The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1909-05-23

wc--er did not believe in marriage,
and we went away-together.'
Every word was agony TO Langford,
who was a proud man; it was worse
than agony TO Katharine Brenton, who
was a proud woman; and it was worst
agony Of all to the man Of the Is.
land But Langford persisted. Ho did
not care how he hurt himself, Indeed,
he rather luXuriated in the conscious.
ness of his own pain. 1t was part of
his expiation. He realized that he
would have to hurt Katharine, but per
haps the very kecnness of her pain
would make her realize her position,
and he wanted to win her, now that
he had found her and seen her, more
than ever. Nor was his passion a
base one. Again he was ashamed
of what he had already said, so he
spoke the more frankly. He gave no
thought at all to the other man, but
if he had, he would have been glad
to hurt him until he killed him.
"We went on my yacht yondcr three
years ago, lin short--l behaved
like brute on 1T, I will admit. ~
F'I discovered that he was a mar
ried man. said the woman swiftly at
this juncture She, too, wonld be
frank, This grave and midde-aged of
ficer should hear all. ''He had pro-
fessed his belief in those views, which.
il You have read Fate and Destiny
You realized that ] entertained
The officer bowed,
! "And have You abandoned them
nova he asked.
Absolutely. was the firm answer.
'1 am Christian woman, thank God -
E'Thank God, say l too continued
Langford. "Yet | was not altogether
a sham OF lie. 1t was true that |
was a married man.
The lieutenant commander flushed n
contemptuous look at HIM at which
Langford WINGED, but he went on. He
was determined to make an absolutely
clean breast Of the whole affair.
ct is true [ was married man.
Brenton' eloquence and Of her
| beauty
81 can we'll understand that said
the officer, gravely as matter of
course.
81 thought that marriage meant moth
ing, and that the old tie might be dis
regarded. | hated the woman who
bore my name, and so as Miss Bren
ton s disciple, as her dcvotee, for
drearily, "more than her philosophy.
/ proposed that We should tramplc upon
/ the conventions she had taught me TO
believe she despsed, and go away to-
Z gcther.''
But YOU were not free - said the
woman. 'to enter upon such an un
! dertaking' -
! Now. this conversation had been
| carried on with three auditors. or
/ groups of auditors, besides those par
! ticipating; Langford S yachtmen, the
/ marines and seamcn from the Chey-
enne, for the boat was against The
shore. and the man of the island, Whit
taker first awokc to the situation.
! 81 beg your pardon,' he said. "but
would it not be better to continue this
conversation privately?'
:" | think So returned Lancford
! No, said the man of the island. ad-
/ dressing the lieutenant commander for
| the first time, "you and these men arc
of the world. / want the story told
where all the world may hear
Whittaker's 5 surprise at this remark
was scarcely less than be had expert
eneed when the woman addressed him.
! Who was this splendid. godlike form
Of man standing glooming by thc wom-
! an s side. silent. eager, listener to
! all that transpiredl What had he TO
! do with the question that he assumed
this tone and manner of authority? The
officer turned toward the woman,
g think. y said he. quietly, Hthat the
lady should be allowed to decide -
! "My wish is my friend S wish said
| the woman, laying her hand softly up
on the man S arm.
( Whitaker observed that the man
shook it off ncrvously, but the point
being settled, there was no further ap-
peal.
Pray proceed with your story, Mr..
| Iangford.' - he continued.
"No, let me take mp the tale,' cried
the woman. Believing that / was
right. believing that the education and
training which had made me what
was were sound, believing that this
man was as free as | TO choose his
course aud order his life, knowing moth
ing Of his wife, I yielded to his plead
ings, | thought it was a noble and
splendid opportunity vouchsafed me
and, in a measure, vouchsafed HIM to
show the world that we did really be-
lieve what we said, Had ! believed
In God then | should have said his
meeting with me, his conversion to my
theories, his passion for me, his will
hngness to abide by my decision were
/ Providential, ! was glad TO con onsecrate
my life 10 the truth, with his aid to
take the final step in attesiation of my
| belief, TO convince tho world that ono
woman at least had the courage of her
convictions. 1t was a mistake, a fright
which / suppose that must suffer 10
the end of time. -
"No,' cried Langford, "I am here
to repair the blunder,"
There Is no power on earth said
the woman, passlonately. "that can
put me whore | was; that can give me
back that | have lost.
Kate, Kate, cried Langford, "you
don Z understand!"
~ understand too well. Why con
tinue the sorry story? Mr.. Whitaker,
and you that are men beyond, that
have wives and children and sweet
hearts. that have been taught TO love
God, to believe in him, and to observe
his laws. that have submitted your.
selves gladly tn the conventions Of So
eiety-or If any be among You who
have outraged these and gone against
them, taken the law into your own
hands-you will understand sooner or
later what came to me. | discovered
that there was nothing high or holy
in this man regard for me; that he
persuaded himself that he believed as
! | SImnlv In ~ 90