Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1910-03-16

She Resolutely Set Herself to Wade
Into the Deeper Sea.
moment have maintained their erect
position. The woman knew in that
moment how such things could be.
But ! love you STILL" said the man.
And still want you for my wife"
Last night" went on the woman,
as' II in a dream, 81 seemed to you
the embodiment Of every excellence
that humanity can possess short Of
the divine.
YES" said the man. Il loved you
as"
DO I still possess those qualities
in your eyes?"
He hesitated. He strove to speak
THE truth! The truth" whispered
the. woman. Nothing else, SO help
you God!"
NO" said the man, but / love you
still, and you ought to marry me. YOU
must. Can't you understand" Z
Listen" said the woman. flercely.
Il did not go to that man yonder.t al.
though he offered me everything that
honor could dictate and that true AZ
lection could suggest. / do believe, be-
cause did not love him, although
have since come to respect him, after
have thought 1t over. It is not duty,
but love, which is the compelling mo
tive in this matter And won't take
you; would not take an angel from
heaven unless he thought me in ev-
cry particular all that woman
should be to man, unless he loved
me with his whole heart and soul alb
| solutely. unfeignedly, completely. You
don't. don't even think that 1 love
you now. You have been tried and
tested, and you have failed. Gentle.
men, will you take him away?"
7 stay here" said the man, blunt
", drawing apart from the others,
and will kill with my own hands
the man who lays finger upon me. .
Sir said the captain, this land, 1
take 1t, Is the United States. AS the
ranking officer present, i represent its
law. It is under my rule. AS to
your choice. ! have nothing to say,
but as far as regards other things, you
will have to obey me here as any
other citizen of our country"
And know nothing OF the United
States or Its laws" answered the man.
proudly. Il am law unto myself"
The first lesson that the world
will teach you, sir" returned the cap
tain. pointedly, lis that that position
cannot be maintained; that the whole
fabric Of civilization depends upon
concession by individuals of natural
rights and upon the enforcement Of
these concessions by other individuals
to whom has been delegated, that
power" ii
Il don't wish to learn it, and that is
why l will not leave this island, per-
sisted the man.
It was the woman who interviewed.
She stepped close to the man and
laid her hand upon his arm.
YOU said that in some fashion you
loved me-" she urged.
In some fashion do, he replied.
1t grows late. Captain, can your
ship lie by the island until morning?'
If you wish. certainly" returned
the captain.
Very we'll Man, will you then go
aboard the ship with these gentlemen
and leave me alone here for the
inight?' ;ssN
Alone, madam!" exclaimed the cap.
tain.
Certainly, sir returned the WON
an, There is not harmful thing
upon the island. You can come back
in the morning and we will discuss
then what is best to be done. Really,
gentlemen she went on, with pite-. !,
GUS tremble of her lip, for one mo-
ment losing her control, 81 have been
tried beyond the strength of woman
to-day. II can have quiet rest, II
in the morning"
THAT is reasonable" said the sur.
geon. THE lady is in no state for
this discussion, nor, indeed, are you,
SIR he continued, looking hard at
the man.
Very well" said the captain. Come,
Mr.. Charnock, you cannot refuse that
request; gentlemen. Madam, good
night"
He turned away. followed by the
others. Charnock for the moment hes
itated.
Il give you one more chance" whis-
pered the woman in his ear. II think
myself fit for the wife Of any man, do
you think so? Do you love me? Do
you care for me as you did last night?
Can you think of me as all that is
sweet and lovely and noble and pure,
and worthy of any mans affection?"
She bent closer toward him in the
intensity of her feelings. The words
rushed from her. The man passed his
hand over his forehead.
Il can only say what / said before,
that love you still, that will marry
you, and that you ought to be-
That is enough" interrupted the
woman. "Good-by."
She drew instantly apart from him.
"Mr. Charnock." rang the captains
voice, imperatively.
Slowly the islander turned and made
his way to the sea after the others.
The woman, thus left alone upon
lie lSlduu, WIS lace 10 lace WITH
crisis which could only be met in two
ways. Either she must go away with
the man, or they must both remain on
the island, 1t was possible that the
captain might be induced to use force
to take the man away, but that was
not likely, and II 1t were attempted,
she believed. with much foundation
for her belief, that the man who had
never been coerced by human being
except her would fight until he died.
She could not go away with him; she
could not live with him on the island.
A future orened before him. She
had learned that afternoon on the sand
that II his identity could be estab-
lished he would be man of great
wealth, a power. factor in Shei
worlds affairs. She had had her lex
perience in life, her taste Of power It
did not matter about her. It mattefed
greatly about him.
Ito be continued.