The interior journal. [volume] (Stanford, Ky.) 1905-1910, 1910-09-23
The Island Of
Regeneration
Continued from last Friday


cannot let this untutored savage"
Not that" said the woman, for
have taught him all know and all
believe"
you cannot let him decide this
question" continued the man, passing
over her interruption.
Yes" said the woman, he must
decide, but whatever he decides, what.
ever the relationship between this
man and this woman Is TO be, I can
never be anything on earth to you. B"
Don't say that" said Whitaker.
Think, my dear lady, what you do,
what this man offers you, the position
in which - God forgive me! - you
stand"
Sir" said the woman, addressing
the lieutenant commander, "this man
vronsed me grievously, terribly. He
deceived me. He broke my heart. He
killed ambition, aspiration and respect
for my own kind within my soul
know him through and through. The
fact that he failed suioksnedl his pas
sion; the fact thst men say am
beautiful made him ne more eager;
the fact that heewas away md that
he could not lay his hsbds upon me
made him txe more fnslstent; the fact
that / had haunted him and said him
nay and struck him down made him
the more determined" -lf
Kate, Kate, you wrong me. Before
God you wrong mel" interrupted
Langford.
And indeed, madam, ! believe you
do" commented Whitaker.
Let her speak on" said the man Of
the island.
1T may be that you are right" con-
tinued the woman. 1T may be that
he is higher, nobler, truer than have
fancied. l should be glad TO be able
TO think so. am willing to take your
view OF II, his assertion OF II, but l
do not love him. Should / marry him,
would bring to him q, heart, q soul.
a body that turns to some one else
He could never be anything to me-
As I am . Christian woman. . lover
Of my God and ., follower Of his Son.
i cannot see but that would be add
ing one wrong to another to come TO
this man 10 .compliancs with any sug-
gestion Of the world, following any
dictate OF society, subservient to any
convention / cannot see but that !
would be doing 90 great or . greater
wrong than aid before IN Haunt.
ing all Of these forees.Ei have learned
what love Il and what marriage should
be. will not give my hand and yield
up my person where l cannot yield my
heart. And there IL no expiation or
reparation that requires II OF me, no
voice that can coeree me into It. l
will not marry you, Valentine Lang
ford. win accept your expressions
as evidenced by your words, by your
presence here, as testimony to your
regret Indeed, I realize that your con-
fession was itself a great humiliation
TO man like you. And perhaps have
spoken harshly OF It. But the bare
fact remains, do not love you, ! could
not love you, don't even want to love
you. My heart, my soul goes to this
man." she turned to her companion Of
the island, whom up to to-day I have
made and fashioned and taught and
trained until these hours when he has
broken away from me. love this
man who stands silent, who thinks OF
me as a thing spotted, polluted,
damned. Him love, though he slay
me, yet will love him. Him | trust,
though he disobey me, yet will | love
him. Him | will serve, though he cast
me of, yet will love him. And with
this In my heart in which glory and
as little hesitation as you confessed
your shame. give you my final, abso-
lutte, utterly irrevocable decision. /
IN not marry you. will not go back
with you. No, not for anything that
you can prefer, nor for any reason
that you can urge, will | come TO you
when In my soul belong to another.
Tnere may be no END 10 this but my
despair. This man may cast me OF.
This man may trample me under foot
The spots upon my soul may loom
larger in his view and hide what else
Is there. ! know ! have been for
given by God. will not be for.
given by men. but tell you here and
now, again and again. that will not
be your wife. will be his wife OF
no mans"
Langford turned away and hid his
face in his hands. Whitaker stepped
forward and laid his hand upon the
He shook him for a moment
you stand immobile." he cried,
sharply, after such a confession as
that. after such an appeal2 What
have you to say. man? You ought to
get down on your knees and thank
God for the love OF such = woman.
AYE. aye" burst out the deep tones
of the old coxswain OF the cutter. 80