was what
| believed, but there, at the very out
| set, | deceived myself. | was simply
man who shut himself up because he
cherished grudge against life and
who lived honestly because he had a
constitutional distaste for vice. My
first feeling when l saw your husband
was one of self righteous contempt,
and that has been my attitude all
along. l have often marveled at the
food of intolerance that has rushed
over me at sight of him-the violent
desire that has possessed me to look
away from his weakness and Danish
the knowledge of it--but now l under
stand
IT know now what the feeling meant |
The knowledge came to me tonight. 1t |
meant that l turned away from his |
weakness because deep within myself |
something stirred In recognition of it.
Humanity is really much simpler than
we like to think, and human impulses
have an extraordinary fundamental
connection Weakness Is egotism but
so Is strength Chilcote has followed
his vice; have followed my ambition.
1t will take a higher judgment than
yours or mine to say which of us has
been the more selfish man" He paus-
ed and looked at her.
She was watching him intently.
Some of the meaning in his face had
found a panied, alarmed reflection In
her own. But the awe and wonder of
the mornings discovery still colored
her mind too wildly to allow Of other
possessing their proper
value The thrill of exultation with
which the misgivings born of Chilcotes
vice had dropped away from her men
al image of Loder was still too absorb
ng to be easily dominated She loved,
md as If by a miracle her love haC
)een justified, For the moment the
was all sutficing. Some
hing of confidence, something of the
innocence that comes not from igno-
ance of evil, but from mind singu
arly uncontaminated, blinded her to
he danger of her position.
Loder, waiting apprehensively for
ONE aid some expression Of opinion,
ecame gradually conscious of this
lck of realization. Moved by fresh
npulse he crossed the small space
hat divided them and caught her .
ands.
Eve" he said gently, II have been 9
.ying to analyze myself and give you :.
le results, but | shan't try any more. =
shall be quite plain with you. y
"From the first moment l took your -
nsband's place / was ambitious. You -
aroused the feeling when =
~ brought me Fraide's message on =
Re first night You aroused it by your =
ords, but more strongly. though more =
securely, by your underlying antago- :. -
SIN. On that night, though did not !.
low 1t, took up my position; made =. -
y determination. Do you know what =.
at determination wasY
She shook her head. =
'Tt was the desire to stamp out Chill -
ties footmarks with my own. to y, :.
owe that personality is the great force -,
pable Of everything. forgot to reck- -.
that when we draw largely upon
lite she generally EFFORTS a crushing
terest.
First came the wish for your re- -.
ect, then the desire to stand well =.
tn such men as Fraide-to feel the ~,
+ of emulation and competition--to -
owe myself strong in the one career -
knew myself fitted for. For a time 49,
} second ambition overshadowed the
st, but the first was bound to reas- 49,,
t itself, and in moment of egotism -
conceived the notion of winning your -
thusiasm as well as your respect" -,
Dve's face, alert and questioning, =
idenly paled as a doubt crossed her a..
nd. 49,
Then it was only-only to stand we'll 49,,
Ii meT
I believed 1t was only the desire to a.
nd well with you. believed 1t un- 10
the night of my speech-if you can a.