The Durham recorder. [volume] (Durham, N.C.) 1879-19??, 1910-02-24
And II was mingled with palm.

\ short cut, III there - one, OT We Wuu
be home for dinner. You must be
hungry. and Of all the
mo, Jimsy. hear me-" she interrupt.
ed. you must and shall hear me.
| You have said what you had to say
Now 1t Is my turn, and |, too, will
| speak plainly. You belicve-you know
| II am and always have been a good
woman. You believe that ! was faith
| full, as far as was humanity possible.
| to the spirit as well as the letter OF
my marriage vows. made fervently,
trustingly. swore to love and honor
Joe Brooks. 1t was easy, for did
then love and honor him beyond un.
Outstanding now. But neither love
nor honor is kept alive eternally by the
virtue OF an oath In the face Of de
fusion and worthlessness. Gold was
tinsel; diamond was glass. You were
witness to the slow numbering OF love,
and you saw 1t strangled and thrown
down at the last as be would have
strangled me had you not prevent
ed"
He would have spoken. but she
checked him with a gesture Of com
mand.
mo, don't interrupt. Hear me to
the end and then speak. What Is this
thing that you are asking me to doi
You are asking me TO go to living
death. 10 make Of my heart a sep
ulcher OF all sweet or cleyating emo
ton. 70 surrender my lips to the fetid
kiss Of an Tscariot, to deliver my body
to his loathsome embraces. while my
soul sickens with disgust aud horror
my body that he would have betrayed.
hired ont for a piece OF silver and.
gloating, taken back again. yon are
asking me TO immediate myselfwith all
that l hold sacred and beautiful on an
altar that you style duty. Now apply
your rule TO this. Is II right. Is II
wrongi Oh. Jimsy. answer me! Be
fore God. Is Il rightY
She stood trembling with the vehe
mencc Of her defense and the strength
Of her feeling. her arms outsiretched
IN Interrogation and appeal.
A great figh was the indication Of
The CONFLICT that was raging in Smiths
heart. ard fer one single instant the
mask OF impenetrabIlIty fell from his
face.
She read the answer there.
Removing feyerishly the glove from
her left hand. she forced from Der
iinger the wedding ring that IN the
years had frightened closely upon u
and hurled 4 from her. II rlcochetfrd
on rock and went bounding over the
outer edge Of the plateau far down
into the pathiess. tangled brush Of the
almost perpendicular declivity.
Smith turned away In silence. and IN
silence they made their way back
along the little path up which they
hal come. Neither spoke. even Mt tie
diIicult places when he stretched cut
hts hand and helped her with ir
strong. sustaining clasp.
Jfmsy was grave and distracted. 10
his Gcthscniane he bad drunk toe
deeply o. TIE waters Of knowledge.
and they were hitf.rsweet. heavn,
impregnated With r. " ard ,.Ismay
Emma had discovered the secret
which for years hc had guarded ..
iealousiy nEd-oh. the bllssfui torture
Of lt,-had revealed 60 him that shs
Iosed hlrt This was the outcome II
bis SELF sacrificing mission On behalf
n the husband swllo stood between
them with the right Of the might Of
law and the conventions and who's,
trust was IN the keeping Of his honor
His role o. platunic friendship wa,
ended. Ills privileged relations with
the woman who was dcarcr 10 him
than llse could 10 longer be main
aimed. The home ~ the Harris fam
Wy could no Iongcr be the refuge 81
his loneliness. the pleasant oasis IL
the desert ~ his existence. where hs
could find consolation ard rrst for NJ,
suffering heart. beyond which fhs
world lay dark and lndIsccrnIble.
rtfk prrp xxtv