Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-01-22
CHAPTER XV-Continued.


about with a wonderful new faith and
sweetness. almost virginia.. that turned
blows like armor. and believe it was her
freedom from the presence of Grey. Her
husband he was and would be. but only
in name now. and she was a girl, girl
to me in her tender curves and the maid
emily purity of her face.
IT was the Alicia OF my childhood. the
Alicia who was my playmate. and | drew
a sudden deep breath of joy at the knowl-
edge
She heard me and turned her calm
What makes you look so pleased?"
she asked
You l replied.
NO. 1t is not /.
But it is something about you. 1t is
because you are a new Alicia, or rather
the early one come back again, the little
Alicia Warren with whom the little Harry
Clarke played at school,
My reply gave her pleasure / saw it
in the Frightening of her eyes and the
sudden proud uplift of her head.
Il wonder if you have not told the
TRUTH she said, thoughtfuly; Il do feel
as If | were young girl again, and the
past winter has been the least unhappy
that l have had in five six years. /
think, too, Harry, that your success has
helped. l feel as if you were finding re-
payment"
Il have been overpaid already, I said,
dHu WALL W tell Sou Alicia, tldt q NJ
tie while ago l was afraid to see you, but
have no such fear now.
You were afraid because l am another
mans wife and shall remain So. she
said. quite calmly. Il do not hesitate to
speak to you Of him. l bear his name
now, and that is all. l have not seen
him in three months, and he will not dare
to come here and annoy me-
/ saw clearly that she no longer had the
slightest fear of Grey, and it gave me a
keen sensation of nle3 We walked
on In silence and together up the slope.
No one met us. We had the shady road
to ourselves. and the foliage was now so
deep that all the little city was shut
from our view. We were just we two in
world of the deepest green, with a sky,
low, dim and tender, overhanging us.
The feeling Of early youth came back
again, but all mans emotions remained
with me.
In the wilderness forms and artificialites
are brushed away, the wild free air will
not allow them and the primitive man
and woman stand forth. | began now to
feel as If Alicia were almost free and as
If she were intended for me. | think she
noticed my silence, but she did not inter-
rupt it and walked on by my side, slender,
white and virginia..
When she reached the crest of the hill
she stopped and looked eastward, where
the lovely bluegrass region rolls away
under a dim horizon.
'It is pleasant to be here" she said.
1T is for me-" l exclaimed. .'Oh. Alicia,
if you were only here always with me-
/ think / was carried away by the in
toXication of the moment plead no
other excuse-and l seized her hand. She
drew it away, but she did not reproach
me by either word or look.
We must not forget. either of us. that
/ am another mans wife. and that l bear
another mans name she said. You
love me. | know that: I am proud of it
and the knowledge of it is the greatest
seek to hide it from you now. Often l
think that in the beginning it was in
tended we should be man and wife. but
some unlucky chance. some slip in the
wheel of fate. changed it. 1t is past
mending now, but. Harry. you and / can
show the world that we are superior to it.
1t can be a meeting of the souls, but
nothing else
1t was the spiritual quality in her that
spoke. and l was humbled. although, as |
have said, there was nothing of reproach
In word or tone. Women alone | believe
and but few of them-can feel a love that
needs not marriage; perhaps it is higher
and purer, but man cannot live upon it
always.
You are the governor. and you must
watch we'll your way. she said in the
utter calm of one who has now complete
victory over herself. You would not
drive me away from Frankfort I know
but l should have to go If there were
anything even the slightest. which your
enemies could use to aSsail your name.
Il forgot myself, but 1t was for a mo-
ment only" ! said. land always remem-
Der. Alicia. that while / have had repay
ment and far more. you have had none
The world is hard on women
Il am not unhappy now she said
Perhaps | should say that | am happy
I feel almost as If l were beginning life
over again. | am. in a sense. free as
never was before in my life
''WOull that We're wholly ee'' 7
exclaimed
She passed it over without notice and
then we talked of lighter things. l could
not fully share her spiritual exaltation
that my love for Alicia Grey was the best
part of me. and it was pure enough to
make sacrifice. if not easy. at least pos
sble-
we were boy and girl together. l know an
old line, l do not know who wrote it, I'D
rather be shepherd boy upon the Gre
clan hills than reign king in hades,' and
l felt that way the afternoon met Alicia
on the hills above Frankfort We
stood long time on the crest. looking at
the river. the ridges. and the rolling green
country TO the dim eastward There was
nothing In our manner but that of tWoI
comrades or of two people who had met
felt quite so near to her, that she was
quite SO approachable. This new rela
tionship of the spirit was not without its
gain: it bred quieter mind: we We're
united in the spirit, and strength came.
Fleecy white clouds sailed past us in
sky of silky blue. lizard ratified the bark
Of a tree as he Scuttled upward. a stray
horseman passed. paying us little atten-
ton. and a last the red fire of the sun
began to burn over the dim valley to the
eastward. The breeze blew colder and
Alicia shivered little In her cloak
1T is time for me to return" she said
You'll see me to Judge Warton's won't
you?''
''Gladly.' ] replied. and we walked
slowly down the hill side by side had
begun to share her feeling that criticism !
any arrows of gossip leveed at her be-
cause we were seen together must re-
bound harmless from the armor of her
purity. 1t seemed 10 me that she had dis |
missed from her mind all question of
earthly love, and while | remained poor
mortal who would have been glad to take |
her in my arms had | the right. ] could /
regard her only with reverence, and Dor |
row from her of her spiritual strength.
We reached the edge of the town, pass !
ing only occasional person. some Of
not. Those who knew me bowed and then |
looked curiously at the beautiful pale /
woman who walked beside me- but Alicia |
took no notice. In the town. of course. |
we met many acquainta noes but We con- |
tnued together to the house of Judge !
Wharton.
The judge himself after the homely fash !
ion of our little cities. answered the be !. !
and when he beheld the two of us to-
gether l saw him give us both d quick ,
inquiring glance.