Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1910-05-26

and prayed in spite Of spots, they lived
a life of idyllic innocence. Yet be-
cause he was a man and she was a
woman, strange fires glowed beneath
the outward calm, strange ideas and
desires and thoughts rose from both
hearts. This was inevitable. Her
original relation to the man had been
one of so great superiority as to be
fatal to the early development of any
| feeling but the maternal. Even now
she possessed the superiority which
association with her kind, her longer
training and her greater opportunities
had given her. And yet she could only
recognize that to the impartial view
considering his abilities and oppor-
tunities he stood quite on a level with
her. Perhaps had he enjoyed her
chances he might have stood higher.
She began to idealize him, to dream
about him, to wonder. She trembled
on the verge of passion. She knew his
to be a brilliant mind. She OWNED
his to be a knightly soul. Physically,
Ill IdCG anu ASuICy hO AlOlO oPAOh0AN
man, untrammeled by base convention,
ever stood upon the earth's surface.
Grace and strength mingled in har-
mony that was as striking as it was
full of charm. She had no opportuni-
ty to test his courage, for no physical
danger ever menaced them. But she
believed in his manhood thoroughly.
The woman had had bitter expert
ence with love. Following what she
believed to be the highest inspiration
she had wrecked her life and brought
herself to this pass. The revolt In
her soul at the thought of the man
who had SO degraded her, Or who had
SO taken advantage of her ignorance
and innocence-the more complete
since they were covered by a conf
dence of knowledge and sophistication
AS to allow her to degrade herself,
convinced her that what she had mis-
taken for divine light was only a false
FIRE, an ignis fatuus which had led her
into the marsh and slough of slime
and shame. She loathed the thought
of that man. She had loathed, when
she had been thrown upon that island,
the thought of all men. This one
had given back her confidence in her
kind. Yet sometimes she wondered
whether that confidence were war
ranted or not because of him. Sup
pose he should come in touch with
the world, what would happen? Was
he, too, capable Of breaking a Wo-
mans heart? Would he do it? Vas
hers the heart? What would the soil
ing touch of the sordid conditions I'M
der which life was lived, as she had
known it, do for him? Would he still
be %unspotted? Would he think her
the same? She had taught him many
things. But how should he learn to
fight temptations, temptations with
which he had no experience, which
never came to him, she fondly
dreamed.
Yet she had confidence in him. She
had confidence in God, and we cannot
have confidence in God without some
confidence in man. The converse, too
is true. Therefore she believed. She
was confident that he would rise su
preme in the face of every test. She
wondered if the test would ever be ap
piled to him, il she would be there tc
see. She found herself praying fol
affirmation in both matters. Her be
lief in him would only be belief
founded upon hope until he had beer
tried. There was a doubt about hin
that must be resolved; she must re
solve it, She could never be satisfied
in spite of her belief, until she hat
done so. The very fact that sht
thought so keenly upon the subject
that she was so interested and en-
crossed in the situation was evidence
to her that she cared more for thu
man than she had dreamed 1T possible
And what of him? For one her In
tuition failed her. She wanted to SCI
him tested and tried; she wanted II
see him tempted and triumphant, bu
he was all of that in those very hour
in which she fancied him so unthink
ing. 1t never occurred to her that h
might entertain an earthly passion TO
her. She still, from ancient habit, be
lieved herself so far above him tina
such an ambition would have been lii
tie less than sacrilege to him. Sh
u lulled herself to sleep with that idea
She believed, she knew, OF course
d, that all that was needed was a sue
re gestion from her. To love Is the 10
I'd Of man. This man had seen no othe
lie than her. If she said the word,
would be accomplished. She he'll
n the only key to his heart; her han
~ could unlock it on the instant. Sh
II. forgot the master key and the Maste
3; Hand.
le He had controlled that strang
er e.sS