The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1909-01-07

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slowly row me up the stream to-
wards Staines and Windsor
through the hottest hours. And as
you row I'll sing. And we'll for
get our cares and open wide our
hearts to the sunshine and hap
lpiness without an afterthought.
And when the noon comes we shall
eat our lunch upon an island. And
when twilight falls we shall land
at the loveliest place of all. !
know it we'll 1t is an old, old
park. A private park, but lonely,
for the house is haunted, so they
say. And there | shall lead you
by the hand into little marble,
many pillared temple, open to the
stars, wherein a tiny spring is
born within a pool, a wishing well.
And you shall look therein and ],
land we shall see fresh mirroreh
ION it's surface-the faces of our
loves. Shall we do all this, mon
|sieur?"
l could but bend my head, for
her siren voice had woven round
my faculties a spell of charmed
silence, and not one of Circe's
victims were ever more powerless
than then was l
1t was early in the morning of
an absolutely perfect day. OF the
river, the witching scenery, l
knew, but noted little, for / look
ed only upon her face. This l
|know-she seemed to love me, and
her mood was yielding and SUBJ
missive to the point of tenderness.
as I rowed, she sang to me the
sweetest songs of France and Italy
and love songs all.
We came at noon to the pretty
little island she fortold. We both
ate heartily, and we pledged
each other often in champagne.
Afterwards we started on our way
again. So slow and idle was our
journeying that twilight had al
ready fallen as we passed by
Staines. About that time noticed
that Marion maintained longer
silence than her wont.
Soon, at her word, I shipped
the SOULS and allowed the craft to
drift. The silence afterwards was
full of mrooding melancholy. 1t
was a miserable ending to so
glorious a day. 1 found relief at
last in her command to seek the
CHI Mo Inn1nd lnnO
green sloping bank. She laid her
hand upon my lips and drew me
then into a very gloomy little dell
entirely grit with trees. 1 won
dered vaguely at her action and
her cautious silence. Yet as al
ways, I obeyed her wish, and wait
ed on her mood.
For a moment she kept very
still and then she put her hands
upon my breast. =
"You love me-" she said SIM
ply.
1 clasped my hands on hers and
answered, yes"
"How much?" she whispered
very low.
hOIc, nldl ioh, Ihal1 NV
"And you respect me?"
more reverently than death. :"
"What do you wish of me?"
"Your Lowell"
what will you give for it?"
"All that / can"
"And will you suffer for It?
what?'
"All that you ask me-"
"Then kiss me, Agar"
I bent my head and pressed my
| lips to hers. Her lips were cold.
But the contact set my blood on
fire and I caught her in my arms
J and strained her to ny breast
She shivered in my clasp and
deeply sighed, but I rained hot
kisses on her cheeks and eyes and
lips passionately, striving to warm
her with my passion, for / knew
that she was cold and unrespon-
sive, too. in spite of her surrender.
But of sudden she tore her
self from my embrace and fled.
caught her on a stretch of lawn
and held her close again. To my
dismayed establishment she was
weeping wildly. I kissed the tears
AWAY and frantically iniplored her
flor their reason. "Oh, my Godi"
/ she cried at last. 81 cannot, can
notl | was mad to undertake this
Ithing--mad-madi"
what thing, my sweetheart7''