The Hattiesburg news. (Hattiesburg, Miss.) 1908-1917, 1909-12-04

no mans
Langford turned away and hid his
face in his hands. Whitaker stepped
forward and laid his hand upon the
shoulder of the man OF the island.
He shook him for a moment
"You stand immobile." he cried,
sharply after such a confession as
that, after such an appeal? What
have you to say, man? You ought to
get down on your knees and thank
God for the love of such a woman"
AYE, ave." burst out the deep tones
of the old coxswain Of the cutter. so
say all of u.s."
God help me-" cried the man, lift.
ing his hand and releasing his shout
der from the grasp of the officer. 81 did
love this woman. Think how it was,
think how believed in her. No Chris
tian ever believed in his god as l be-
lieved in her. She told me what purity
was, what innocence was, what sweet
ness was, what light was, what truth
was, and l looked at her and saw
them"
And you can look at her and see
them now" cried the officer.
NO." said the man, II can never
look at her and see her the same"
"Oh, Man! Mani" cried the woman.
| The test was upon him. He was
falling. Her sorrow, her gIief were
more for him than for herself.
Don't mistake me-" said the man.
Il can't help loving you, whatever you
! are. II you had been as guilty as,
when he began to speak and when
you corroborated him, fancied that
you were. l should have loved you just
the same and should have married
you. and shall marry you. This . :.
this awful thing has come between us,
but we will try in some way to live
1t down, to forget 1t, to 60 on as we
were"
He stepped toward the woman.
She drew herself up to her full
height and looked him unfiinchingly
In the face.
NO." she said, I'VE are not going on
as we thought. We will not marry and
live together. We will not bury this
wretched happening in the past in
any oblivion. will marry no man,
although he may have my whole heart.
who is not proud and glad to take me.
who does not realize that l am as pure
and as innocent Of wrong and shame
as he would fain think his mother, as
he would absolutely know his wife
must be. l told you that your manhood
must be put to the test. told you that
your love must be tried by fire. What
loved in you was the assurance that
you would survive the test, that you
would triumph in the trial. 1t is not
that have been before the great Judge
this morning. but you, and you have
failed"
Kate" said Langford, "he casts YOU
of; take me. l swear to you thai
were l in his place. l would not have
hesitated a moment"
II respect you more than ever" sale
the woman; but don't love you ant
cannot, will not take you'll"
"Charnock," said Whitaker. Il
|. that's your name, permit me to sa.
here. saving the lady's presence, tina
you are behaving like damned fool.
: The man looked at him dumbly, un
comprehendingly, and made no reply
1t was the woman who spoke, coldly
impartially. She had seemingly dis
missed the whole affair, though a
u I what a cost to herself no one coul
know.
l. Sir" she said, rs there anyone o.
i your ship empowered to administer a
e OATH"
81 have that power" answered tn
= lieutenant-commande why do 20
l ask"
- IT wish you would bring some {
- your officers here with paper and inl
y I wish to make deposition as to tn
:. facts that l have learned concernin
u this man which may be of service I
L. him in establishing his identity an
i discovering his history when he r.
y turns to the United States"
. But are you not going back wit
=. us, Miss Brenton?" asked the officer
: amazement I'VE are sailing for Hol
- olulu and thence for San Francisco 9
= directly as we can 60"
"a NO" said the girl, II will not leav
IA the island. You can take my frier
"a here"
" THE Southern Cross" said Ian
~ ford, SIS at your disposal, Kate"
- Il have had one voyage upon her
7 said the woman bitterly. Il want ne
o. or to see her again"
,s Woman" said the man of the 1
II land suddenly, 'if you stay here,
IF stay here. Without you l will not &c
n. Not So" said the woman scornfl
m ly. Il would not be upon the san
,e island alone with you again. You ha'
70 failed me-"
ID Her voice broke, but she caught
Va again instantly and resumed her irt
Is self-control.
Of Then If one of us must stay,
ve shall be l."
nd NO" said the woman. 81 ha
as been In the world and you have NJ
lis You may go and learn what it hol
of for you. l have tried to prepare yo
ID. to give you lessons. Now, you m
L.