Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1907-10-05


whom / had spoken since the tragedy.
| Had she loved Willoughby. II would
have been hopeless TO expect any SYM
! patty from her She would have felt
| toward me lifelong hatred
But she did not love Willoughby. II
I was merely sense OF duty that had
: urged her 20 seek from me my story
I Perhaps she wished 10 tell II 20 his
F, bereaved parents. It was 10 be a sort
| OF reparation owed To the memory OF
the man who had loved her
She had judged me without emo
ton. without passion. She had spoken
| no words OF reproach or anger. She
was leaving me IN silence. But
knew that the silence Of this woman
J would haunt me as no spoken word OF
bitterness ever could II was ST.
4 lence that would irritate and madden
/ with the coming years. It was hope
/ less 70 make her understand. TO ex-
pect one word Of sympathy But at
/ least she should speak though Il were
I in anger I leaned toward her: there
was a certain pride in my humility
Like the others. you think 7 have
forfeited the right 70 one word OF
sympathy"
More than all the others. should
think" she answered calmly. without
hesitation
Yes. I said. YEARLY. you have
placed a placard on my back. as they
used 90 put a high paper cap on the
boys in school. On the cap the school
masters used TO write the word
Ounce on the placard you have
written the word Coward And yet
am not quite a coward. DO you re-
fuse 20 see that I am simply one Of
those men whose fate It has been to
be tried TO the uttermost? Forgive
me; am appealing 20 your sympathy
after all. You resent that. Il Is quite
natural II was a moment of weak
ness" Again I pushed back my chair.
She regarded me half curiously.
Perhaps she noticed I was haggard
and pale. Perhaps in spite OF herself.
she was a little sorry for me.
ooh. I suppose" she said. very
gently. chat there is something TO
be said IN the defense Of everyone.
BY and by I may feel less bitter to-
ward YOU. Mr.. Haddon. 7 shall re-
member that you did not snare your
sef-that you might not have told
me"-her voice fell 70 a whisper
everything"
Thank you for saying so much. N
there were any reparation would
make st.. You should know that"
"Reparationi" Her eyes flashed.
'How can YOU speak Of reparation2"
And Is there no atonement possl-
bic even for the most wretched?"
She looked down az me almost
sternly. for she had risen az the cues
tion. Then. as n a thin veil had been
drawn from her face. 7 saw the gentle
pity OF womanhood reflected there. A
strange sweetness came into her voice
as she spoke slowly almost unwin-
ingly. IL was a mystical message OF
comfort she was bringing 20 me. She
was suggesting way OF hope after
all
Because OF you a life has been lost
20 the world 7 leave out the per
sonal loss 20 myself Because OF
your weakness. TO call Il by the most
charitable name. the world IS the
poorer FOR one strong soul"
"Yes."-I said. humbly, yes"
"But a." She spoke more eagerly.
"if through YOU a life were saved for
tho world-if Il were TO be a life for
a life"
moment stared az her. uncom-
pretending. She had suggested way
OF escape so romantic that 20 one llv-
Ing In this twentieth century IL may
seem absurd. But tho very audacity
OF the suggestion appealed TO me.
Yes / cried. passlonately. 81 UNI
derstand. 10 is TO be a life for a Ufei
Tn some way, no matter how. am 10
save life for the life that has been
lost through me-"
at least that should restore your
self-respect." she assented almost
coldly. She wished me TO understand
that whatever I might or might not
DO was no concern of hers. But I
was not TO be discouraged
And If ] am so fortunate as 20 ac-
complish this"-I held her eyes
stoadily-'win you. 1 should say
rather viii the world. your world. re-
member that? Shall I then stand on
the same plane as other men IN your
respect?"
Il vouch nothing for the world and
certainly not" she added, haughtily.
'for myself"
felt an emotion that was very near
that OF triumph. Il Is extraordinary
how ia the most sacred Of moments
the passion TO conquer, TO subdue.
obtrudes itself. Henceforth. whether
this woman would have it so or not.
there was bond between rs. She
had suggested a way Of escaped I ac-
cepted Il with passionate gratitude. +
swore to myself. as ! stood before her.
that I would not rest until I had ac-
complished the sacred task she had
set me. l answered with a holiness
that surprised even myself:
From this day my one object in
life shall be TO make the reparation
you have suggested. But when that
is done you will know TT
1 saw her hand tremble as she light
ly touched her hair. Il was not so
much embarrassment that brought
the slow blush TO her cheek as anger.
She turned from me without word.
I watched her disappear with
strange exultation.