The Hattiesburg news., 1909-11-30
CHAPTER xiv.
Past and Present.

CHAPTER xiv.
Past and Present.
How long do you think II will be
before they will be here?" asked the
man, after they had sat silent on the
hill to windward Of the fire watching
the trail of smoke.
Il should think that It would be per.
haps an hour or little more. Why?"
she returned. after a moment pause.
Are you anxious to have them here ?"
For the life Of her she could not
Keep the bitterness out of her ques-
ton. The man looked at her in sur.
prise. She had never lost her temper
bofore him in the years they had been
together. There had been something
singularly simple, free and unre-
strained in their life. Nothing had
ever occurred to vex her, at least not
after. the man had known enough to
notice It, She was q yoman of sunny.
even temper under any circumstances.
and she had felt 1t Incumbent upon her
to be as nearly perfect as possible,
since she represented humanity to
him, nor had It been a difncult task
for her to be gentle. This fash Of re-
sentiment, therefore. struck him as
something entirely novel. In his
amaEement for q moment he forgot
the injustice Of 1t, the unkindness of It.
He looked at her strangely and said
to her. with little touch of se-
verify:
"You know that Il is not that,
Woman"
He had no terms Of endearment.
He had never heard the words that
lovers use, and although he knew that
her name was Katharine, and he be-
lieved that his was John, and though
sometimes they made use of these
names, generally they called each 9TH
er. by the broad generic terms which
stood for sex. Names are only for
differentiation and identification in
any event, and here was no need for
such appellation. She loved to call
him Man." and she loved to hear him
call her Woman"
"You know" he said, that tits not I
who brought the world upon u.s."
II was unjust, unkind," she an.
swered quickly enough, stretching out
her hand to him. You must forgive
me. You see even the approach of
yonder ship brings bitterness into our
hearts and into our speech"
II guessed that 1t would be so when
I saw you weep" said the man. 81
wish now that had not given you the
flint and steel; that had not allowed
you to light the beacon"
my friend, It had to be. Don't re-
proach yourself for that. Sooner or
later this island would have been Wis.
tied BY some one. Sooner or later the
ship would have come to fetch VI
or"
But we were so happy here" he
protested.
YES" she answered. but not since
yesterday"
Are you unhappy because love
you?"
Because" she made swift to reply,
II am no longer sure that you will
love me always"
"But you love me, do you not?" he
questioned, eagerly.
"Yes."
Are you sure of yourself?"
Absolutely"
why not of me, then? Am less
true? Do l love less than your"
Not now
What is the difference between us,
then?"
T have seen the world and you have
not"
But I tell you that will make nc
difference; that"
mo man can say that who has NJ
experience to draw upon"
You are my mentor" said the man
gently. you have taught me all
know, but sometimes think thai
about some things | know more thar
you, and this is one thing of which
am sure"
| YES" said the woman, you car
be sure SO long as conditions remain
as they are at present, but othel
times, other Manners"
You have something to tell me?'
interposed the other, swiftly.
The woman nodded.
You said yesterday you would tel
me to-day. Why not tell me now?"
"Because-"
She hesitated.
Are you afraid to tell met"
"Yes," she said.
"Afraid Of what"
"Of losing you"
"Banish that fear"
but tbs not that that keeps n,
/ Continued tomorrow
ADVERTISE IN THE DAILY NEWS