The Yale expositor., 1908-01-03
CHAPTER xV.-continued.

"The case seems fully proved" she
confessed, laughingly, "and it is sure
ly not my duty to punish the culprit.
What did you talk about? But, pshaw,
/ know well enough without asking
she told you how greatly she admired
the romance of the west, and begged
you to call upon her with recital of
your own exploits. Have l not guessed
aright?"
Partially, at least some such ex-
pressions were used"
"Of course, they always are. | do
not know whether they form merely a
part of her stock in trade, or are
spoken earnestly. You would laugh TO
hear the tales of wild and thrilling ad-
venture which she picks up, and actu.
ally believes. That Jack Moffat pos
sesses the most marvellous magma.
ton for such things, and if | make fun
of his impossible stories she becomes
angry in an instant"
Il am afraid you do not greatly ad.
mire this Miss Spencer"
"Oh, but / do: truly do. You must
not think me ungrateful. No one has
ever helped me more, and beneath
this mask of artificiality she is really
noble-hearted woman. | do not I'M
derstand the necessity for people to
lead false lives. Is it this way in all
society-eastern society, / mean? Do
men and women there continually
scheme and fiirt, smile and stab, for
ever assuming parts like SO many play
actors?"
1T is far too common" he admitted,
touched by her naive questioning.
What is known as fashionable social
life has become an almost pitiful
sham, and you can scarcely conceive
the relief it is to meet with one utter
ly uncontaminated by its miserable de-
ceits, its shallow makebelieves II is
no wonder you shock the nerves of
such people, the deed is easily accom-
plished."
But | do not meap to-" And she
looked at him gravely, striving to
make him comprehend. Il try so hard
to be-be commonplace, and-and sat
istied. Only there is so much that
seems silly, useless, pitifully con-
temptible that | lose all patience.
Perhaps l need proper training in what
Miss Spencer calls refinement but
why should | pretend to like what
don't like, and to believe what | don't
believe? Cannot one act a lie as well
as speak one? And is il no longer
right to search after the TRUTH"
Il have always felt it was our duty
to discover the truth wherever posi-
ble," he said. thoughtfully; yet.
confess, the search is not fashionable,
nor the earnest seeker popular"
A little trill of laughter flowed from
between her parted lips, but the sound
was not altogether merry.
Most certainly | am not. They all
scold me, and repeat with manifest
horror the terrible things | say, being
unconscious that they are evil. Why
should / suspect thoughts that come
understand. ! grope about in the
dark II seems 10 me sometimes that
this whole world is a mystery. | go
to Mr. Wynkoop with my questions,
and they only seem to shock him.
Why should they? God must have put
all these doubts and wonderings into
my mind, and there must be an an
swer for them somewhere. Mr.. Wyn-
koop is a good man, | truly respect
him. | want to please him, and | adj
mire his intellectual attainments; but
how can he accept so much on faith
and be content? | know J am a per
feet heathen,-Miss Spencer says
am,-but do you think IL is so awful
for me to want TO know these thingeg
You merely express clearly what
thousands feel without the moral cour
age to utter 1t. The saddest part of II
all is, the deeper we delve the less We
are satisfied I'm our Intellectual ma
sures. We merely succeed in learning
hat we are the veriest pygmies. Mer
like MIR. Wynkoop are simply driver
hack upon faith as a last resort a5so