The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1910-07-16
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JACKS TEMPTATION
By WILLIAM ALFRED COREY
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But when? And then there fell a
cloud. There was the navy, and he
had three years yet to serve and his
ship was to cruise around the world
1t would take him away from her.
Would it? MOI By all the gods, it
should not! He would desert first,
cost what it would. He would give uF
everything, risk everything, name
honor, manhood-everything if neces-
sary, to be with the woman he loved.
The next morning Jack Masters
called at the address Floretta had
given him. She cordially welcomed
him, as did also her relatives, the Gil
sons.
There was long drive, luncheon. an
afternoon matinee, dirner and an eve
ming concert. 1t was late that night
before Jack got the opportunity he
longed for, the opportunity to talk
with Floretta. Drawing her to seat
beside him on the lawn of the ellison
residence, he told her again of his
love, of his repentance for the past, of
what he had suffered in atonement
and Of his hope to win and be worthy
of her love.
But jack said F1oretta, your
heart may be right, but you are not
free. You belong to the navy"
1t stung him and he burst out with:
Hang the navy! I'll quit 1t. It's irk-
some, anyway. "I'l quit it and live
for you
She looked at him in wide-eyed as
constituent. Quit it," she echoed,
quit the navy? That's desertion,
Jack. You certainly are beside your
SELF"
Lots of them do it," he said sui
| lenly.
THAT is no Justification" she re-
| turned. And then, after moment, in
| which neither spoke, she went on as
with a mind made up. Jack, you are
| impulsive as you always were, and
you LACK judgment, as you always did.
You have many good qualities
put hand on his shoulder-"but you
lack GOODNESS and caution. You left
me when we were soon to be married,
| left me in a mere pique, without
| cause, to suffer humiliation and ridi-
Guile. And now you want to come back
to me under circumstances that would
only cause added suffering and hui
initiation to both of us. You certain
| ly know that desertion from the navy
| or army is a serious crime, and one
severely punished. You would have
to change your name and completely
hide your identity to escape punish
ment, and that would be unbearable
humiliation to us both. If discovered
you would not only suffer imprison-
ment but you would lose your citizen
right. Oh, Jack, you certainly don't
Ill
this on yourself and me, do your"
The sailor could answer nothing.
He could only sit with his head in his
hands and with e brow wet with the
Precipitation of mental agony.
Finally, Floretta went on: Jack, as
sert your manhood; bear your burden.
| We all have them to bear. You are a
soldier. Be brave in the face of every
| foe, even your own desires. Be true
to the promise you made your country
when you enlisted; be true to the flag
am glad to have seen you again.
glad to know you repent the wrong
you did me, to know that you still
love me. Jack, my heart is the same
as it was. 1 shall never love anyone
else. Go back to your ship and your
duty; serve out your time and then
| come to see me with a clear con-
science and an honest name"
There was a struggle that lasted far
into the night, the old, old struggle be-
tween love and duty, between the
broad and the narrow way. Both the
man and the woman knew what was
right and best, but the man was
weak and it took the strength of both
to hold him true.
At last the sailor asked: Would it
be any harder, Flo, for you to wait for
me as my wife than as my sweet
hearth" And his heart almost stopped
beating as he awaited for answer
Looking far off into the moon-Itt
spaces of the night, she said slowly:
Isn't that a good deal to ask, Jack?'
'T know it's a good deal, Flo" he ad-
mitted, but it would help me to carry
my load. Won't you do it. Flop
After while the answer came, ST
will help you, Jack"
The next evening there was an i'm
promptu wedding in the parlor of the
ellison residence, followed by de-
lightful dinner, and three weeks later
Floretta received the following tele-
gram from San Francisco:
Transferred cruiser Chicago Re
main on Pacific coast. Promoted gun
captain. Two weeks furlough. Com
ing to Los Angeles. Jack"
ihrarv Suones+ion