Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-12-18

a rest.
One night. in a storm that beat hard
against them through the dragging hours
of the darkness. he looked into the eyes
of death. His life was so little. his grasp
of the mighty whole was so inadequate!
What part of all that he called himself
would have vitality to go on into that
beyond which lay just over the blue
threshold Of the waiting waves? Moth
ing but his love. Nothing at all of him
but the love he had crushed and cramped
and denied. In his soul he reached out
his arms to Virginia. All, how trivial his
questioning! There was no question but
tits only-whether they might stand to-
gether. whatever came.
For the rest of the voyage Norton sat
near the bow of the boat. devouring with
impatient eyes the space that still
stretched before him. Every moment that
lay between him and Virginia seemed sud-
denly full of danger. This moment, any
moment, might be the last that held grace
Tor him. and here he was. kept from her
by this impossible illusion of space!
When the boat reac ned Antwerp. he
found that the party for which he had in
quired had gone on to schevcningen. But
conner he telegraphed.
Her answer came at LASTLY mail, not
by wire. III you have learned to love me.
you may come. Otherwise, what II the
use?'
Even In his new humility Norton
laughed aloud. II he loved her. Had not
the trouble from. the beginning been that
he had loved her in excess?-too ideals
tically, too loftily? OF his love there
could be no question. Certainly the mes
sage was cryptic, but it seemed to imply
a permission, however conditioned. He
took the next train.
But when Virginia came into the room
to receive him, Norton quite forgot to ask
for explanations. He forgot everything
except that the universe had somehow
righted itself. The sudden lifting OF what
had been like physical pressure left him
light headed, and he babbled incoherencies
without knowing what they were.
But Virginia, with a woman's superior
seamanship upon the waves Of emotion,
held him to the charted line.
But, Richard, are you sure?'
Sure that I cannot live without YOU?
Oh, yes!-yes!"
She shook her head. opposing a lifted
palm to his eagerness.
mo, sure that you know me for a real
woman-just mere human woman"
Norton took her hands in both OF his
and held them fast.
when / see you, / Know nothing past
or present except that this is you, and
that have been starving for the sight of
you for longer than 1 can bear to re-
member!
A woman's form appeared at the French
window. which opened like a door upon
the garden. She had stepped inside be-
fore she saw the two In the room. vir-
ginia started forward.
"Oh. Rose. here is Mr.. Norton. Will
you come in? Richard. sou must love my
sister Rose-my dear, dear sister,
There was protection and defense and
tenderness in her tone as well as in her
words. and Norton felt the demand upon
him which 1t conveyed. even before he
saw how frail an apparition this unknown
sister was
81 am glad to see you!" Rose said. In
tones SO vibrantly like virginia's that
they shook him with sudden surprise.
Virginia has told me OF you. She
said" A surge OF red went over her
white face and left it whittier than be-
fore-"that you were q friend Of Mr.. War
wick's. That alone would make you well
come, IL there were no other reasons. She
smiled at both with q sweetness that