The Hattiesburg news. (Hattiesburg, Miss.) 1908-1917, 1909-11-18

brain over which by the use OF moral |
force and courage she was striving to
establish domination. She rejoiced to
find that even in the midst of her anx-
ieties she could think so clearly about
the situation.
Did he know his lesson, she won
dered. She could only hope. If she
only had weapon, she thought, the
weakness of sex might be equalized.
There was nothing. Yes, her thought
reverted to the womanly pair of scis-
sors. With trembling hand she drew
them forth and clenched the little tool
Of steel tightly. 1t was a poor depend
ence but the best she had. And then
she drew quietly back into the re-
cesses of the cave and sat down lean
ing against the wall, her eyes bright
with dread. anticipation and curiosity.
She watched and waited, resolved If
necessary to remain awake the long
night through.
Outside the man had stood motion
less long time after the final repulse.
The dusk had not yet melted into dark
out there and he was easily visible
against tAC ohy ny tut OpcuIu6
as a dim picture. She was hardly
aware Of the intensity with which she
| watched him and she was greatly sur
prised when she saw him at last kneel
down upon the sands. She saw that
the palms of his hands were pressed
together in front of him; that his
head was bowed, that his attitude was
that of prayer! He was saying some
thing She could hear him without
difficulty. She could distinguish no
words in the rude succession of
sounds that seemed to come from his
lips, but her acute and quickened per-
ception seemed to recognize a nearer
resemblance to articulate speech than
anything she had yet heard from him.
woman realized that the man was
praying. The realization smote her
like blow, for this woman had long
since put away prayer. In her philoso-
ply of life there was no place for God;
in her scheme of affairs the Divine
was unimminent. And yet alone on
, that island, in the darkness, despite
: her attempt to mock away the con-
: seriousness, she was relieved at that
sight.
The little ritual on the sand ended
with the one word her pupil knew.
Mani" he said striking his breast
, again and staring upward toward the
2 heavens. Mani" he cried as if in his
t new consciousness he would fain in
r troduce himself to his Maker, the
? woman thought. His Maker." hel
lips writhed into a bitter smile thai
9 was half a sneer.
What would he do next? He rose
t to his feet and peeped toward the
g door. She grasped the scissors tight
e er and held her breath. But he hat
/. learned his lesson. With indescribabl'
d himself down upon the sand where h.
k lay motionless. If she had had an,
:. faith she would have breathed THAN
d God!" AS it was, she was very glaC
v She watched him long time, spec
n uiating on the questions she Rad aske
r. him on the hill in the morning. VIII
q he was what he was; whence b
"a came: where he had learned that bal
TT BILE of prayer; why he was devoid {
II Speech what was the God to whol
he prayed? She would study thos
g things. The problems fascinated he
st The desolation and loneliness OF tt
e. .island might have crushed her. X
Iced from her immediate apprehe
e. sions the man delighted her. 81
lie would investigate him, analyze hi
It. synthesize him, teach him. She won
as mother him as a woman child. }
H. such opportunity as was hers had ev
IN presented itself to human bein
as Free, as she imagined herself, f?o
he inherited prejudices, devoid of old
If, perstitions, crammed with new leaI
ng ing, illuminated with new light, q
horrent of narrow things, she fanci
ad herself well fitted for that strange
lis maternal and preceptive role in viii
in chance had placed her. She would pl
m upon that mind virgin to her touch,
ig- she might use womans word, un
Ict it ran in harmony with her own. Alo
ne upon that island, the rest OF the wo
his away, she would find occupation.
ks terest, inspiration in that nasc'
ee- man.
DO. He lay so still and so quiet Il
-. presently she arose and tiptoed sof
~ to the entrance where unseen :
ho could look down upon him. The me
-: rose back of the hill. Although
~ was in the shadow, there was still
- fraction sufficient to enable her to
-. his face. He was asleep. The gu
voc dreamless, unvexed sleep of heal
,o animal, she thought Their positi
r were reversed. He had watched
;rr before when she was off guard
10 asleep with what dim, dumb, inchc
Ia effort it might be to comprehend
,ho Now it was her turn. He took
"a disfavor in her mind after her ms
49, ton. He was a bold, splendid pi
of what? Clay. She would
,,a a soul in him, her soul. Her soul
,ar the only thing she knew. She for
80, or II she remembered it, disdained
'iah ancient concept that before the
49, of the earth became alive it hat
80 be permeated with the breath