The Celina Democrat. (Celina, O. [Ohio]) 1895-1921, 1911-06-23


cept when the sun set In the red ives
and made the golden waters glisten
or the moon edged the great breakers
with shining silver as they curled II
and broke In foam on the smooth
white sands. Perhaps 1t was the glory
he saw in such things that made the
days and weeks there what they were
to him, at least It was that, with
Helen, that gave the note for the har
mony of II all
1t was a harmony and peace that
! grew upon him. The knowledge Of his
love for Helen came to him unsought
There was nothing else but that There
was no question, no doubt, and he
was so wholly absorbed with the Joy
his love brought him that he quite
neglected to ask himself II his being
there were Joy TO her also They
were constantly together Her enthu.
siasm at having him, her pleasure in
listening to his stories of adventure,
the true friendship she showed in lit
tie things, were excuses enough for
his seeming selhshness. But soon
these things did not satisfy him. His
love had reached the summit of its
single strength and needed the re-
sponse Of another affection. He real
lied that all his love, strong and sure
as he knew it to be, was only a half
"a part-of a beautiful whole.
And that other half?
1t was the end of June He had
been at Del Mar a month. Helen and
he had been tramping miles along the
cliffs toward Pescadero and had not
returned until dark They had fin
ished dinner and had come out on the
veranda for their coffee. The night
was clear and warm. The perfume of
roses and the fragrance of lavender
mingled deliciously with the odor of
the sea. It was beautiful and still
The low, quiet moan of the waves
came monotonously from the sands
below Clay was idly looking out to-
wards the sea. The last bit of the
days color was dying away at the
waters edge.
Aren't you going to smoke, Jack?"
Helen asked
IF may" he said absently, getting
up for a match.
why do you always say If
may?" she asked. "You know you
may, don't you? l like to see you
smoke, you enjoy it so, and l am go
ing to get into the hammock. VIII
you swing me? Do you mind?"
DO ! mind?" he repeated mocking.
ly. Now, why do you say do you
mind?' | love to see you in a ham
mock; l would gladly swing you for
ever" He said the forever en-
phatically, and Helen laughed lightly |
as she got up.
You'd get tired, she said.
Shall | get you a Govern" he asked.
"oh, nc, I'm very comfortable. Tell !
me a story"
What about?"
About yourself, of course"
He had seated himself in a large,
ow, wicker chair at her side. His
lands fell easily on the rope of the
hammock, and with a slow, even move
nent he began to swing her.
What kind of a story?" he asked
lowly.
"oh, any kind, so long as it is in.
Must it be interesting?" he queried.
Interesting to you or to me?"
why, to me. Tell me about an ex-
erience."
He laughed With man or
She shot a questioning smile up at
i'm. THE woman, of course"
But she was interesting only to
le,' he said. He was thinking of one
the other women he had met and
lought he loved, and it came to him
lddenly to tell Helen the story of
ne of those affairs and watch closely
S effect. A woman who really cared
'r a man could not listen to a tale of
lat mans love for another woman, ,
yen if that love had passed, without
lowing some sign of her feelings. 1t :
ould not be unfair It would make :
e declaration of his love for Helen, :
hich he felt must be this evening,
.s'>e He would be very true; he
o'SS tell it all just as it had hap
med. a
Well he persisted, have there =
en so many of those experiences -
at you don't know which one to \
ll?"
He was blowing long ray of smoke =
'aight up into the air and did not :,
swer. ',
In a moment he began slowly:
NO, ! know which to tell, l was q
ly thinking. 1t was some time ago. y
vas wondering if-since had come :
ck-since | had been here-my =
int of view on those experiences II
d not changed" He was looking 9
aight at her. She had clasped her =
nds behind her head on the pillows -
d her eyes were closed. He was I
inging her lightly. D
A mans point of view on such y
tiers does change, you know; any -
y until he has found his right u
s."
She opened her eyes to look at him W
smiled family. 1t was growing ~ -
k, and he knew that soon the JOY 1.
seeing her interest in what he was ui
ing would be lost to him Still, a. a.
pleasure of having her near him U
5 enough, and he went on: w
1t was while we were waiting for er
stores to arrive at Alexandria Oh
y had been delayed, no one knew ed
Y, and, as we couldn't go on with w
them, there was nothing to do al
wait. Billings-you have heard pu
speak of Billings-had letters to I'M
LN,.o,,ol ,,1 - l. 1.I - RI