Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1910-05-06

balmy and pleasant; no shelter was
needed. 1t was the fact that he had to
go; that he was subject to another
will and purpose; that something
higher than himself was overruling
him which might be hard. It would
have been hard for the woman She
thought, however, that the limited
comprehension of the man might not
enable him to realize 1t.
He stood a long time on the sand
while she watched him. Had she con-
quered? Had he learned his lesson?
Had she laid foundations upon which
consciousness Of life and its relations
might be builded? Would she be free
from the terror of mOlestatfon, which
in spite Of herself sought expression
in her voice and manner? You she
be permitted to pass the night undis-
turbed? Was her power over him suf-
ficiently definite to be established and
to be of value? Suppose she had not
mating him? She shuddered at the
probabilities involved. OF all the
beasts Of the Aeld, the most terrible
when he is n beast is man.
She was not a weak woman She
vas above the middle height, athletic,
s~p&endidly developed, accustomed to
the exercises of the gymnasium and
the field, but her strength was no
match for his. One ray Of safety ap-
peared in the fact that she believed
him ignorant alike OF the extent Of his
power or Of the possibilities Of the
situation. She wondered what strange
thoughts were going on in that latent
brain owe which by the use of moral
force and courage she was striving to
establish domination. She rejoiced to
find that even in the midst of her anx-
ieties she could think SO clearly about
the situation.
Did he know his lesson, she won
dered. She could only hope. If she
only had a weapon she thought, the
weakness Of sex might be equalized.
There was nothing. Yes, her thought
reverted to the womanly pair of scis-
sOrs. With trembling hand she drew
them forth and clenched the little tool
of steel tightly. 1t was a poor depend
ence but the best she had. And then
she drew quietly back into the re-
ceSses of the cave and sat down lean
ing against the wall, her eyes bright
with dread, anticipation and curiosity.
h watched and waited, resolved if
necessary to remain awake the long
night through.
Outside the man had stood motion
less a long time after the final repulse.
The dusk had not yet melted into dark
out there and he was easily visible
against the sky framed by the opening
9S q dim niNfIJrn Shn WoC hardly
aware of the intensity with which she
watched him and she was greatly sur
prised when she saw him at last kneel
down Upon the sands. She saw that
the palms of his hands were pressed
together in front of him; that his
head vas bowed, that his attitude was
that of prayer! He was saying some
thing. She could hear him without
difficulty. She could distinguish no
words in the rude succession of
sounds hat seemed to come from his
lips, but her acute and quickened per
ception seemed to recognize a nearer
resemblance to articulate speech than
anything she had yet heard from him.
What was he doing? In a flash the
woman realized that the man was
praying. The realization smote her
like a blow, for this woman had long
since put away prayer. In her philOsO-
ply Of life there was no place for God;
in her scheme of affairs the Divine
was unimminent. And yet alone on
that island, in the darkness, despite
her attempt to mock away the con-
seriousness, she was relieved at that
sight.
The little ritual on the sand ended
with the n word her pupil knew.
Mani" he said striking his breast
again and staring upward toward the
heavens. Mani" ne cried as If in his
new consciousness he would fain in
troduce himself to his Maker, the
woman thought. His Maker!" her
lips writhed into a bitter smile that
was half a sheer.
What would he do next? He rose
to his feet and peeped toward the
door. She grasped the scissors tight
er and held her breath But he had
learned his lesson. With indescribable
relief she saw him turn aside and cast
himself down upon the sand where he
lay m~otionless. If she had had any
faith she would have breathed Thank
Cod" AS it was, she was very glad.
She watched him q long time, spec
ulating on the questions she had asked
him on the hill in the morning; who
he was what he was; whence he
came; where he had learned that bab-
BILE of prayer; why he was devoid of
speech; what was the God to whom
he prayed? She would study those
things. The problems fascinated her.
The d~esolation and loneliness of the
island might " crushed her. Re
lieved from her immediate %apprehen-
sions the man delighted her. She
would investigate him, analyze him,
~SyntheSize him teach him. She would