Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1910-06-24
CHAPTER XIV.
Past and

TdSt anu TTCSCnI.
How long do you think Il will be
before they will be hereE' 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 a 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
before 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 1t. She was a woman OF sunny,
even temper under any circumstances,
and she had felt It incumbent upon her
to be as nearly perfect as possible,
since she represented humanity 70
him, nor had It been a difficult task
for her to be gentle. This fash of re-
sentiment, therefore, struck him as
something entirely novel. In his
amazement for a moment he forgot
the injustice of it, the %unkindness of it.
He looked at her strangely and said
to her, with a little touch of So
verify:
You know that It 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-
Iieved that his was John, n 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 It's not I
who brought the world upon US"
Il 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"
Il guessed that it would be so when
saw you weep" said the man. L
wish now that I had not given you tho
fin and steel; that I had not allowed
you to light the beacon"
My friend, it had to be. Don't re-
preach 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 uA
off,"
But we were so happy here" he
protested.
Yes" she answered, but not since
yesterday"
AR you unhappy because l love
your"
because" she made swift to reply.
Il am no longer sure that you will
love me always"
But you love me-, do you not?" he
questioned, eagerly.
Yes"
CAR you sure of ~yourself?"
absolutely"
why not Of me, then? Am I less
true? Do I love less thar your"
Not now"
What is the difference between US.
them"
Il have seer the world and you have
not"
But I tell you that will make no
difference; that"
mo man can say that who has no
experience to draw upon"
You are my mentor" said the man.
gently. You have taught me all I
know, but sometimes I think that
about some things 1 know more than
you, and this is one thing of which I
am sure"
Yes said the woman, you can
be sure so long as conditions remain
as they are at present, but other
times, other manners"
You have something to tell mes"
~interposed the other. swiftly.
The woman nodded.
you said yesterday you would tell
me- to-day. Why not tell me nowF'
CTO BE C-ONT1NUEDO