Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1908-08-13

went in to see if the place was safe. They
heard mis- steps upon the stones, the rat
tie of falling plaster. The waiting was
long before he appeared and beckoned.
They followed him into the little stone
shop. A breath of GOODNESS still fingered
in the dim place, and the fruity odor of
spilled wine. The ash-covered floor was
packed hard, and still was damp from the
gusts of rain through the open door and
the broken-backed roof. Steady as a clock
ticking there was heard the drip, drip"
from somewhere among the merciful shad-
ows, where the old Soldier of France was
sitting.
Lara, dearest, should have spared
you this. Must you go farther" Peter
whispered. "Crusoe and l will be only
a moment"
Il am going, too" the girl answered.
The three climbed over the heap of
stones, which was the rear doorway, and
entered the court from whence the song
birds had flown. Across the drifts of
ash, into the dark beyond, they made their
way, Constable leading, Crusoe last.
They were sitting together-the lovers.
She had been listening, like Desdemona,
as he "spake of most disastrous chances
battles, sieges, fortunes" Soronia had
been the first to see the sinister face Of
Iago at the door She had bent forward
and covered in her arms the face of her
soldier, her painter of pictures.
Thus they had fallen-the adventurer in
the shelter of the golden vine. Pelee
had covered them with dust-each particle
of covering dust fresh-wroughb from the
fire in which the stars were forged.
Don't touch, Crusoew Peter warned.
Something in the tone caused the man
| who was accustomed to do as he pleased
to forbear from his investigations. After
all, his own life had been spared because
Constable had taken him captive, and the
trip had paid. Crusoe did not understand
what was between the millionaire and the
revolutionist. 1t occurred to him at last
| that this something must have been great
| er even than dollars yet he was not sure.
| The look upon Constable's. face as he led
| the woman into the sunlight was that of
| fortunes lost Crusoe left them there,
and made his own way back to Fort de
France, to wait for his ship. He was
| happy to be alive, but he carried a crown
ing mystery in his brain. This had to do
with a millionaire's generosity on the one
hand, and a milionaire's perversity on
the other. After all, he acknowledged
| that he knew less of Constable than when
he left New York.
Peter and Lara had descended nearly
to the shore when she said: IF your
strange friend had not come into our lives,
we could never have known each other as
| Il We MIGHT houo lovo5 nd
gone our way, without knowing all that
it means to be human, without knowing
all that our hearts could make us do
at all worked out like a mosaic for
you and me, Lara. Our valants fell about
us, but we were left. Always in our
greatest need man arose to help-Breen,
Negley, Ernst, little Denny"
WAS there work for Pugh to do?' she
asked.
"Ah, Pugh-the weak sister, He kept
you from going into the harbor too soon
l shall pay him and let him go his way
tonight in Fort de France. The sea is
a strange mistress to mother two such
sons as the lion Negley and the poor little
jackal Pugh! Sweetest Lady
| am in love with you and the world
Bear witness that l forgive Pugh-aye
| forgive Mondet, See, down the Rue
Victor-the wreck of Les Colonies! The
little editor was there, perhaps, writing
his paragraphs on the stanchness of Pc
lee. Once, Lara, my mother
said, Peter, some time you will breathe
the breath of lifer | know what she
meant now. ! wonder how she knew"
Mothers are close to the heart OF
things"
There were tears in her eyes. To the
right of them, among the ruins, a wailing
woman had found her own.
They had traversed the Morne dor.
ange The sun bathed the fields. The
wreck of the great plantation house was
hunched closer to the ground As he
neared the rim Of the cistern, Peter halted
suddenly by the stricken lianas, and beck.
oned Lara back. The we'll curbing was
broken away, and the earth for yards sur
rounding had caved into the pit.
''Mondet was right, after all, about the
earthquake" he said.
Without speaking, they stood there fol
several moments. Then Peter took hel
hand and led her back toward the boat al
the Sugar Landing.
streets of the capital, they strobe, the
man and woman. Easements were oper
to the stars and the sea, but the people
were dull with grief Martinique had los
her first-born, and Fort de France, the
gentle sister of Saint Pierre, was bowed
in the spirit of weeping. They had loved
and leaned on each other, this boy anC
girl of the mother island.
Through the silent crowds Peter anC
Lara walked. a part of the silence, pass
ing the groves and towers, where the law!
of France are born again for the littl,
aliens treading streets of darkness ant
moaning streets of light and tears. 4
field of fire-lights shone ahead, their rex
. glow shining upon new canvas. This wa!
the little colony of Father Damien
brands plucked from the burning of Sain
Pierre. They passed the edge of tn
bivouac. A woman sat nursing her babe
freight upon her face and breast, drows.
little ones about her. Coffee and night
air and quavering lullabies; above all
beautiful Josephine in marble, smilin
dreamily among the stars. 1t was tn
most potent instant of Constable's life
some great joy or thrilling tragedy wa
DTedluln2 upon ne saw u lest
upon the cheek of Lara. The voice o
Father Damien came from the distance
60 thy way, eat thy bread with joy
Z and drink thy wine with a merry heart
for God hath already accepted thy works
5 Let thy garments be always white; an
I let not thy head lack ointment. Liv
$ joyfully with the wife whom thou lowest
/ all the days of thy life"
, There was a cry from behind. 1t wa
d from the lips of the woman with the bah
: at her breast. She had caught the gar
|. ments of Lara in her hands, and, hal
Y kneeling, with her face toward Peter, sh
/. | exclaimed in a voice of joy:
: He is come, He is come ~
J. The silent camp uprose with shout @
: gladness. The remnant of Saint Pierr
e pressed about the man and woman, cry
ing. laughing, kissing their hands. Cor
e stable had not dreamed of such glorify