Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1910-02-02

~ uISdhS my uSdTlp you 1uuSC KNOW.
"If you feel that way about it." said
the man resolutely, you need tell me
nothing at all"
1t was brave thing to say, for her
mysterious words filed him with du-
biety and dismay. He had no idea
He had no experience by and through
which to embody her vague hints into
something real and tangible. He knew
that he WAS terribly grieved. and but
tnat he had no way to describe the
pain of jealousy. he would have said
that he was racking with that unhappy
emotion.
Tell me nothing" he repeated
again, 'if it grieves ysu."
Are you afraid of the test?" she
asked, swiftly.
81 am afraid of nothing, except los.
ing you"
II am not worthy of you." returned
the woman. las told you, but il you
will still have me If you will take me
when have said what must say.
and when the world has said what 1t
will say, then shall be yours as long
as l live"
ut is WELL" said the man. 81 wait
the ship now eagerly that may show
you that what have said is true"
THE vessel Is nearer now" she
said at last. rising from where they
had been seated together upon the
| grass absorbed in each other. and
pointing seward.
YES" he answered, 81 can even
see the figures upon the deck"
Your brother men,"
will there be some women on the
ship?"
Il do not KNOW" she answered.
quickly. ut isn't likely. DO you wish
to see other women?"
None" was the instant answer. ~
wondered If my brothers would bring
you sisters. That was ALL"
There was absolutely no dissimula.
ton about the man. There had been
no coquetry about her. He would
simply have failed entirely to under
stand what 1t was. He was as honest,
as straightforward, as absolute sim.
plicity and sincerity must ever be.
and she had met him exactly on his
own ground. 1t was impossible. there.
fore, for her to misapprehend his
mere casual interest.
She stood quietly studying the ap-
preaching vessel. AS she did so, 1t
came to her mind that there was some
thing strangely familiar about the on
coming ship. She stared longer, and
the conviction grew upon her. When
she realized 1t she clasped her hand
to her heart with sudden gasp and
turned white face upon him. He
was all solicitGde in an instant.
4 What Is the matter?" he cried.
Your face is white; you look SO
strangely"
\ 1T is sudden PAIN" she gasped
terror and dismay constructing hel
throat.
She wavered. He thought she was
going to fall. He stepped closer tc
her and put his arm about her.
mo. no." she said repulsing.
1t was the first command she had
given him in those bygone days wher
he had stood dumbly before her.
mo. mol" she pushed him away. 81
I, shall be all right.
And has the approach of men de
prived me Of the privilege of touch
ing you?" he asked. wistfully. what
is the matter?"
Don't ask me now" she answered
"I-I-cannot explain"
The vessel was nearer. now and as
she stared 1t came to stop and
swung broadside to the reef. There
4 was no mistaking it. 1t was the South
ern Cross. She knew 1t as well as she
knew her own face. The thing which
she had dreaded so when she fed
from that vessel in the launch, which
she had dreaded for time In the
first period of her sojourn on the is.
land, had come to pass. 1t was the
very yacht from which she had es.
capped. Undoubtedly it bore the man
from whom she had fled. He had
come to claim her. or all the TEEN.
ing millions which the world held, this
was he whom she would fain have
avoided. Rather anyone and every
one had come to her Nan he. What
would happen when these men met
The story that she would have told
him to-day in her own way had the
ship not appeared. the story that she
would have told him on her decks
had that ship been other than 1t was
he must now learn by the brutal force
Of circumstances. through some com.
polling necessity which she could not
III any way influence or alter. She
loathed the man who was coming to
aid her. Her Christianity trembled in
the balance. She would fain have
called invectives down upon his head
and for the moment she swept the
whole sex together in one unreasonine
hatred and resentment in which the
man of the island participated. What
sorry jest had blind fate siayed upon
her?
She moved farther away from hel
companion under the constraint OF
these thoughts, and when he would
have approached her nearer, she
famed upon him in sudden anger that
left him appalled,. But under the in
ftuence of it he kept his distance She
saw the way OF the yacht checked. She
saw the boat dropped from the davits
and manned by the men. She saw a
figure. too far Off to recognize, but
which she dfvined must be his. de
scend the battens from the gangway
She saw the little boat headed toward
the shore. Then she turned to the
man. He was standing with folded
arms, his brow black as midnight
staring out to sea. He knew nothing
understood nothing. eomprehended
nothing, suspected nothing His only
realization was that she, his gentle
goddess, whom he had loved, was
angry with him. SO far as he was cop
cerned, without rhyme or reason OF
cause.
The stoppage of the ship, the lower
| ing OF the boat, Its approach to the
island were now matters of indiffer.
ence to him. She was angry. He