The Richmond climax. (Richmond, Ky.) 1897-1914, 1911-12-06


But you spared him for my sake"
said the woman; think of that"
For your sake declared the man.
pointedly Il would and should have
killed him."
Thou shalt not kiln" said the WON
an. softly.
"An eye for an eye. and a tooth
for a tooth" returned the man. HE
and you between you slew my heart.
His death would be no murder. but
retribution."
But it was in part my fault" re-
turned the woman, brsvely making her
confession.
Il viii never believe it It cannot
be-"
And yet it was, but you shall have
the whole wretched story to-day, and
you shall judge. This much I will
say, that though all that he said was
true, yet 1 hold myself blameless and
innocent. The world judges me
harshly, and it may be that you will
find its judgment just Yet | do not
hold myself as on trial at this moment,
but you"
Il do not understand"
There are many things that you, do
not understand. my friend"
Il would that had been left in ig-
norance."
Nay, that is not a mans wish, but
a child's."
"Of one thing am certain"
And what is that?"
That | should have killed him!"
Nay" said the woman again, that
is not 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"
The woman sighed. There occurred
to her at the moment no answer which
was adequate to the stark realism OF
thisfact. The conversation had reached
an impasse beyond which 1t could not
progress without the full and com
plete explanation which now there wal
neither time nor opportunity to give,
for 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
middle-aged officer rose from the stern
sheets and stepped ashore followed
nv a vOuuoar cornpapfor 4, fbo nj
form Of a sergeant Of marines. A
little squad of privates in the bows
landed and fell in line with martial
celebrity and precision. The officer in
charge, who wore the white trOpic uni
form of lieutenant commander, now
faced the people on the island who
had instinctively divided into two
groups, one on either side Of him.
/ To the right stood the man and be-
hind him the woman. to the left Lang
ford, back of him his crew. It was
to the latter that the officer first ad-
dressed himself
Sir" he began, 81 am the execu-
tive officer of the United States
cruiser Cheyenne. detached on special
service. We raised this Island this
morning. ran it down. circled it, saw
the yacht yonder-"
He paused.
1t is my yacht. sir, the Southern
Cross" answered the other. my
name is Langford"
"Glad to meet you, Mr. Langford.
Mine is Whitaker"
The lieutenant commander touched
his cap as he spoke. Langford lifted
his, and the two shook hands.
I'VE saw" continued the lieutenant
commander, what appeared to be
some sort of a fracas with the natives,
and fred a gun to attract attention.
and Capt Ashby sent this boat party
ashore under my charge to do what
ever was necessary. Perhaps you can
explain how you came to be en-
broiled with the natives"
Sir" said the woman. And the
fact that she addressed him in his own
language, and with the cultured &C
cents of the wellbred and the we'll
educated, caused the officer to start
viOlently-"the island is nine"
Mr.. Whitaker turned and looked
deliberately at her. his surprise only
equaled by his admiration. The tunic
that she wore was a rough garment,
and shapeless, but few vestments were
better calculated to set on her ex-
quisite proportions. The grace and
beauty of her figure. the nobility and
/ ~ hnr
luster from the contrast Of the utterly
simple, natural and primitive Whit
takers glance fell upon a well-nigh per
feet woman. The constraining infu-
ences of civilization had been so long
absent that nature had time and op-
pOrtunity to reassert its claim. She
was tall. exquisitely modelled. Her
bare arms might have supplied those
missing from the Venus Of Milo: her
limbs. which the short tunic to her
knees left exposed. we're perfect in
their symmetry and strength her feet
we're such as those to which alc'aai
Greece had bowed; her hands were
shapely. graceful. yet strong; her dark
eyes looked at him fearlessly; her
doA n nan AOoC AlAc q oOluuclt Cloudy
crown above her brow. The fierce sun,
the open air. the wild wind had not
materially altered the clear, slightly
olive pallor of her face. The woman
had been beautiful before. Now that
nature had had free sway, she was
nobly lovely. She had stood a little in
the rear of the man at first and the
lieutenant commander had not partic-
ulariy observed her. When she spoke.
she stepped into the open He stared
and stared amazed.
Indeed. the direct intensity Of his
glance added a sudden new perceD-
ton to TIE womans faculties and for
the first time in years she realized
that she was standing before her fell
lows bali naked In one swift mo-
ment convention leaped across the
missing years and caught her in its
arm. The red flashed into her cheek;
beneath her rude vest her bosom rose
and fell. Her instinct for the moment
was to ay She wished that she had
put on those treasured garments which
she had kept for scene like this In