Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1910-05-12

after some hesitation she had acceded
to his proposition. 1t was a species OF
self-immolation not far from heroism
that made her consent. Indeed, she did
not realize how heroic it was. With
no other ceremony than a clasp of the
hand and an unspoken. wordless
promise of trust, devotion, single
hearted alliance, publicly and before
God and man, without a thought for
the one and with no full realization
of the thoughts of the other-at least
on her part-they had gone away to-
gether, hand in hand; he and she to-
gether, in love like any other pair
since Eve mated with Adam in the
dawn of the worlds first morning.
Yet there has never been an Eden
of which man has known without its
serpent. In the cabin of that gorgeous
yacht, Sathanas reared his head. The
first week or so of the adventure had
been filled with idyllic happiness, hap
piness so great that it was strong
enough to quiet certain low, still, small
voices of conscience which the woman
rightly ascribed to a strange atavism
of ancient prejudice to which her phil
osophy was as yet unequal.
However, such conditions did not
long persist. Her disciple was in
clined, presently she found to her sor-
row, to take a somewhat lower view
of the situation than suited her own
high-souled views. The ardor of her
devotee cooled as his passion in
creased. Shut up in the narrow con
fines of a ship-great and splendid
though this yacht was beyond magma
tion-little characteristics heretofore
unsupported developed in the mere
man. The course of true love was not
so smooth as the summer sea over
which they sailed. The air in which
they lived was ruffied by flurries in
which experience would have found
presage for coming deeper storm. The
image that had feet of clay sought for
similar earthly alloy in the companion
image which was made of pure gold
all through, and finding it not, re-
scented it desperately. The convert
having gained his desire, weakened in
his principles. There vas no relaXa'
ton in his devotion, in his tenderness,
in anything outward and visible, but
. the high philosophy which had made
!, the joint effort almost a self-sacrifice
l of demonstration was slowly vanish
= ing from one heart while the Other
! chung the more tenaciously to it.
! 1t was the old, old story. In a little
4 the catspaw developed into the TEN
pest. When it appeared it came witt
: surprising swiftness. The woman
y found that in neither abstract though
9 nor mental speculation was there an!
protection for her. There might b.
no God in heaven, but there was a con
science in her breast. Finally sh
Z broke away from the mar SO far a
e she could do so when they were bot
q in the same ship of which he was lor
l. and master. She would have nothin
more to do with him save that whic
y common decency and the bare civil
D. ties of life demanded of her. Denie
10 the privileges upon which he ha
y counted, the man grew savage an
d. showed the cloven foot. The disagre'
D ment became a quarrel. The quarre
" ran through several phases. Ashame
Of himself he had recanted at frs
s. Then he had sworn again ~allegianc
r. to the specious philosophy which sh
Is now realized he had only professe,
er consciously or unconsciously, that h
'A might possess her. But she was nj
u deceived. There was no truth in h
IT, words; his asseverations carried L
ne conviction to her soul. Again
stormed and ragged; once more /
n apologized and appealed, but IL
VI periods of calm grew shorter and IL
10 periods of storm grew longer and mo-
vehement. The woman alone W;
steadfast. She was overwhelmed vii
er shame, the horror of the situation WI
rising upon her.
CTO BE CONTINUED,)