The interior journal. [volume] (Stanford, Ky.) 1905-1910, 1910-09-16

true. yet I hold myself blameless and
Innocent The world judges me
harshly. and II may be that you will
nnd lie judgment Just Yet I do not
hold myself as on trial at this moment.
but you"
Il DO not understand"
There are many things that you do
not understand. my friend"
Il would that had been left In L.
norance."
May. that is not a mans wish. but
q childs."
"of one thing am certain"
And what Ia that7"
That I should have killed himl"
Nay" said the woman again. that
IL not a child's wish. but brute's."
you said yourself" he flashed at
her, that there we're some things a
woman could not forgive. and this
Is one that a man puts in the same
class"
The woman sighed. There occurred
10 her at the moment no answer which
was adequate TO the stark realism OF
this fact The conversation had reached
an impasse beyond which Il could not
progress without the full and com.
plete explanation which now there wa,
neither time nor opportunity TO give,
for the boat from the man-of-war was
approaching the shore. The woman
stepped resolutely down the strand to
meet II. and the man. after a slight
hesitation. followed her.
SO soon as the boats keel grated on
the bottom In the shallow water a
middle-aged oficer rose from the stern
sheets and stepped ashore followed
by a younger companion in the uni
form OF a sergeant OF marines. A
little squad OF privates In the bows
landed and fell in line with martial
celebrity and precision. The oficer in
charge, who wore the white tropic uni.
form OF a lieutenant commander. now
faced the people on the island who
had instinctively divided into two
groups, one on either side OF him
To the right stood the man and be.
hind him the woman. 10 the left Lang
ford. back OF him his crew. II was
TO the latter that the oflcer FIRST ad
dressed himself.
sir" he began. Il am the eIecu
tive offcer OF the United States
cruiser Cheyenne. detached on special
service We raised this island this
morning. ran II down. circled II. saw
the yacht yonder-"
He paused.
1T Is my yacht, sir. the Southern
Cross" answered the other my
name is Langford"
Glad 20 meet you. Mr.. Langford
Mine is whitaker"
The lieutenant commander touched
his cap as he spoke Langford lifted
his. and the two shook hands.
we saw" continued the lieutenan
commander. what appeared to b
some sort OF fracas with the natives
and fired a gun 10 attract attention
and Capt Ashby sent this boat part!
ashore under my charge to do wha,
ever was necessary. Perhaps you cal
explain how you came to be EN-
brolled with the natives"
Sir said the woman. And tn
fact that she addressed him In his owl
language. and with the cultured &C
cents Of the well-bred and the well
educated. caused the ofnesr to star
violently-"the island lie mine"
Mr.. Whitaker turned and locke
deliberately az her. his surprise onl
equaled by his admiration. The tuni
that she wore was a rough carmen
and shapeless. but few vestments wer
better calculated TO set OF her Q,
quisite proportions. The grace an
beauty Of her figure. the nobility an
intelligence Of her face took adde
luster from the contrast OF the utterl
simple. neutral and primitive. Viii
takers glance fell upon a well-nigh pei
feet woman. The constraining inf
ences OF civilization had been so Ion
absent that nature had time and Of
portunity to reassert its claim. Sh
was tall, exquisltsly modelled. lie
bare arms might have supplied thos
missing from the Venus Of Milo: be
limbs. which the short tunic to be
| knees loIt ekpOeru. were perIeCt J
their symmetry and strength; her fe'
we're such as those 10 which ancler
Greece had bowed; her hands wer
shapely. graceful. yet strong: her dar
eyes looked AZ him fearlessly: hi
dark hair rose like a sombsr. cloud
crown above her brow. The fierce SUI
! the open air. the wild wind had M
materially altered the clear. slight
olive pallor OF her face. The woma
! had been beautiful before. Now thu
/ nature had had free sway, she va
nobly lovely. She had stood a little
the rear OF the man at frat and II
lieutenant commander had not parti
, ularly observed her. When she spok
} she stepped into the open. He stare
J and stared amazed.
} Indeed. the direct intensity OF h
glance added a sudden new perez
!. ton to the woman's faculties and Il
!. the nrst time In years she realize
, that she was standing before her q
4 lows half naked In one swift m
' ment convention leaped across n