Los Angeles herald., 1907-07-14

penej long ago? Is that goodness, father? Tell
me- is that goodness?"
The priest paused in his restless walking and
sat at his desk, under the lamp and faced the
young girl standing before him. flushed with the
excitement of her thoughts. "Have you asked him,
my child? Have you put 1t to him fairly?--or is
this another folly of a night?" he concluded, a
trine sharply.
asked him!" Eugene pursued not needing
the obvious reference to her mother and Mchael's
father asked him! have implored and threat
ened and gone on my knees to him, father. But
he only repeated his orders that was
not to see Michael. Late at night we used to
meet by the help of my maid He would slip up
the columns of the veranda to little balcony out
side my window. All, God, the torture Of the
nights he was not there!" The priest moved
easily in his chair and then spoke, less firmly and
with apparent reluctance.
Remember, my child, that you your father
much--everything. And II, too, owe him much,
all of this" And he cast a glance about the cosey
little study and into the hall and rooms beyond.
Michael rose and, throwing his arm about the
ouivering girls shoulders, addressed her in calm,
reasoning tone.
Father McGrath is right. It would not do for
him to offend your father. We cannot ask it Of
him. Come, dearest, must go further"
"oh,--oh, that's what you mean" she said real
izing that to her father the old priest owed the
hat
asking him to do was the thing that would most
bitterly antagonize Gaillard Of all things in the
world. "oh," she repeated, that's what you
mean"
Father McGrath bowed his white head under
the lamp-light. He was ashamed Of himself be-
fore these two children.
For moment the girl seemed to be in deep
thought. Then she turned to Michael, buttoning
up her great flowing overcoat--a mans garment.
one of Michaers which he had brought her.
''It'e true, Michael. We cannot ask 1t OF Father
McGrath hadn't thought of that Come let US
go further. There is no train tonight. But we
can't go back. Father McGrath, you will give US
your blessing anyway? And you won't direct them
so they can follow us?" She held out her hand
appealingly toward the lamp-light ON the desk.
The old priest drew his hands down from his
face and looked UP at the young people before
him.
where are you going?" he asked. What are
you going to do?"
1--WE cannot part-I don't know where we shall
20 But we shall be together!' And the rapture
OF the girls voice matched that in her burning
golden eyes.
Suddenly the old priest sprang to his feet and
came to them with both hands out-stretched
"You shall not leave me sol cannot let you go
in this manner The sin would be mine TOT
thinking only of myself 1 can't let you go So l
will do it, You shall be joined by Our Lady Star
of the Sea-"
Half an hour later the three stood in the little
white gravel path which led from the cnurch
to the priests cottage. The path was very wnite
and the lawn was very black in the mystery OF the
moonlight which was blue powdered haze over
the sea and the land The surf was pounding on
the beach at irregular intervals. The priest held
out his hand in parting But Michael added hastily:
Father. don't you think you should introduce
lis properly to Croxon, across the way?"
And 80 the three trudged over to the little Inn
Eueonis looked over Michael's shoulder in curl
GUS, pert little while he wrote In the pom
derous dog-eared old register: Michael Halloran
and wife" And then she sighed with deep
breath of contentment, and dropped her head on
her husbands shoulder.
little before eleven that night after mucn
buryng hither and thither. messenger crossed
the lawns from Gaillard's to Mrs. Halloran's for
the first time in years-for the first time SINCE