The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1909-02-18

THAT that Won might marry
again
"well. you cnn nail tbat lie" he said
hotly
Then 1t is not true"
True DO you inink I'd take that
chance again even II ! felt free to do
it,"
"Frce" she ralterrd But you are
free. Phil"
II am not Re said hrr'ely mo
man is free tu marry twice under such
conditions ~ u lrSt AT depucy and
a slap in the farp of civilization. I'm
done for tni.hrd had my chance
and | failed 10 yOm think consider
myself free to try again with the
chance of further beSpattering my
family?"
wait until you really love." she
said trpmulrusly
He laughed urrpduously
II am glnd that II Is not true ! am
glad. she said 'Oh Phil Phil for
a single one uf thp chances we had
again ana uruin md again And we
did not know We did not know! And
yet there wprr rumpnis''
Dry lipurd he iuukpd ~ her. and dry
Of eve nud lip she raised her head aud
stared AZ him th"pugh him far be-
voni ~ 'hr twin ghr.ts Hnr'I"c under
The tropic stars locked fast In their
first embrace.
Then she rose blindly. covering her
face with her hands. and he stun
bled to his feet. shrnking back from
her because dead hrr were flicker
ing again. aud the ashes of dead roses
stirred above the scented embers
and the magic of all the east was de-
scending like veil upon them. and
the phantom of the past drew nearer.
smiling wide armed. crowned with
living blossoms
The tide rose svi wing here where
she stood Her hnudS fell from her
face Between them the grave they
had dug seemed almost filed with
flowers now. was filling fast, and
across It they looked at one another as
though stunned Then his face paled.
and he stepped back. staring at her
from stern eyes.
"Phll." she faltercd. bewildered by
the mirage "is II only n bad dream.
after allT" And as the false magic
gowed into binding splendor to en-.
gulf them "Oh. hoy boy. Is II hell or
heaven where we've fallen?"
There came loud rapplng at the
door
"Phn." she wrote ~ am little
frightened DO you suppose Boots sus
pected who II was? must have been
perfectly mad to go to your rooms that
night. and we both were-to leave the
door unlocked with the chance of some
body walking in. But. Phil. how could
know II was the fashion for your
friends to bang like that and then
come I'm without the excuse of re-
spouse from you?
~ have been so worried. so anxious.
hoping from day to day that you would
write to reussure me that Boots did
not recognize me with my back turned
to him and my muff across my eyes.
"But scared and humillated as ! am
| realize that II was well that he
knocked Even as write to you here
In my own room. behind locked doors.
| am burning with the shame of It.
"But | am not that kind of woman.
Phil Truly. truly | am not. When
the foolish impulse seized me iad no
3 clear idea of what I wanted except to
see you and learn for myself what you
thought about Gerald's playing at my
house after I had promised not to lei
him.
"Of course I understood what ! risk
ed in going realized what common
Interpretation might be put upon what
! was doing. But, ugly as II might ap
pear to anybody except you. my mo
tive you see. must have been quite
innocent. else should have gone about
1t In very different manner
II waited to see you; that is abso
lutely all | was lonely for word
even a harsh one. from the sort o
man you are. ! wanted you to believ'
II was in spite OF me that Geral'
came and played that night.
"He came without my knowledge.
did not know he was invited. Ant
wnen ne appeared ulu eVerytnuB y
prevent him from playing You vii
never know what took place. what
submitted TO.
\ 81 am trying to be truthful. Phil.
v want to lay my heart bare for you, bu
I there are things woman cannot who
ly confess. Believe me, ! did what
could
81 remember what you said abou
an anchorage | am trying to clea
these haunted eyes of mine and stee
clear of phantoms for the honor {
what we once were to each other b.
fore the world But steering a gho'
ship through endless tempests Is har
y labor. Phil. so be little kind, litt
;, more than patient, II my hand grow
~ tired at the wheel