Evening star., 1909-07-01
CHAPTER XXI-Continued.


after a divine silence. lit was like the
heart Of me had been torn out. I didn't
know what allied me- 1 thought it was a
craze to work. An L worked till 1 set
all Granite to totterin'. An all the time
it was you-you! Then when 1 saw you
again. there at the station in the. mist
| it seemed like I'd come home. l wanted
to catch hold of your dress an beg you
never to get out of my sight again. An
l was ashamed of feelin' that way. an
| was afraid you'd find out an laugh at
me. was wild in love with you. girl-an
| never knew 1t. Dd-did you know
| wasp
| Il always knew it, she whispered. 81
knew you loved me. That you cared al
most as much as l cared. But you never
even suspected And-oh, how could
| tell you?'
Again they were silent for a space.
| Then she said, little timidly:
God meant US for each other, dear love
1 believe In such things. And SO must
| you. And we have found each other at
| last. Here. alone. on the top of the
world. Just as He meant us to. Oh, !
must be good-so good-if I am to de-
serve all this"
Deserve it?' he echoed in choked
| amaze. Girl. you make me feel like
| hidin' my head somewheres. What is
| there in all this for you? I'm a rough
uneddicated chap that most folks look
down on. an the rest don't look at at all.
I got nothin' but my money anon.
Dey, ] got you. An I'm the happiest
man that ever got lost in this measly.
heavenly wilderness. 1t amt true. An
presently I'll wake up But while it
1T will last forever darling she in
terposed. Forever and a day. We
couldn't be brought together like this
just to be parted again: Even fate
couldn't be as cruel as that. Tell me
| why you didn't know you loved me.
Sometimes when you used to talk about
marrying-some one. else-I had to bite
my lips to keep from calling to you:
| You can't! It's 1 you love!"
why didn't you. then? You saw me
stumblin' along In the dark. Why did
you let me do it, when If you'd said the
first word"
know 1 should. Some day before it was
| too late. Oh. beloved. did you really
think l was going to let you marry
her? Why even she knew better"
Conover threw back his head and
laughed long and loud. A laugh OF abso-
lutte boyish happiness that rang out over
the miles of fog like a challenge to fate.
"Oh. Lord!' he gurgled. "Gener'lly 1t
gets me wild to be made fool Of But
| this is the dandiest joke ever. The whole
| crowd was on, you say? Ev'rybody but
me!"
He grew grave and drew her to him
| once more. Not impetuously now. but
| with gentle reverence.
Sweetheart" he said. II amt fit to
kiss one of those soaked little mocc'sins
Of yours. I never worried much before
| bout such things-but now-1 kind of
wish I'd done diff rent in lots of things:
SOS I could tell you | was RELY worth
your marryin'. But II you'll help me,
Dey. I'm goin' to be everything you q
want. An one of these days I'll make
you proud of me-
I'm prouder of you now. dear-and
I've always been prouder-than I could
be of any other man alive she insisted.
"Oh. the miracle Of it!'
Before he could stay her or SO much as
guess her intent she had slipped to her
knees. STOPPING to raise here, he saw
ing. Awed he drew back pace and
looked timidly upward into the star coun-
try. Then. shutting his eyes very tight.
he opened communication with heaven
for the first and last time in his life.
"Thanks." he muttered under his
| breath.
4 pause of mental hiatus-a helpless
cropping for words in a wild universe Of
incoherent gratitude-then once more a
munlbled SHY "Thanks!-and the prayer
two words in all-was ended.
1t Is possible that longer. more eloquent
prisons than his have penetrated less
far beyond the frontier Of the stars and
less close to the ear of the Hearer and
Answerer.
| Desiree had risen. Simply. half-shyly,
like two little children, they kissed each
other
Now you must go to sleep he or
| dered. picking up the macintosh and
wrapping 1t closely about her.
ITO sleep!" she echoed. After this? l
don't think I shall ever throw away
happy hours again by sleeping through
them. l couldn't sleep now to save my
life, even If I wanted to-. And don't
$A LAT mo hnSSinD
just little longer. dear heart"
He had flung another armful OF wood
upon the fire. Now. picking Desiree up
as he might have lifted baby. he re-
turned to the stump seat. Holding her
in his arms close to his breast. he sat
there and gazed into the flames.
Tired deliriously content, she nestled
to him with sigh of absolute rapture.
There they remained; still; ineffably
beatific; at rest; while the fire snapped
merrily and the dog at their feet growl-
ingly pursued numberless coveys of low
flying partridges through the aisles OF
dreamland. Then-
Il don't s'pose I'll ever reely under.
| ways been thinkin' looked on you like
you were my daughter an that 1 was a
| million years older'n you'd ever get to
be. An now In just one second the
| in heaven: I'm talkin' bout heaven
tonight like any sky-scout, amt 1? But
1t sort of seems the only word"
"It is very near u.s." she made reply,
softly "See,' raising herself In his arms
| and looking out over the star-gleaming
mists below them. See. the world Is
| new The seas have swept over all its
old sins and follies and sordid workaday
| life This island stands alone In the uni
verse All the rest is engulfed. And you
and 1 are the only people on Gods new
| earth We have risen above the old life
| of mistakes and blindness. Here-alone-
in our new marvel world-forever and
| ever"
| Her head sank on his breast. He
| buried his face in the fragrant wonder
Of her hair. And once more they fell
silent.
There amt a thing / won't do for
you, girl" went on Conover. by and by.
'.All by myself I've got rich an I've won
| ev'ry fight I've made. With you to work
for I'll hammer away at Old Man Dest ny
/ till I've got the whole state in my vest
pocket Yes. an I'll try for the White
House, too before I'm done; IL you'd
like me to. We're goin' to build the
biggest. most expensive house. right of
build 1t on Pompton av'noo, right In the
thick of the sweIls. White marble well
make it. An you'll have all the servants
an. horses an jooly an rything else
YOU want There won't be thing money
can buy that you can't have. Til fight
the whole world till I've piled up such a
fortune as'll make those great big eyes
of yours dazzled. An it'll all be for you
| All yours
You darling old schoolboy.'' she
laughed Even your day dreams are
studded with dollar signs.-What do you
suppose 1 care for such things? I have
you, and we're to be together always and