Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-11-27

night and to-day, that disarmed me. Please
don't let me grieve you! hoped | shouldn't
do that; but couldn't have spoken if had
thought you were still Indifferent, for could
not have borne your being merry over my
misfortunes. 1t is something to me now to
know that Our new friendship will make you
gentler in your thoughts of me! But
wanted you to know. l think perhaps it
would have been better if had let you know
before. | will not trouble you after tonight.
I'm going away from here in the morning"
Her hand frightened in his and her eyes,
the more lovely for the tears they had shed,
were raised to his. mo, no-you must not
go! You have given me too much, and L"
The tenderest flower of wonlanly sympa
thy. will not give up the memory of those
tears. They are more blessed than anything
that can happen in my life. I'll never forget.
They'll be with me always, to give me new
heart for what I've got to do. l love you,
Natalie won't you let me tell you SO again?
want you to learn by the tenderness of the
touch of my fingers, by the look in my eyes:
You felt them once; you looked in them once
when they werel net gentle. See! l am
barely holding the tips of your fingers. They
tremble on mine so lightly that they might
be gone and should scarcely know it. Do
you understand now what [ mean?' | am
trying to show you that there is above deep
enough, reverent.enough,' TO be content with
spiritual rather than physical SYMBOLS :,
He felt the warm fingers to which he
offered such gentle bondage close more firm
ly and make his own fingers prisoners; but
her face was turned away. from him again
and the moisture still hung On her lashes.:
-, -: - ~ - -:
HE: rose, about. to. turn away; but she
II would not relinquish his hand, and
stood beside him. In the eyes upturned to
his he saw look which for all his masculine
incapacity he understood. 1t was as though
her,tears had purified them so that he had
new light on the spirit within. 's:..'
"Natalie!" -. =! ~. =
"What-Brooke?"- II
"Do you? C-could your"
If he had been incredulous before, una
ready to believe his own happiness, the Wis |
ible tokens of it were too obvious. In the |
next moment she was in his arms; and she |
no longer sought to evade him. A tear still |
trembled piteously, on her. cheek; but he |
kissed it away and held her close to him |
while he whispered the first words of real |
conservation of their union. He did not
know what they were, nor did Natalie. She
only, knew that they were very sweet and |
that here in his arms was sanctuary. The
most curious thought they both had was
amazed they had never thought of it. He |
kissed her. hair. her eyes. her lips, as he had |
done once before; but there was difference
now, for in the sweetness of their contact |
there was no bitterness: Nor was her face |
pale as on that other night. or her lips cold. |
The blood rushed warmly, suffusing her face
and throat with a lovely glow, as if it must
give him, as words might not do, the mes
sage of her heart. Nor was there any fear
in her eyes. She did not try to speak; but
he knew that her silence was only the herald
of joy. - 8
"When," he urged at last, when did this
miracle happen?"
"Oh, long ago." she whispered.
"Long?"
That night" she stammered, ION the
terrace"
"Natalie!"
Eyes, it is true That night have never
been able to forget it. You were brutal; but
you were $3.50 strong, and l wondered |
what you would be like if you-you were |
gentle. I want to be mastered. Every
woman does down in her heart. She doesn't |
want to be worshiped from afar. She
wants"
"And yet that's what I've been DOING" he
laughed.