The Comrade. (Winnfield, La.) 1890-1914, 1910-09-30
CHAPTER XIV.
Past and Present.

Past and Present.
"How long do you think it will DO az
before they will be here?' asked the y
man, after they had sat silent on the B
hill to windward of the fire watching
the trail Of smoke.
II should think that it would be per4
haps an hour or little more. Why7"
she returned, after moment pause.
Are you anxious to have them here
For the life of her she could not 4
keep the bitterness out Of her guess
ton. The man looked at her in sur,
prise. She had never lost her tempe1
before him in the years they had been (;
together. There had been something +
singularly simple, free and unre' q
strained in their life. Nothing had /.
ever occurred to vex her. at least not
after the man had known enough to.
notice it. She was woman of sunny.
even temper under any circumstances,
and she had felt it incumbent upon her
to be as nearly perfect as posslblel6
since she represented humanity to 4
him, nor had it been difficult task
for her to be gentle. This flash OF re- /
sentiment, therefore, struck him 81
something entirely novel. In his
amazement for a moment he forgot
> the injustice Of it, the unkindness Of It.
. He looked at her strangely and said
to her. with little touch OF So
4 verify: Rs
o "You know that 1t Is not that
Woman"
He had no terms Of endearMent.
Y, He had never heard the words that
lovers use, and although he kneW that
II her name was Katharine, and he het
lieyed that his was John, and though:
u. sometimes they made Nuse Of these
H. names, generally they called each 9th.
er by the broad generic terms which
stood for sex. Names are only for
differentiation and identiflcat!ca. IL
re al; event, and here was no need for
,r, such appellation. She loved to call
d. him "Man," and she loved to hear him
call her Woman"
o. "You know" he said, "that It's not
in who brought the world upon u.s.
ut II was unjust, unkind," she an
be swered quickly enough, stretching out
IS, her hand to him. "You must forgive
t." me. You see even the approach o.
he yonder ship brings bitterness into oul
lin hearts and into our speech"
II guessed that it would be SO Wher
lid I saw you weep" said the man. 8
he wish now that had not given sth'
v" flint and steel; that I had not alloWee
alf you to light the beacon"
"My friend, it had to be. Don't re
tz. proach yourself for that. Sooner 9
he later this island would have been =vis
KY tied by some one. Sooner or later tn
is. shin would have come to fetch
er, off,"
asy But re were 80 happy here" b
to protested.
CHI ayes" she answered, "but not sine ~,
yesterday" ss
) it ''Are you unhappy because 4 10y 1v'
is is yous" 49,. .u,,, 5 -,
lch, II am no longer sure that you WI
love me always"
ps: "But you love me, do you notT y
1t questioned, eagerly ss
Eyes"
care you sure Of yourself 2"
the Absolutely
,all- "Why not Of me, then7 Am I -
1ere true? Do I love less than you ?'#55S
cen. "Not now"
'een t'What is the difference between y
'om' then?" s5
hen 7 have seen the world and you be
best not"
side "But / tell you that will make
tern difference; that"
and, .No man can say that who has y
the experience to draw upon. !"
ring. "You are my mentor" said the ~
gently. "You have taught me all
to know, but sometimes ! think =
mo- about some things ! know more e
they YOU and this Ia one thing Of Whicsl
lived am sure" $3.50
they eyes" said the woman, YOU
,tual- be sure SO long as conditions rem rem
hore. a. they are at present, but OF
at a times, other manners"
over "You have something to tell M
more interposed the other, swiftly.
nized The woman nodded.
In of "You said yesterday you would
, oar ma today, Why not tell me nasi
aged To BE coNT1Nu1n''