Mexico Missouri message., 1910-09-22

come to claim her. OF all the teem-
ing millions which the world held, this
was he whom she would fain have
avoided. Rather anyone and every
one had come to her than hel 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 It was,
he must now learn by the brutal force
of circumstances, through some COM
polling necessity which she could not
in 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 unreasoning
hatred and resentment in which the
man of the island participated. What
sorry jest had blind fate played upon
her?
She moved farther away from her
companion under the constraint of
NlCSC blOueANSs anu NlLSl liz "OuAA
have approached her nearer, she
famed upon him in sudden anger that
left him appalled,. But under the in
fuence 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
| figure, too far off to recognize, but
which she OWNED must be his, de-
| scend the battens from the gapgway.
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, comprehended
| 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 con-
cerned, without rhyme or reason or
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
could think CT nothing else and there
was bewilderment in his dismay.
Nothing had given him power to solve
the enigma Of her conduct. Where she
gazed with serious intentness, he
looked listlessly. Her heart smote
her again. The sense of justice upon
which she prided herself came to her
rescue. She stepped close to him and
laid her hand upon his arm.
Forgive mel" she murmured and
her heart leaped within her bosom to
meet the great flush of pleasure in his
face as he responded instantly to her
caress and her appeal.
You said you knew men," the man
asked as they threaded their way
through the trees and won the hill
along the familiar path, do you know
anyone on that ship. do you think?"
The question was an absurd one I'M
der almost any other circumstances
than that. Yet chance had shown him
the one point in her armor and his
innocent and casual question had
driven into her soul a stab. Evasion
should have been easy. Indeed, his
trust in her was so great that deceit
would have been simple. But she had
always told him the truth and she
could not begin now.
EYES," she said, 81 think l do"
He stopped abruptly, illumination
and anguish, the light of pain in his
soul.
"Was 1t because you know that man
that you suffered so on the hill?"
YES" she said, again forcing her
self to speak.
'Te he one of those who loved your
'He said so, but"
"And you, did you love him?"
II hate him"
''Why?" asked the man sternly
Had he injured you in some way?'
I'm the greatest way" she answered
with deepening gravity. And here hel
sense Of justice pricked her. "But II
was partly my fault"
And have you forgiven him?" he
asked with little softening OF his
voice.
, To him forgiveness was as natura
, and inevitable as breathing. In hii
! ethics there was no other course. HI
! had never had anything to forgive, b.
. 1t remembered She was not so trut
to her standards as the man she ha(
taught. The pupil was more devoted
|, than the master.
"There are some things" she re
piled bitterly, that woman canno
r forgive, never forgives."
what things?" he persisted, won
s dering ignorantly as to her meaning
0 Don't ask me-" she answered, i'm
patiently. 81 told you would tell yol
the story to-day and you will have Il
d wait until then"
n "But that comment of the world?"
'You win hear it from that man
/ lips, if / mistake not" said the won
an, YEARLY, but you must press M
= no further. See, they are close to tn