Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1910-07-22

me with his whole nearI anu SOUL dO-
solutely, unfeignedly. completely. You
don't. 1 don't even think that l love
you now. You have been tried and
tested. and you have failed. Gentle
men, will you take him away?"
Il stay here" said the man, blunt-
ly, drawing apart from the others.
land l will kill with my own hands
the man who lays a finger upon me-"
Sir" said the captain, this land, l
AXE it, is the United States. AS the
ranking officer present, l represent It's
law. 1t is under my rule. AS to
your choice, 1 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 1 know nothing Of the United
States or it's laws" answered the man,
proudly. Il am a 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"
81 don't wish to learn it, and that is
why 1 will not leave his island" per-
sisted the man.
It was the who INTERVIEWED.
She stepped close to the man and
laid her and upon his arm.
You said that in some fashion you
loved me-" she urged.
GT- 5000 ~-Ls~- - - --JE~
1T grows late. Captain, can your
ship lie by the island until morning."
eff you wish, certainly" returned
the captain.
Very we'll. Man, will o then go
aboard the ship with these gentlemen
and leave me alone here for the
night?"
Alone, madam" exclaimed the cap
tain.
Certainly, sir" returned the wom-
an. There is not a 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 a pite-
Gus tremble of her lip, for one mo-
ment losing her control, II have been
tried beyond the strength of woman
to-day. If I can have a quiet rest, If
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 WE'LL" 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 owe ne? Do
you care for me as you did last night?
Can you think of me as all hat 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 I sal before,
that l love you still, that I will marry
you, and that you ought to De"
1udI 10 ShOuSH, 1AICIA upISO IAO
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
the island, was face to face with a
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. It was possible that the
captain might be induced to use force
to take the man away, but that was
not likely, and if it were attempted,
she believed, with much foundation
for her belief, that the man who had
lever been coerced by a 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 opened before aim. She
had learned that afternoon on the sand
that if his identity could be estab-
lished he would be a man Of great
wealth, a power, a factor in the
worlds affairs. She had had her ex-
p~erience in life, her taste of power. 1t
did not matter about her. 1t mattered
greatly about him.
She had given him a 1nal chance
He did not love her as she would be
loved. He could not love her. 1t was
evident to her that he never would.
She had nothing to live for, nothing
to hope for, nothing to dream about.
There was one way of cutting the
Gordian knot; she could die. And yet,
-4-ooho1r fha jref{nAk 4R lFo
strong in her heart.
She crossed the island t. ner side,
where she was hidden from the ship.
and went down to the edge of the wa
ter. She even slipped of the garments