The Comrade. (Winnfield, La.) 1890-1914, 1910-09-16
CHAPTER xl.
The Conscience Quickened.

TIC NOH6CleNCe GulCkencQ.
They had spent the morning to.
gether, but not as usual. Things were
different, conditions had changed. For
the first time in years the daily lesson
which she had given him was inter.
mitted. To-day they were both at
school with Love for preceptor and
such willingness in their hearts 40
made them ideal pupils The storm
had died away as suddenly as it
had arisen. No visible evidence Of ii
was left save the tremendous thunder
Of the long undulating seas upon the
outward barrier. The earthquake had
not greatly damaged the island, the
fallen cliff, a few PROSTATE palms here
and there, that was all. But there was
visible evidence in them Of the storm
through which they had passed and
which still held them in its throes.
in the tumult of their souls.
To the man the experience Of the
morning was absolutely new and to
the woman it was so different from
what had hitherto transpired that IL
was practically so. They luxuriated
in their emotions. They sat side BY
side, hand in hand; they walked to-
gether, hand in hand. Yet it was the
woman who was the holder, the
woman who made the advances. The
man was not passive. Kiss for kiss
look for look, word for word, touch
for touch, he gave, but the initiatives
was hers not his. He was putting q
constraint of steel upon himself. She
saw that and was glad. It made her
bold. Womanlike she tried and tested
the blade that she had forged again
and again, growing daring in. her int
munity, Drawer in her trust.
They stood in one part Of their vans
behring's before the door Of what had
been her cave. Hand In hand they
looked down upon the heap Of rocks
that he, had torn away. It was noth4
ing to him; to her 1t was Incredible
She could better estimate what human
strength was capable Of than he. She
had standards of comparison which ha
lacked.
It cannot be possible that you lifted
that boulder and that one, alone?' shd
said, gazing at him wonderingly.
at that moment, to- release you,
could have torn the rock asunder," hS
cried. throwing out his arms In a mag}
ntficent gesture of strength and force.
She caught his hand with her own
and once more pressed her lips With
in his palm.
Il don't know how to- say how mus&
! love YOU" she cried
Say that you will try to care 40
much for me as I for you and viii
be- content, ' he answered.
And so there was pretty rivalry
between them as to which loved the
more. In. the midst Of the strife Of
tongues the woman spoke. She coula
not keep away from the subject.
"You love me, ;" she said at last, "bs.
cause you think me more than ana.
because she ran on in spite Of his
protesting gesture, checking his deny.
ing word, because you have seen NO
other woman, because
II will not hear another word" he
cried, finding voice at last and stop
ping her. Il know not woman or man
save az I know you and myself, save
as you hare taught me by the women
Of whom yen have read me in that
single book we have. the women Of
whom you have told me, who have
played their parts in the world. All
OF them together are not like you.''
That is because am alive asA
here and they are dead and aWay.n
(To BE CoNylNynD,1