Mexico Missouri message., 1910-08-18
CHAPTER xl.-continued.


II they all stood here by me on the
sand, II all their eXcellencies and viz
tues were centered upon one and she
stood by you on the sand, my heart
would turn TO you. 1t isn't because
you are beautiful You are beautiful,
are you not?"
Poor man, he had no standards of
comparison. only the instinct for the
lovely.
Men said So" she answered. smil-
;ng at him and blushing in confusion.
Mem" he cried. What mem"
Il will tell you tomorrow"
She sighed deeply at the thought OF
the revelation.
Well then" he continued, 1T isn't
because you are beautiful, or because
you are wise, or because you are
learned. or because you are kind; It is
because you are you that love you"
And If were none of these
things?"
q would love you just the same"
But l am not what you think me in
some ways"
81 could never think highly enough
of you, know that"
No, no, It isn't that. When l tell
you"
She stopped and looked at him pa.
ling. After all the greater test was
to come then. ITO err" she remem-
bered the ancient Latin proverb, was
60 Jfvrfna Would ba
be human or divine in this trial? Had
she so trained him that he could for
give the unforgiveable? In more ways
than one her happiness depended
upon what would be his course. If
he forgave her and condoned her
fault, their love could have free
course II ever opportunity for benz
son upon It presented. But If he
followed the common course of men,
not only would any future union be-
tween them on the only terms to
which she could consent be impos-
lsible, but he would kill her heart, her
trust in man-sometimes, she wildly
believed, her trust in God.
Nothing, nothing" he repeated.
I"that you could tell me would make
any difference"
So lovers have protested, she re-
Icalled, since time and the world be-
gan. And yet things told have made
differences. What would 1t do for their
future, this revelation of the morrow?
And again she realized that the test,
IF she herself were compelled to make
ut, would not be exactly fair, for she
would be at once prosecuting attor-
ney, advocate for the defense, even
IN some phase the passer of judgment.
She would be the criminal and the
world to him. 1t would hardly be
possible for him to arrive at a correct
view and come 70 a determination I'M
biased and free. II she could have
transported him by some magic pow
Ter among the children of men, and
with them for auditory have told her
story, the test would be a true one.
What he would do then after having
heard the worlds voices, the worlds
appesls, the worlds mockeries, would
truly determine what he was, and in
no other way could that determine,
ton be arrived at. Though she strove
ito be as impartial as divinity, she
could not but make her defense coin
cident with her revelation, her justin
cation at the same time with her con
ldemnation. He knew nothing Of life
but what she and instinct had taught
him, and neither would be safe guides
IN this emergency. He could protest
and she could believe his protests, but
unless they were uttered not merely
before high heaven but before sur
rounding men, they would be of littl,
value.
She put this by resolutely at last
we are the creatures Of circumstanc,
and environment. She would have Il
do the best that she could on tn
morrow. Meanwhile she would, as sh
mad said, enjoy the day. And so tn
morning hours wore away until tn
time came for the customary parting
At hrst she would have abandoned, 4
the luxury of the new passion, or tn
new revelation of the old passion, tn
customary rule, but she still preserve
some in gering remains of her commo
sense and she clearly perceived tn
II was necessary to go on as the
had. Society canAnt proceed withou
SIS conventions ana these Gmple reg,