Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1909-05-21

in open eyed Wonderment.
81 don't care" he went on, unheed-
ing her question. They did worse
things in their time. from what hear
He leaned forward to draw her to
him.
Worse things! But we are doing
nothing bad" said Necig. holding him
off. There's 70 wrong IL loving"
"Of course not" lie assured her.
II am proud eff it," she declared. st
Is tie finest thing. the greatest thing,
t.at has ever come into my Iife Why,
simply can't hold it. wait to sing
il to the stars and cry 1t out to the
whole world Font you?"
e! hardly think we'd better adver-
tise," he said dryly.
why not:"
"Well, | shouldn't care to publish the
tale Of this excursion Of ours. Would
your
II don't see any reason against 1t. |
have often taken trips with Poleon
and been gone with him for days and
days nj Il time"
"Rut, you were not a woman then"
he said softly
mo. not until today, that's true.
Dear. dear. how | did grow all of
sudden, And yet I'm just the same as
| was yesterday. and III always be
the same, Just wild little. Please
don't ever let me be a big tame.
don't want to be commonplace and or
binary | want to be natural-and
good"
you couldn't be like other women"
he declared and there was more ten
derness than hunger In his tone now
as she looked up at him trustingly
from the shelter of his arms. 1T
would spoil you to grow up."
ut is 50 coed to be alive and to love
you like this" she continued dreamily,
staring into the fire. 81 seem to have
come out of o gloomy house into the
glory of a warm spring day, for my
eyes are blinded, and | can't see half
the beautifuls want to. there are so
many about me-"
"Thosc are my arms" interjected the
soldier lightly in an effort to ward OF
her growing seriousness.
eve never been afraid Of anything.
ard vet | feel so safe inside them.
Isn't ii queer:
The yCung man became conscious OF
vague discomfort and realized dimly
that fer hours now he had been smoth-
ering with words and caresses some
thing that had striycn with him TO be
heard. something that instead OF
dying grew stronger the more utterly
this innocent maid yielded TO him. 1t
was as if he had ridden impulse with
rough spurs IN Il fierce desire to dis
lance cprtaia voices and in the first
mad gallop had lost them. but now far
back heard them calling again more
strongly every moment mans hon.
or If cid may travel feebly, but its
pursuits is persistent 1t was the talk
about his people that had raised this
uneasineSs and indecision, he thought.
Why had he ever started it?
THE marvellous part Of it all. con-
tinupd he girl. is that 1t Will never
erd know | shall love you always.
DO Won suppose am really different
from other Tirls?"
"Evcrytlng is different tonight-the
whole world" he declared impatiently
"I've had big handicap" she said.
"Dut you nnst help me TO overcome II
| want to be like your sister
re rose and piled more wood upon
the fire. What possessed the girl? 1t
was as If she knew each cunning joint
of his armor as If she had realized her
neril ard had set about the awakening
CT his conscience deliberately and with
n cautious wisdom beyond her years
We'll. she had done il. and he sWore 10
himself Then he melted at the sight
of her. cr0uched there against The
shadows. following his every move.
mert With her soul in her eyes, the
tcnderest trace Of smile upon her
lips
When she bchcd him gazing at her
she tilted her head sideways daintily.
like little bird
ooh. my. What fierce you are all
at once.'
Her smile flashed up as if illumined
bv tie leaping blaze. and be crossed
quickly. knPeing beside her.
He liled Mp a great sweet scented
conch CT sprinGy boughs and fashioned
her pillow out Of n bundle of smaller
ones. around which lie wrapped his
khaki coat: then he removed her high
laced boots and. taking her tiny feet.
one in the palm OF either hand bowed
his head over them ard kissed them
with Il sense Of her gracious purity
ard lis own unwOrthiness He spread
enc Of thc Zig gray blankets over her
and tucked her in. while she sighed in
delightful larguor. looking up at him
aii the time,
"IIi sit here beside you for awhile,
he said. Il want to smoke a bit"
~ times great desire To feel her
In his arms. to have her on his breast
surgcd over him. for he had Hired long
apart from women and the solitude Of
he night seemed to mock him. He
was strong man, and in his veins
ran the blood of hayward forbears
who were wont to possess that which
hey conquered in the lists Of love,
ning!cd with which was the blood of
piritcd southern women who had ON
ccaSion loved not wisely. according to
.cntucky rumOr, but only too well
,2yGrtheless they were honest men
v-o,,,,.N Z OnI