Evening star., 1909-05-22


and threw them down to the boat. and
kissed his hand to them. Now he's light
ing a cigarette. Yes. we're braver than
we thought. You. dear lady. are the
bravest and the best You gave up your
life when you gave up your place in the
boat. why?'
explained, "and he is such good father
to them. They need him, and ] have n3
one.
He took her hand.
'You have friend" he assured her.
''Yes." she said, simply. THAT was
the other rea son why l remained"
"Me?" He looked at her quickly.
"You. 1 wonder-it doesn't matter
what we say now, does it'll wonder II
we really cared for each other'
''Ah.' said the man. Il wondered. too.
but thought women always knew"
She shook her head.
II liked you. certainly. but I have liked
other men. l never liked any of them
enough. You see, I am not a marrying
woman. ] have-I had aims In life. Mar.
riage meant sacrificing so much. 1t is a
sacrifice for an independent woman-to
give up your individuality: to be Mrs.
Something Else; not even your own name
left. And for what? To be toy and
plaything for q year. Perhaps not a
year-don't call It selfishness. I'd have
given up everything If had thought that
love would last! My dear friend. 1t
doesn't last. You and I are not children.
We have seen life. We know. But the
womans lasts longest. I was afraid 1t
that"
II know" The man nodded. II liked
you, too; liked you more than was COM
Portable. I thought 1t out many a time.
1t was more than liking. Marian.
qulckened at your coming; warmed at
your beautiful SMILE
Dear friend" she protested, I'VE can
be candid now. You know that am not
beautiful"
Indeed he declared, II thought you
were. 1t was yourself that I liked, but
I liked your woman's graces. too. You
are smiling very beautifully now.'
'If 1t pleases you," she said. Il will
smile to the end. l am glad that my
looks please you. Will it make this
this moment Of your life happier to know
that / admire you? l do"
He nodded.
Thank you, dear woman. was very
tempted sometimes to ask you to give
me yourself, but-you see. I, also. have
liked others. and not enough I. too, was
not sure II l liked you enough. but liked
you more than any of the rest-much
more. Sometimes / pictured you at my
breakfast table. in a cool morning gown,
your white fingers busy with the cups.
But was forty and more, and you were
forty and less. The married breakfast
table is not always harmonious, and we
were a little old to adjust ourselves to
double harness, and so-well, I didn't
think so much of the risk Of quarrelS.
We might have had few hot words now
and then--but they don't matter. 1t was
the cold words that / feared. To love
you-and l knew that l should love you
very much-and then to slip back. To
be loved by you-if you could-and then
to be loved by you no longer! To turn
into the ordinary married pair; to live
our separate lives-and chain between"
They gazed out over the water again.
Another boat dashed safely ashore. They
fancied that they heard a shout from the
beach
man said. "You would have been saved.
oh. you brave. good woman! You wers
worth taking the risk for"
But you did not mean to take It," She
brushed her eyes.
Il told myself so. butt used to fancy
that some night when the moon shone-
some night when the end OF the voyage
and the parting from you were nearer
than / could bear-and you looked at me
with your beautiful smile-I could never
reason with that smile of yours. Marian"
She turned to him. and sm.-d, and he
took both her hands and kissed them
Il did not mean to, either" she con-
near the end Of the voyage, as you say