Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1907-04-15

was SlVQuCHt w IClVuL WOlu INV
took step forward and, standing quite
close to him. laid both hands on his
shoulders.
For space they stood silent, she
with her face lifted, he with averted
eyes. Then very gently he raised his
hands and tried to unclasp her fingers,
There was scarcely any color visible in
his face, and by curious effect of
emotion 1t seemed that lines, never be-
fore noticeable, had formed about his
mouth.
what is it?" Eve asked apprehen-
slvely. what Is it?"
BY swift involuntary movement
she had frightened the pressure Of her
fingers, and, without using force, 1t
was impossible for Loder to unloose
them With his hands pressed irreso-
lutely over hers he looked down into
her face.
"As sat in the theater tonight, Eve,
he said slowly, "all the pictures had
formed of life shifted Without desir-
ing -, without knowing 1t, my whole
point OF view was changed. suddenly
saw things by the worlds searchlight
instead of by my own miserable can
die. suddenly saw things for you, in.
stead Of for myself"
Ewes eyes widened and darkened,
but she said nothing.
81 suddenly saw the objectionable
wrong that have done you, the i'm.
perative duty Of cutting it short" He
spoke very slowly in dull, mechanical
voice.
Eve, her eyes still wide, her face
panied and alarmed, withdrew hel
hands from his shoulders. "You
mean" she said, with difficulty, "that
1t is going to end? That you are going
away? That you are giving every.
thing up? oh. but you can't! You
can't" she exclaimed, with sudden ex.
element, her fears suddenly overmas-
tering her incredulity. "You can't!
You mustn't. The only proof that
could have interfered"
II wasn't thinking Of the proof"
'grhen Of what? OF what?"
Loder was silent for moment. "Of
our love-" he said steadily.
She colored deeply. But why!" she
stammered. why? We have done nc
wrong. We need do no wrong. We
would be friends, nothing more, and
Lob, SO need q friend!'
For almost the first time In Loder's
knowledge OF her her voice broke, her
control deserted her. She stood before
him in all the pathos of her lonely girl
hood--her empty life.
The revelation touched him with sud
den poignancy. The real strength that
lay beneath his faults. the chivalry
buried under years Of callousness. stir
red at the birth Of new emotion. The
resolution preserved at such cost, the
sacrifice that had seemed we'll nigh I'M
possible, all at once took on different
shape. What before had been bar
rem duty became suddenly a sacred
right. Holding out his arms, he drew
her to him us IL she had been child.
"Eye," he said gently, II have learned
tonight how fully woman's life is 81
the mercy Of the world. and how
scanty that mercy is. If circumstances
had been different believe-I am con
yinced-I would have made you good
husband-would have used my right t
protect you as well as man could use
it. And now that things are differen
I want-I should like He hesitated
very little. "Now that l have nc
right to protect you, except the righ1
my love gives, want to guard you a!
closely from all that is sordid rs any
husband could guard his wife.
"In life there are really only two
broad issues-right and wrong. What
ever we may say, whatever we may
profess to believe, we know that oul
action is always a choice between
right and wrong. A month ago-s
week ago-I would have despised {
man who could talk like this and have
thought myself strong for despisint
him. Now know that strength II
something more than the trampling o.
others into the dust that we ourselves
may have clear road; that 1t L
something much harder and much lesl
triumphant than that; that it 10 stand
ing aside to let somebody else pass on
Eve he exclaimed suddenly, "Fn
trying to do this for you. Don't vol
see? Don't you understand? The cas-,
course, the happy course, would be t
let things drift. Every instinct is call
ing to me to take that course to g
on as have gone, trading on Chill
cote's weakness and your generosity
But / won't do it. I can't do itp Witt
a swift impulse he loosed his arm
and held her away from him. Eve
it's the first time I have put anothe
human being before myself"
Eve kept her head bent Painful, in
audible sobs were shaking her from
head to foot.
Its something in you, something
unconscious, something high and fine
that holds me back, that literally bar
the way. Eve, can't you see that In
fighting fighting hard"
After he had spoken there was 81
lence, a long, painful silence, durinl
which Eve waged the battle that 81
many of her sex have waged before
the battle in which words are useless
and tears Of no account. She looket
very slight, very young, very forlorn
as she stood there. Then, in the op
pressiye sense Of waiting that fllet
the whole room, she looked up at him
Her face was stained with tears