Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1910-11-12

There were meaningless exchange
OF words and handshake In the glare
from the cabin light that showed NIL
dred's pallid lips and frightened eyes
Then Emerson went over the side. and
the darkness swallowed him up.
The girl clutched at her fathers
arm. standing as II frozen while the
creak OF rowlocks grew fainter and
fainter and died away. Then she
turned.
'You see. he Gamer she said.
The old man saw the agony that
blanched her cheeks and answered
gently:
Eyes. daughter He struggled with
himself. "And II you wish it he may
come again"
But he won't come again. That Is
what makes it so hard; he win never
come back"
She turned away. but not quickly
enough TO keep him from seeing that
her eyes were wet. Wayne Wayiand
beheld what he would have given half
his mighty fortune TO prevent He
cried out angrily. but she anticipated
his thought.
mo. no. you must never injure him
again. for he was right and we were
wrong. You see I-couldn't under
stand"
He left her staring into the night
and walked heavily below.
Emerson felt great sense Of relief
and dellverance as he Iesned against
hfq oora Frfa hoe - o,rr- - ,ho 1890
muir Of the waters oversize. For the
hrst time IN many months be felt
young and free. How blind he had
been and how narrow had been his
escape from a life that could lead to
but one RESULT The girl was sweet
and good and wonderful in many
ways. but three years had altered him
more than he had realized. He had
begun 20 understand himself that
very afternoon. when Cherry had told
him her own unhappy secret The
shock OF her disclosure had reused him
from his dream. and once ne began 20
see himself as he really was the rest
had come quickly. He had been
doubtful even when he went out 10
the yacht, but what happened there
had destroyed the last trace OF IN
certainty. He knew that for him
there was but one woman I'm all the
world. IL was no easy battle be had
fought with himself lie had been
reared 10 respect the conventions. and
he knew that Cherry's life had not
been all he could wish. But he front
cd the issue squarely and tried 70
throttle his inbred prejudice. Al
though he had felt the truth OF Fra
ser's arguments and OF Cherry's own
words, he had sull refused 20 yield
until his love for the girl swept over
him I'm all its power: then he made bis
choice.
The one thing he found most din
cult 70 accept was her conduct with
billiard. Those other charges against
the girl were vague and shadowy. but
this was concretc~pnd he was familiar
with every miserable detail Of IL. II
took all his courage 20 face lt. but he
swore savagely that II the conditions
had been reversed Cherry would not
have faltcred for an instant More
over. what she had done had been
done FOR love OF him. II was worse
than vile 10 hesitate. Her past was
her own. and all he could rightfully
claim was her future. He shut his
teeth and laid his course resoluteIy for
her landing. striving 20 leave behind
this one hideous memory. centering his
mind upon the girl herself and shut
ting out her past IL was the bitter
est tight he had ever waged. But
when he reached the shore and tied
his skin he was exalted by the knowi-
edge that he had triumphed; that this
painful episode was locked away with
all the others.
Now that he had conquered he was
filed with consuming eagerness. As
he stole up through the shadows he
heard her playing. and when he drew
nearer he recognized the notes OF that
song that had banlshed his own black
desolatiOn on the night OF their first
meeting. He paused outside the omen
window and saw by the shaded lamp
light that she was playing from mem
ory. her fingers wandering over the
keyboard without conscious effort.
Then she took up the words with all
the throbbing tenderness that lives in
q deep contraltO voice:
Last night was dreaming or thee. love
was dreaming:
! dreamed thou didst promise
Cherry paused as IL entranced. for
she thought she heard another voice
Join with hers. Then she bowed her
head and sobbed I'm utter wretched-
ness. knowing it for nothing more than
her own fancy. Too many times. as
in other twi!ights past. she had heard
that mellow voice blend with hers.
only TO find that her ears had played
her false and she was alone with a
memory that would never die.
OF all the days OF her life this was
the saddest. this hour the loneliest,
and the tears she had withheld so
bravely as long as there was work to
do came now I'm unbidden prOfusion.
To face those people on the yacht
had been an act OF pure devotion to
Boyd. for her every instinct had re-
belled against IL. Yet she had known
that some desperate stroke in his de-
fanGa 10 al