The Comrade. (Winnfield, La.) 1890-1914, 1910-09-23

upon the summit of the hill and stared
toward the ship. She was glad, OF
course, that they were to be rescued,
but as in the JOY Of their love there
was sorrow, so in her gladness there |
was apprehension. That test of which
she had dreamed the night before
was now to be complete. She would
postpone the telling of her story un-
til he could hear in comment upon 1t
the voice of the world.
They had lived In Eden, Eden with
out serpent. They had plucked the
tree of knowledge at will and no
consequences evil had ensued, yet
nevertheless, they must go out into
the world now, the world with It's
pains, it's tolls and frets, the world
with its mockeries and scorns, and
take up the appointed life Of men. lie
loved her nowhere could not be
any doubt about that-but what would
he do when he knew and when he
knew that the world knew as we'll
what she had thought, what she had
been, and what she had done. Alas,
when that ships boat touched the
shores of their island, the angel of
the flaming sword would always guard
their entrance and prevent their re-
turning to it.
She was brave woman She could
face the inevitable with courage, with
a philosophy which now at last was
Christian. She had had three peace
full years and a day of such happiness
as falls to the lot of few of the chill
dren of sorrow Perhaps that was
all that she was destined to look back
5 upon of joy. Perhaps the future held
t for her only expiation. Perhaps she
3 ought not to rebel against that posi-
e bility She ought to be glad of such
a an opportunity, indeed. But she was
d woman, and by and by she hid her
a face in her hands and wept.
In all their intercourse he had never
y seen her weep. Tears were entirely
e foreign to his experience. He knew
what sorrow was, what sadness was,
o what sympathy was, for his heart had
been torn when she had read to him
5, the story Of the Man of Sorrows and
s his sufferings. A child Of nature, the
d pathetic in the Old Covenant and the
IT New had appealed to him profoundly
d but his were not easy tears. He haG
If never shed any. He had never seer
d any. He was appalled,, therefore
when approaching noiselessly he lait
t, his hand upon her shoulder and saw
D. and heard the evidence of her grief
lg He dropped the box to the sod ant
knelt beside her.
d, HAS the sight of the ship made yo7
r, weep?" he said, softly II wish tina
to I had never come to tell you it wa
er there!"
We have been SO happy together
IT. you and L. said the woman. "Thi
On island has been my world, my haye1
as my heaven, rather, and you have bee
Id humanity to me, but now the cart
opens before you You will have oil
Mt er hopes, other ambitions, perhaps
lis Don't say It," protested the NAL
lp- vehemently. II shall have nothing
nothing but you anywhere, ever,
where, and, besides, nothing
Mt changed. See, the smoke grows fam
se err; the ship more dim. She passe
mt beyond. Things shall be as the
were! We shall live on, and 10,
no on"
Her desolation, her sorrow appeale
to him profoundly He took her
his arms. He laid her head gent
upon his shoulder. There was prote
ton and tenderness as well as pa
~. We sion in his touch.
w. ~, Together" he whispered, pattil
luv ;, her hair softly, "alone, you and II"
.. For one delicious moment wi
TO- closed eyes she let herself be
tne soothed and comforted But her b.
ter nature woke on the instant, as
Ike were.
Tim NO." she said, drawing away fro
.rv him gently, 1T would not be rig
A We belong In the world Of men. M
and women are not men and won
until they have lived among their
lows, until they have fought down
temptations of which we know no
ing here, and have conquered then
out there. Give me the flint and ste
must call back the ship!"
He stopped as she spoke and pick
up the little silver box. He extend
\ his hand toward her. and then S
\ denly drew it back.
\ "You cannot light the beacon"
Y said.
NJ Cannot" she cried.
Y NO. for will not give you the 6
X and STEEL
you must give 1t to me"
II will not. am the stronger, :
= you cannot take it from me" he
= turned, with growing frmness.
It was the first time in all their
- tercourse that he had disobeyed
~ command. She looked at him anna;
= her heart, nevertheless throbbing
m. the mastery in his tone, at the thou
that he was willing to throw away
q Y "a a., :. T.. @