The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-05-22

(Continued.D
 But such wisdom was not yet TOT Harold.
 But of one thing. despite all minor doubts-despite the seeming oi iao a. he was quite sure: stephen did noe love Leonard. Every fibre of his oeins revolted at the thought. She oI so high a nature; he of so low sne so noble; he SO mean. She so full or nisn qualities that all around her gave he. the love and deference Wnlcn .s almost royal prerogatives; ne tnae could not understand the ssnh Irsn tha precision of her likins on wnicn Ino misconception of love was based ne who resented her splendid dignity: wno fIouted eyen her beauty. Dan' the belief was impossible.
 It was characteristic of the man enas in his mind he had anandoneu' lot the present at all events. ms own p.tn He stin loved stephen with all tne strength of his nature. ana ms royS was as changeless as 1t was bottom less: but for him the selfish side ceased to exist. He was trying 70 seIVe stephen; and before this compelling effort every other thought had 70 give way. Even in the keenest moments or his agony he never questioned If she had aver loved hin1s And yet from d thousand little evidences he had come to believe that she held him some where deep in her heart. There are little touches of the hand little squeezes of ones arm. little sinkinSs of the voice in moments of sympathy. little glanees of understanding which even d nature virgin to sexual feeling cannot misinterpret. These doines, and the recognitions of them, are down on the bedrock of our nature Though the glacial detritus of happy or un- happy chance, or the volcanic upheaval of passion, or the slow process of all luvial deposits of experience may cover them over and hide them. they ever re- main on the very foundations of our being He had been satisfied that in manner she loved him in some way and in some degree; and he had hoped in the fulness of time that the childish love would ripen and fructify. so that in the end would come mutual affec- ton which was of the very essence Of Heaven. He believed still that she loved him in some way: but the future that was based on hope had now heen wiped out with a sudden and unspar- ing hand. One thing he had at present to accept. that whatever might be the measure of affection which stephen might have for him. ft was not love as he understood 1t: love between man and woman; the Aaronss rod of love that swallows up all other loves. He resolutely turned his back on the thought of his own side of the matter. and tried to find some Justification of Stephens act.
 It was after many a long cycle Of thought when the circle was completed and the starting place had been reach ed again and again and again. that the seeking and the knocking had ef- fectual result Harold came to believe. vaguely at first but more definitely as the evidence nucleated. that Stephens act was due to some mad girlish wish to test her own theory; 10 prove to herself the correctness of her own reasoning, the fixity of her own purpose. This seemed to more or less satisfy his masculine intellect He did not go on analyzing further; for as he walked about the room with a DOT tion of the weight taken from his heart he noticed that the sky was be- ginning to quicken The day would soon be upon him. and there was work to be done Instinctively he knew that there was trouble in store for stephen. and he felt that In such an hour he should be near her
 ss Harold was inspirited by the coming