Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1910-07-01
CHAPTER XIV-contlnued.

~HA 1871 AAS sdCnI put II.
CHAPTER xIV-contlnued.
"Beeause-
She hesitated.
Are you afraid 10 tell me?"
Yes" she said.
Afraid Of what?"
"Of losing you"
Danish that fear"
"But it's no that that keeps me
Silent"
What Them"
II would have the worlds comment
or what I say when 1 say IT."
THE worlds comment! What is
the worlds comment to me?"
"A test, a trial of your feelings! If
n breaks my heart, you must know"
IF you feel that way about It," said
the man resolutely, you need tell me
Aothing at all"
Il was a brave thing to say, for her
mysterious words filled him with du-
biety and dismay. He had no idea
what it was that she could tell him.
He had no experience by and through
which to embody her vague hints into
pOAAcIh1A6 real III (dASID1O. IL 1
that he was terribly grieved, and but
that he had no way to describe the
pain Of jealousy, he would have said
that he was racking with that unhappy
emotion.
"Terl me nothing" he repeated
again, IF it grieves you"
Are you afraid of the test?" she
asked, swiftly.
II am afraid of nothing, except los.
Ing you"
Il am not worthy of you," returned
the woman, las l told you but If you
Win still have me If you will take me
when l have said what l must say,
and when the world has said what II
will gay, then 1 shall be yours as long
as / live"
"It Is WELL" said the man. 1T wait
the ship now eagerly that I may show
you that what / have said is rue"
THE vessel is nearer now" she
said at last. rising from where they
had been seated together upon the
grass absorbed In each other. and
pointing seward.
Yes" he answered. 81 can aver
see the figures upon the deck"
Your brother men"
VIII there be some women on the
snip?"
81 do not know" she answered
quickly. 1T isn't likely. Do you wist
to see other women?"
None" was the instant answer. Z"
wondered If my brothers would bring
you sisters. That was all"
There was absolutely no dissimula
ton about the man. There had beer
NO cOQuetry about her. He would
simply have failed entirely to under
stand what it was. He was as honest
as straightforward, as absolute sim
pIlcfty and sincarity must ever be
and she had met him exactly on hi.
own ground. 1t was impossible, there
fore, for her to mlsapprehend hi.
mere casual interest
She stood quietly studying the ap
preaching vessel. AS she did so, 1
came to her mind that there was some
thing strangely familiar about the on
coming ship. She stared longer, an
the conviction grew upon her. Whel
she realized it she clasped her ham
to her heart with a sudden gasp AM
turned a white face upon him. H,
was all solicitude in an instant.
What is the matter?" he cried
Your face Is white; you look 81
strangely"
1T is a sudden pain" she gasped
terror and dismay constructing he
throat.
She wavered. He thought she wa
going to fall. He stepped closer t
her and put his arm bout her.
mo, no." she said, repulsing.
1t vas the first command she ha,
given him in those bygone days whel
he had stood dumbly before her.
mo. no." she pushed him away. az
shall be all right"
And has the approach Of men dc
pr1ved me of the privilege of touch
ing yDu?" he asked, Histfully. "Wha
ks the matter?"
Don't ask me now" she answered
'1-I-cannot explain"
The vessel was nearer now and a
she stared it came to a stop an,
swung broadSfde to the reef Their
was no mistaking 1t. 1t was the South
ern Cross. She knew 1t as wen as sh
knew her own face. The thing whicl
she had dreaded 20 when she fe
from that vessel in the launch, whicl
she had dreaded for q time in tn