Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-05-17
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a typical Brit sh gentleman of the edu-
Gated class. with all parts of the body
properly developed and held in some kind
of suitable poisa. Clear of eye. clean
skinned. sun burned with the delicate
scn-burning which comes Ia skin con
Sistentiy healthy: his curly yellow brown
hair Gu; short. showing the round head
which marks the athletic rather than the
intellectual type of man. There was
stamped all over him that sort of uncon-
Scious self-possessicn and indifference to
results which crea belief in one's self
and make one independent of the ideas
Of others
As S ephen locked the anxiety ana
chasrin which torman;ed her seemed -
pass away. She realized that here was
a nature quite different from Ter own.
and which should be dealt with in a way
unsuitable to herself and the conviction
seemed 10 make the action which il ne
cessifa ed more easy as we'll as more
natural 10 her. 1t was thus that she
learned her first great lesson of tolerance.
Men tolerant of ideas. women are
tolerant OF persons. federation is
recognition of different standards of eN-
celience. Perhaps for the frs. tima in
her life Stephen understood that il MAY
he necessary to apply to ind viduals
standard of criticism unsuitable to self
Judgment. Her recognition might have
been summed up In the thought which
ran through her mind:
one must be little lenlent with
man one loves
There is virtue in liberation which is
its own reward. and an ease which comes
of its exercise: Stephen. when once she
had allowed the spirit of liberation To
work within her. felt Immediately its
calming influence herself. II was
therefore with brighter thoughts and
task. task only il seemed now:
means to An end which she desired.
Leonard. tell me seriously. why do you
think | gave you the trouble of coming
ont here?''
Upon my soul. stephen. dom; know"
You. don't seem to care either. lolling
like that when ! am serious. The
words were acid. but tine tone was soft
and friendly. famil ar and genuine. put
ting quite a meaning of its own on them.
Leonard looked at her indolently:
Il like to loll''
But can, you even guess or try to
"eleSs. what | ask you?
Il can't guess. The days too hot. and
that sianty with the drinks is not built
yet.
Or may never be-" Again he looked
at her sleeply.
Never he. Why not?"
Because. Leonard. it may depend on
YOU
''AI right then Drive on, Hurry up
the architect and the jerry builder
A quick blush leaped TO Stephens
cheeks. The words were full Of m an
ing. though the tone lacked som hing
but the news was too good. She could
not accept it at once. she dec dad to her
self to wait a short time. Ere many
seconds had passed he retoic d that she
had done so as he went on:
II hope You'll give me say before that
husband of yours comes along. He might
be blue ribbonite. and il wouldn't do to
start such a shanty for rot gut
Again a cold wave swept over her. The
absolute difference of feeling between
the man and herself: his levity against
her earnes. ness. his callous blindness to
her purpose. even the commences of his
words chilled her. For a few seconds
she wavered again in her intention. but
once again his comeliness and her own
obstinacy joined hands and took her hack
to her path. With chagrin she felt that
her words almost stuck to her throat. as
summoning up all her resolution she went
on:
Il. would be for you | would have it
built. Leonardo! The man sat up quickly.
For me?'' he asked. in a sort of won
derment
Yes. Leonard. for you and me-" She
turned away. her bushes so overcama
her that she could not look at him When
she faced round again he was standing
up. his hack toward her. She stood up
also. He was silent for while: so long
that the silence became intolerable. and
she spoke:
Leonard. I am waiting He turned
round and said. slowly. the abs anca of all
emotion from his face chilling her till her
face blancned:
II don't think I would worry about it,
Stephen Norman was plucky. and when
she was face to face with any difficulty
she was all herself. Leonard did not look
pleasant: his face was hard and there
was just a suspicion of anger Strangely
enough this last made the naXt sep
easier to the girl: she said. slowly:
'..All right l think l understand.
He turned away from her and stood
looking out on the distant prospect. Then
she felt that the blow which she had all
along secretly feared had fallen on her.
But her pride as well as her obstinacy
now rebelled. She would not accept
silent answer. There must be no doubt
left to torture her afterward. She would
take care that there was no m AXE
Schooling herself to her task. and press
ing one hand fer a moment To her sid
as though TO repress the beating of her
heart. she came behind him and touched
him tenderly on the arm.
Leonard. she said. softly. ARE you
sure there is no mistakao Do you no.
see that ! am asking You" she intended
to say. Ito be my husband" but she
could not utter the words. they seemed
to stick in her mouth SO she fin shed the
sentence. tina; | be your wife,
The moment the words were Spoken-the
bare. hard. naked. shameless words-tha
revulson came. AS lightning flash
shows up the blackness of the night the
appalling truth of what she had done was
forced upon her. The blood rushed to
her head till checks and shoulders and
neck seemed To burn Covering her face
with her hands she sank back on the
sea: behind her. crying silently bitter
tears. that seemed to scald her eyes and
her cheeks as they ran.
Leonard was angry: his pride was hurt
Why should he have been placed in such
a ridiculous position. He id not love
Stephen in that way. and she should
have known it, He liked her and all tina
sort of thing but what RICH; had she 20
assume that he loved her? He was in
truth that perfect selfish eentist who lives
in the moment and whose impelling force
is his immediate desire. Now as he
stood looking out over the landscape.
without taking in its beauty or even
noticing 1t. for his thought was self
centered. his own grievance mastered,
him. 1t had been hard enough to have
had to reply indirectly to such a chal-
lenge but now 10 have ii forced on him
to give a definite answer yea or nav"
with the added gnominy of having il
taken for granted that he did not know
even enough to understand what she was
driving at. was intOlerable. All the
weakness of his moral nature cama out
in his pa;ulance. He knew 1t. and that
phen might we'll have been at a loss to
his anger as. with manifest
intention to wound he answered her:
What a girl YOU are. Stephen. You
are always doing something or other to
put chap in the wrong and make him
rid cuous. | thought you were joking
not a good joke either. Upon my soul. l