The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1909-03-25
1.-THE Shadow Between"
# Y-
SILAS X. HOOKING.

longer than was necessary.
No word of love had passed be-
tween them. They talked freely
about themselves-about their hopes
and disappointments and misgivings;
they discussed subjects in which they
were both interested with perfect
candor; they were excellent com
rades, with an almost perfect under
standing of each others likes and
dislikcs; they were both conscious
of poignant sense of loss when the
other was out of the way; and yet
between them there was a shadow
still that neither would attempt to
lift.
If she had only been poor, he would
not have hesitated a single moment;
but rank and riches formed a com
bination that he had not the courage
to face. 1.-The very suggestion of being
a fortune hunter was like vitriol IN
a wound. Besides, she had rejected
him once, and she gave him no sign
that she cared more for him now
than then.
So the days passed on. Marion
would not stoop to a single vile; but
she had read her heart Alright at last.
If she ever married she knew Glenn
n Mawgan would be her husband.
II he refused to speak, then she
would remain unmarried. She was
not compelled by circumstances to
sell herself for a home. She could
not degrade her womanhood by mar
rying where she did not love. To get
a husband was surely not the be-all
and end-all of a woman's existence.
She could live her life usefully and
even happily, and though the SUI
preme Joy of all might be denied her,
she felt sure that no true life could
be lived without having its reward
of blessedness and peace and no de-
parture from the moral order could
be taken withou its consequent har-
vests of sorrow and suffering.
The day was fixed for Clements re-
turn to London. He was quite re-
stored in health again. Indeed, he
had not looked better for years. He
was buoying himself up with the
thought that he had done a brave and
heroic thing. He had put a bride on
his tongue. and hidden beneath a
mask of outward calm a raging fire
of love-this, he thought, was some
thing to be a little proud of. He
knew he would suffer horribly when
he got back to town-that the wound
in his heart, instead Of healing,
would tester more and more; but
there was compensation in every
thing. He would be able to fatter
himself-as his mother had done in
another way-that he had not low
cred his flag. The family pride re-
NAMED untouched and unstained.
! They had gone out for a last ram
BILE on the cliffs and along the beach.
1t was rather a trying time to both.
The pleasant interlude In their life
was drawing swiftly to its close.
They had conn very close to each
other-hands had touched and almost
hearts; now, in all probability, they
would drift insensibly apart from
each other, and two lives that might
have been one would pursue their
different ways. She knew well
enough that a word from her would
bring him to her feet, but she had
not the courage to speak it. 1t was
not her place to WOO. A woman's
prerogative was to be won.
They were climbing the spur of
cliff that divided st. Chloe Bay from
Penny Perth. II was a momentary
happening and apparently Of no great
Importance. A loose stone gave way
beneath her foot. There was a sud
den cry. followed by a sharp spasm
OF pain. He sprang to her rescue,
and they fell together. He was
scarcely hurt at all, she was rendered
unconscious for several moments.
When she came to herself she was
lying In his arms, his face close to
hers, his lips raining passionate kiss.
es on her eyes and brow.
She looked up at him and smiled.
my darling. you are alive" he cried
out in rapture.
"Of course I'm alive" and she
smiled still more b~ewitchingly.
He felt as though his heart had
stopped. He had kissed her and
called her his darling, and she was
looking up into his eyes and smiling.
"You don't mind?" he said, awk-
wardly and hurriedly. THAT is, you
are not angry with me. I have loved
you from the first, you know. You
are all the world to me-"
4 know l am"
"And you are not d~ispleased with
me? really could not-could not
help myself. You understand. don't
your"
Eyes. I think I do" and the tears
came into her eyes and gave beauty
to her smile.
May l kiss you again?"
And without waiting for an answer
he kissed her on the lips. and in that
kiss the last shadow melted and van
ished. and they knew that for ever
and for ever they two were one.
An hour later they walked slowly
homeward through the quiet lanes.
They were both bruised a little
more. perhaps. than they knew; but
they were conscious of no physical
pain or discomfort. The rapture of