The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1907-05-24

/ her glance back again. mo, she SaiC
very slowly. "YOu are not too old. Blu
( there are times when age-and things
/ like age-are not the real consideration
1t seems to me that your own incllna
ton, your own individual sense OF
/ right and wrong, has nothing to dc
with the present moment. The ques-
ton Is whether you are justified In go
Ing away"-she pause |, her eyes fixed
steadily upon his-'whether you are
free to go away and make a new life.
whether it is ever justitiable to follow
q phantom light when-when there's a
lantern waiting to be carried" Her
breath caught She drew away from
him, frightened and elated by her own
words.
Loder turned to her sharply. Ever
he exclaimed; then his tone changed.
You don't know what you're saying"
he added quickly. You don't under
stand what you're saying"
Eve leaned forward again. YES"
she said slowly. Il do understand"
Her voice was controlled, her manner
convinced She was no longer the girl
conquered by strength greater than her
own. She was the woman strenuously
demanding her right to Individual hap
piness.
81 understand it ALL" she repeated.
II understand every point. 1t was not
chance that made you change your
identity, that made you care for me,
that brought about-his death I don't
believe it was chance. | believe II was
much higher. You are not
meant to go away"
AS Loder watched her the remem-
brance of his first days as Chilcote
rose again, the remembrance of how
he had been dimly filed with the be-
lief that below her self possession lay |
q strength-a depth-uncommon In wo- |
man. AS he studied her now the in |
stinctive belief famed into conviction. |
Ever he said involuntarily.
With a quick gesture she raised her |
head. "No!' she exclaimed. NO; don't
say anything You are going to see
-hings as I see them-you must do So
,asts away the substance for the shad
wv" Her eyes shone-the color, the
Flow, the vitality, rushed back into her
ace.
John" she said softly, 81 love you,
md need you, but there is something
With greater claim-a greater need
han mine. Don't you know what 1t
81"
He said nothing. He made no GEES
ure
at is the party-the country. You
1ay put love aside, but duty is differ
MT. You have pledged yourself You
re not meant to draw back"
Loder's lips parted.
Don't" she said again. Don't say
nything. | know all that is in your
lind. But when we sift things right
trough it isn't my love-or our happi
really in the balance. 1t is
our future" Her voice thrilled "You
re going to be a great man. and a
reat man is the property of his coun-
". He has no right to individual ac-
on"
Again Loder made an effort to speak,
ut again she checked him.
"Waitr she exclaimed. wait! You
elicve you have acted wrongly, and
1u are desperately afraid of acting
rongly again But Is 1t really truer,
ore loyal for us to work out n long
in grooves that are already
-erfilled than to marry quietly abroad
I'd fill the places that have need Of us?
hat is the question | want you to ar
yer. Is 1t really truer aud nobler?
/. / see the doubt that is in your
nd! You think it finer to go away
d make new life than to live the
e that is waiting you-because one is
dependent and the other means the
Q of another mans name and another !
ms money-tnat is the thought In
ur mind. But what is it that prompts
1t thought?" Again her voice caught,
I her eyes did not falter. Il will
you. 1t Is not self sacrifice, but
de-" She said the word fearlessly.
4 flush crossed Loder's face. "a
IN requires PRIDE" he said In low
Ice. 6
Yes. at the right time. But is this
right time? rs it ever right to
'ow away the substance for the shad-
Z? You say that don't understand "a
At realize. | realize more tonight ~
IN have realized In all my life. q,
ow that you have an opportunity
t can never come again and that It's 81
ribly possible to let 1t Slip pr
he paused. Loder, his hands rest ha
on the closed doors of the cab, sat
y silent, with averted eyes and bent w
I'd. ne
Only tonight" she went on, you co
! me that everything was crying to
/ to take the easy, pleasant way In
Ell II was strong to turn aside, but OF
v 1t is not strong. 1t 10 far nobler to in
an empty niche than to carve one
yourself John"-she suddenly Or
ned forward, laying her hands over tn
MIR. Fraide told me tonight that ha
his new ministry my-my husband no
3 to be undersecretary for foreign HI
lirs" tr