The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1910-11-04

saw this evening. VIII you let me try
| to explain?"
Yes. II you will tell the plain truth"
Lacking Imagination. can't do any
| thing else. Nan has had falling out
with the old scamp Of a moonshiner
| who calls himself her father. She came
to me for help. and broke down In the
midst of telling me about 1t. can't
stand woman's crying any better than
other men,"
| "And that was all-absolutely all.
Tom?'
II don't lie-to you." he said. briefly.
| She gave him her hand with an Ina
pulsive return to the old comradeship
Il believe you, Tom, In the face OF all
the-the unlikeliness. But please don't
/ try me again. After what has happen
ed" she stopped In Difference to some
| thing In his eyes, half anger. half be-
wilderment, or . most skillful simula-
ton OF both.
Go on" he said: .'tell me what has
| happened. I seem to have missed
| something"
NO." she said. with sudden gravity.
Il don't want to be your accuser or
your confessor: and IL you should try
to prevaricate. should hate you'll"
There IL nothing for me to confess
to you. Ardea," he said. soberly. still
holding the hand she had given him.
You have known the worst Of me. al
ways and all along. I think"
Yes, have known" she replied.
freeing the imprisoned hand and turn-
Ing from him. And have been sorry,
sorry: not less for you than for poor
Nan Bryerson. You know now what I
thought-what had to think-when
saw you with her this evening"
1t was slowly beating its way into
his brain. Little things. atoms of sug-
gestion. were separating themselves
from the mass Of things disregarded to
cluster thickly on this nucleus of re-
vealment: the old story Of his COM
panying with Nan on the mountain:
his uncle's and Japheth's accusation at
the time: and now the old moonshin-
er's enmity, Japheth's meaning look
and distrustful silence. Mans appear
ance with q child bearing his own
name. the glances askance In Hargts'
store when he was buying the little
stock Of necessaries for the poor out
cast. It was all plain enough.
Tell me-" he said. thickly; you
heard this: you believed 1t. Have /
been misjudging your"
Not more than I misjudged you.
perhaps But that Is all over, now: I
am trusting you again. Tom. Only. al
l said before. you mustn't try me too
hard"
Let me understand" he went On.
still In the same strained tone. know
Ing this. or believing 1t, you could still
find place In your heart for me--you
could still forgive me, Ardea?"
Il could still be your friend: yes.
she replied. I believed-others believ-
ed-that your punishment would be
great enough; there are all the coming
years for you to be sorry in, Tom. But
In the fuilness OF time meant to re-
mind you of your duty. The time has
come; you must play the mans part
now. What have you done with her?"
Wait a moment I must know one
other thing" he insisted. "You heard
this before you went to Europe?"
Long before"
"And 1t didn't make any difference IN
the way you felt toward me?"
TT did: It made the vastest differ
ence" They were pacing slowly IN
and down the portico. and she waited
until they had made the turn at tina
Woodla wn end before she went on. Il
thought I knew you when we were boy
and girl together, and. girl-like, I sup
pose had localized you in some ways.
I thought knew your wickedness. and
that they were not weaknesses; $3.50
| It was miserable shock. But 1t was
not Tor me to judge you-only as you
i L. :, uiv L.
| starting point. When I came home
was sure that you had risen: have
been sure Of 1t ever since until-untfl
these few wretched hours tonight.
They are past, and now I'm going to
| be sure OF 1t some more. Tom"
What II should tell you that you
are mistaken"
Don't" she said. softly. THAT would
only be smashing what Is left Of the
ideal think couldn't bear that"
And you've been calling this friend
ship! Ardea, girl. It's lovei"
Ardea shook her head slowly.
mo-" she rejoined. gravely. AT one
time thought was afraid-that 1t
might be. But now know It isn't
How do you know it7''
'Because love. a. ! think Of It. II
stronger than the traditions. stronger
| than anything else In the world. And
| the traditions are still with me. I adj
NIT the existence OF the social pale,
right to demand certain things Of the
man who marries me"
and love doesn't demand anything"
he said. putting the remainder OF the
thought into words for her. You ara
l r9e3,% - Z <>1s,.1A r1~nr S1nv4aIf 18th =