The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1909-05-02
THE ISLAND OF REGENERATION


lay over the entrance To the cave. For
ono moment he had stood appalled,
and then he had got To work. How
much time had elapsed before he ar
rived al her door, how much time n
took him 10 clear il away. he had no
idea. He had no thought but that he
must open passage and get to her
dead or alive.
II WAS not wise for him 10 cNpcnd
breath in cries, but until he mad some
reply he could not keep silent. AFTER
that when her answer came to him,
he worked more quietly savc for those
periods when he felt that he must
hear her voice 10 enable INN 70 90 on
Such WAS tho furious energy Of ms
toll that by and by the great mass
Of rock was cleared away save Tor one
huge boulder which fairly blocked the
| entrance. II was light outside now. \
gray dawn and fun of storm. Through
| the wider nterstices she could see nm
| plainly She knew now that her res
| cue was only n matter of time.
/ branch of a tree for n lever and his
| strength would roll tho rock away.
/ She started 10 tell him, but he caught
| glimpse of her white face pressed
| against crevice and the sight IN
| spircd him. With great burst OF
| strength. the like of which possibly had
since Samson pulled apart the pillars
of the temple, he rolled tho great
rock aside and stood in the entrance,
gasping, painting, with outstretched
arms,
But step divided them. That step
she took With sob of relief she
fell upon his breast. naturally, incvit-
ably. His splendid arms swept her
close TO him Her own hands met about
his neck. With upturncd face she
looked upon him i'm all the abandon
ment Of perfect passionate surrender.
He bent his head and kissed her. the !
first time in nll his years that his lips !
had been pressed upon another mouth |
He clung TO her there in that kiss rs
IL 10 make up in ono moment for all |
the neglected possibilities of the past,
as If never in all the bringings forth |
of the future should such another OPP |
portunity be afforded him. He felt |
for the first time in his life the beat |
Of another human heart against his |
own, the rise and fall of another hn-
man breast. the throbbing of another
human soul. Tighter and tighter his
arms strained her TO him. She gave
herself up III that mad, delirous. aw.
full moment 10 the fun flow of long
checked passion and kiss for kiss, pres
sure for pressure. and heart beat for
HtHEt peat. Sne mauc response.
1t was too much IT was the man
who broke away. There was nothing,
no experience. no remembrance 10
teach him. II was all surprise. He
thrust her from HIM slowly Her hands
about his neck. but his back
ward pressure would not be denied.
lie held her at arms length. her hands
outstretched to him: her bosom painting,
her eyes shining, her cheeks aflamc in
the gray dawn. Yielding, giving up
10 him absolutely. vet something, the
metal of the man the re.
straints through which he had gone. the
long battles with his own passion, rose
10 his soul and gave him mastery once
more
Woman. woman he whispered-
no mere local name would represent
her now. She was humanity to him
= Woman; ne whispered, ''my Cod!
He turned away. sank down on one
u u inc great bonlders. that he had
thrown aside and buried his face in
ms hands, his body shaking with emo
lons he could scarcely define but well
understood. The woman threw herself
iown on her knees before him and took
aim once more in her arms.
Man, she said, 81 love you!''
She drew his hands away from his
,aace;. she laid her own face in his I
bleeding palm and kissed it. ,
Man, she said, her lips wet with
ms own blood in sort Of wild. bar.
'arlc sacrament. Imam, love vou!T
He stared at her as one distrauoht
lie had dreamed of this. he had mag.
ned It.. he had prayed for it. he had I
loped for it, but no revelation that i
lad come TO him in the wears of their
ssociatIon equaled in its binding bril- I
fancy, IN its intense illumination. the y
eNelatlon ~ that woman : voice. in
hat woman's eyes, in that woman S J
ouch. !
" Man." she said again, ''I love YOU. '
DO you understand Do You know !
what il moaps?p
Then ne found voice He took her e
and and pressed 1t against his heart. !
Il know he whispered. .'I under {
tand here,
He rose 10 his feet. stopped. caught y
Ter by the shoulders and lifted her to
us level piece of rock i'll bal. I
need on the edge Of the cliff fell I
rsshing. The place was dangerous ms v
Without word he slipped his arm 2
'eneath her, lifted her up as ne might t
ave done child and carried her out '
Pon the sand away from the beetlinp 5
rag: OF the rocky wall. She nestled !
n hls arms with a sense of iov and I
atlsIactlon and heIplessness cared for O
o exquisite that II was almost pajn Q
lc sat her down presently on the c
and and knelt before her. The sun. 9
Ight; sprang through the gray haze on
ne horizon 3. edge and lighted her face
$ he pecred into it. suddenly he threw
Imsclf PROSTATE before ner and laid
rs lids upon her feet.
Net there, she whispered. lavine
er hand upon his bent head. "bnff
ere here in my arms. upon nv hear, !.
or Man. Man, ] love YOU, I
Then knociing by her side he tool, '
er once more within his arms II u
But you. have not said" She bcgau ;
u last. that YOU loved me- '
mere is ne word he said softly !.
IN that speech that YOU have fanpbt y !
ne which Is equal to what 7 feel Yon q
on t Know how | have looked unon
on and longed for YOU ever since om yom I
1adc me know and feel that / was u
nan with man S soul. Night aftor :
lgbt have watched Won as Won went q q
0 Your nook in the rocks Rnt thaT J,
GU nave taught me honor and cons;dY !,
rations what it is TO be Il gentleman .
H1u followed Won and c,neTLl - v