The Greenville journal. [volume] (Greenville, Ohio) 1850-1918, 1910-07-14

But it was in part my fault" re
turned the woman, bravely making hej
confession.
Il will never believe It. It canno
be-"
And yetit was, but you shall have
the whole wretched story today, and
you shall judge. This much | will
say, that though all that he said was
true, yet l hold myself blameless and
innocent. The world judges me
harshly, and it may be that you will
find its Judgment just. Yet l do not
hold myself as on trial at this moment
but you"
Il do not understand"
There are many things that you dc
not understand, my friend"
Il would that I had been left in ig
norance."
Nay that is not mans wish, but
a child's."
of one thing l am certain"
And what is that?"
That I should have killed him!"
Nay" said the woman again, that
is not a child's wish, but a brute's. !"
You said yourself" he flashed at
her, that there were some things a
woman could not forgive, and this
Is one that man puts in the same
class"
Inc woman sighed. There occurred
10 her at the moment no answer which
was adequate to the stark realism of
thlstact. The conversation had reached
an lmpasse beyond which 1t could not
progress without the full and com.
plete explanation which now there was
neither time nor opportunity to give,
Tor the boat from the man-of-war was
approaching the shore. The woman
stepped resolutely down the strand to
meet it, and the man, after a slight
hesitation, followed her.
So soon as the boats keel grated on
the bottom in the shallow water a
officer rose from the stern
sheets and stepped ashore followed
by a younger companion in the uni
orm OF a sergeant of marines. A
little squad Of privates in the bows
anded and fell in line with martial
eelerity and precision. The officer in
'harge, who wore the white troDic uni. |
orm Of a lieutenant commander. now
aced the people on the island who
lad instinctively divided into two
groups, one on either side of him. |
TO the right stood the man and be-
lind him the woman, to the left Lang |
ord, back of him his crew. 1t was 7
0 the latter that the officer first ad-
ressed himself.
Sir" he began, a am the execu-
i've officer of the United States
rniser Cheyenne, detached on special
ervice. We raised this island this
lorning, ran it down, circled it, saw
be yacht yonder--"
He paused.
1T is my yacht, sir, the Southern
ross" answered the other. my
anne is Langford"
Glad to meet you, Mr.. Langford.
line is Whitaker"
The lieutenant commander touched
is cap as he spoke. Langford lifted
is, and the two shook hands.
We saw" continued the lieutenant
commander, what appeared to be
ONE sort of fracas with the natives,
nd fired a gun to attract attention,
nd Capt. Ashby sent this boat party
shore under my charge to do what
yer was necessary. Perhaps you can
xplain how you came to be en- '
rolled with the natives" I
Sir" said the woman. And the ,
lct that she addressed him in his own ,
lnguage, and with the cultured &C.
ants of the well-bred and the we'll
1ucated, caused the officer to start
olently-"the island is mine" ;
Mr.. Whitaker turned and looked
at her, his surprise only :,
lualed by his admiration. The tunic :.
at she wore was rough garment 9
i'd shapeless, but few vestments were 6
etter calculated to set off her eX =
lisite proportions. The grace and !:
eauty Of her figure, the nobility and =
telligence of her face took added )
ster from the contrast of the utterly
mple, natural and primitive. Whit
ker's glance fell upon well-nigh per-
ct woman. The constraining infiu-
ices of civilization had been so long
)sent that nature had time and op-
,rtunity to reassert it's claim. She L
as tall, exquisitely modelled. Her a
ire arms might have supplied those v
issing from the Venus of Milo; her
nbs, which the short tunic to her c
lees left exposed, were perfect in L
cir symmetry and strength; her feet W
ere such as those to which ancient l!
'eece had bowed; her hands were
apely, graceful, yet strong; her dark D
res looked at him fearlessly; her L
Lrk hair rose like a somber, cloudy D
own above her brow. The fierce sun,
e open air, the wild wind had not u
altered the clear, slightly G.
i've pallor of her face. The woman
ID been beautiful before. Now that II
.ture had had free sway, she was r.
'bly lovely. She had stood little in b
e rear 0f the man at flrst and the tC
,uteaant commander had not partic- lc
arly observed her. When she spoke, dl
e stepped into the open. He stared pl
d stared amazed. tt
Indeed, the direct intensity Of his b.
ance added sudden new percep- g
IN to the woman's faculties and for