Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1910-01-19
CHAPTER XII.
The conseience ouickehed:: Y.

CnAPIER AI.
The Conscience Quickehed: ..,-4;
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 as
made them ideal pupils. The storm
had died away as suddenly as it
had arisen. No. visible evidence of it,
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 tie tumult Of their souls.
To the man the experience of the.
morning was absolutely new and to
the woman. 1t was so. different from
what had hitherto TRANSFERRED that it
was practically SO. They luxuriated
in their emotions. They sat side by
side. hand in hand; they walked to-.
gether, hand in hand. Yet 1t 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.sword, touch
for touch, he gave. but the initiative
was hers not his. He was putting a
constraint OF steel upon himself. She
saw that and was glad. 1t made her
bold. Womanlike she tried and tested
the blade that she had forged again
and again. growing daring in her i'm
munity. drawer in her trust.
They stood in one part of their wan
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. 1t was moth.
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 he
lacked.
1T cannot be possible that You lifted
that boulder and that ore. .alone?" she
said. gazing at him wonderiIsly.
AT that moment, to release you, j
could have torn the rock asunder," he
cried: throwing out his arms in a mag
nficent gesture of strength and force.
She caught his hand. with her own
and once more pressed her lips with
In his palm.
II don't know low to say how much
love you," she cried.
Say thst you will try to care as
much for me as for you and | will
'be content" he answered,
And so there was a pretty rivalry
between them as to which loved the
more. In the midst of the strife OF
tongues the woman spoke. She could
not 'keep.away from the subject.
You love me-" She said at last, "be.
cause You think me more than 1 am,
because" she ran on in spite of his
protesting gesture. checking his deny.
ing word, because you have seen nc
other womany because
z II will not hear another word" he
cried, finding voice at last and stop.
ping her. 81 know not woman or man
save as l know you and myself, save
as you have. taught me by the women
of whom you have read me in that
single hook 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 and
here and they are dead and away"
IF they all stood here by me on the
sand, II all their eacellencies and vir
tues were conferred upon one and she
| stood by you on the sand, my hear
would, turn to. you. 1t isn't because
you are beautiful You are beautiful
are you snot?"
Poor man. he had no standards O
comparison. only the instinct. for thu
lovely.
Men said so.' she answered. smil
Ing at him and blushing in confusion
Mem" he cried. What men?"
Il will tell you tomorrow i
She sighed deeply at the thought 20
the revelation.
well them" he continued, ut ism
because you are beautiful. or becaus.
you are wise. or because you are
learned. or because you are kind; it !.
because you are you that love you
"And ii l. We're none of these
| things?"
s"I would lcve you just the same"
But am not what you think me II
some ways" =
81 could never think highly enough
of you. know that" rs
NO. no, it isn't that. When;.1 tel
| you ~. ~, ,,3a.,f ~
She stopped and looked at him ,pa
ling. After all the greaterd test wa.
to come then. ITO err" she f4smem
bered the ancient Latin proverb, wa.
human; to forgive divine" Would h,
be human Or, divine in this trial? Hat
she so trained him that he could for
give the unforgiyeable?? In more. way.
than one her happiness. depended
upon what would be his course IL
he forgaye her and .condoneds.. he
fault. their love could have. fire.
course II eyer opportunity for benz
son upon 1t presented. But IF HI
followed the common Course. of. men
not only would any 'futdye union be
tween them on the only terms. I,
which she could consent be. .impos
sible. but hesYould kill her heart: he
trust in mans sometimes, she, Wild.
believed. her trust. in God
Nothing. nothing he repeated
that you could ten NE would mak'
any difference" y
So lovers have protested, she re
called. since, time and the world be
gan. And yet things told have mad'
differences. What would II do ior thej
future, this revelation Of the morrow
And again she realized that the test
If she herself were. compelled to maxi
1t, would not be exactly fair. for sh'
would be at once prosecuting .attor