The Richmond climax. (Richmond, Ky.) 1897-1914, 1911-12-13

7 Was here when you came. shall
be here when you return
vie shall see. returned the wo-
man looking boldly at him. The clash
Of wills almost struck FIRE within the
eyes of the two who thus crossed
swords. MEANWHILE she turned to
Langford. IF you viii leave the Is
land and 90 back to your ship, shall
be very glad There Is nothing you
can do here. You have nothing to
gain by remaining"
Kate" he cried, zone last appeal"
IT is as unavailing as the first"
She. looked at him steadily. He saw
that within her face and bearing
which convinced him that what she
said was true.
AT least" he said, with the dignity
of sorrow and disappointment. IF
have played the part of the fool.
have done my best to play the man"
He turned slowly away In a step
the woman was by his side.
you have" she said. Whoever
else has failed me in this hour, It has
not been you / am sorry that 1 do
not love you, that / never did love you
and that 1 cannot love you" She
reached her hand out. "Good-by"
"Good-by," he said, IF you think Of
me, remember that I did my best to
make amends and if you ever
change"
Il shall not change" said the wo-
man. "Good-by"
He moved of down the strand.
called his sailors to him. got into his
boat, showed of ard was rowed over
the blue lagoon and through the open
ing in the barrier toward the yacht
tossing slowly upon the long swells of
the Pacific.
AS for you, sir" said the woman,
after she had watched Langferd lit
tie while in silence, will you go back
and bring some officers ashore to hear
my story?"
AT your wish. Miss Brenton," said
the lieutenant-commander gravely.
The woman turned to her compan-
ion.
win you go with them?"
And leave you here alone?" cried
the man.
Il shall be here when you come
back, l give you my word upon it. 1
do not break my word. You know
whatever else you may have against
me. have always told you the truth
If you will remember, l said but yes
terday that was not worthy of you"
She smiled bitterly.
And in that, madam" said Whitta-
ker, give me leave to say that you
broke your record for veracity."
tbs good of you to say So" she re-
turned. Believe me l have taken
more comfort from your words and ac-
tons in this dreadful hour than had
dreamed it possible for men to give.
Now, if you will all go away and leave
me and not come back until evening
shall be so glad and thankful"
Come, sir" said the lieutenant-com-
mander, not unkindly. touching the
man upon the shoulder. CAS- a gentle
man you cannot do less than accede
to the lady's request"
Suffering himself thus to be per
suaded. the man followed the officer
into the boat, in which the whole par
ty embarked and was rOwed away
from the island. His first touch with
the world had separated him from
the woman he loved and who loved
him. Nay. his own frightful folly, his
own blindness, his own criminal and
heartless decision had done that. And
the world upon which humanity loves
to load the blame of its transgres-
sions, and with which it would fain
share the consequences of its own
follies, had nothing whatever to do
with it. In fact, it was because he
was so ignorant of the world, so utter
ly unable to see things in their rela-
tive Values-and In relation we ascer-
tain truth-that he had taken the
tone that he had used and entered
upon the course which he had fol
lowed.
He could only see one thing, that
this woman who he supposed belonged
so completely and entirely and abso-
lutely to him, who was as fresh and
Unspotted from the world as he was.
who had been his own as he had be-
longed entirely and utterly and abso- |
lutely to her. was-different! That
the difference was more in his own.
imagination than anywhere else
brought him no comfort. He stin |
loved her, he still wanted to marry
her, but he loved her In spite of her
shame. A greater, a wiser man would |
have loved her because of it. And |
some day this fact which he himself |
was inherently large enough to realize.
or would be after a time, would cause
him grief so great that the anguish /
that he suffered now would be moth
ing
Whitaker was a man Of great tact /
and shrewdness and one with a wide
knowledge of the world He realized
something of what was in the mans
mind. He saw in some measure how
the proposition presented itself to him
and he felt deep kindness and pity
toward his unhappy fellow passenger.