Gilpin observer., 1911-06-01

that and she caught her breath.
THANK you-Philip."
Well have our holiday. Jeanne, but
we must have better understanding
f1rst."
mo! No more!-I cant!"
But he went steadily on: You said
there was only one way out, and I
knew what you meant 1t is a way
out-a way that I can't deny your
right to take. II we're talking of
rights. During the five years that I
spent at Sandoval I always regarded
1t as right that could exercise
when chose. Perhaps that is one of
the reasons I never exercised It. But,
Jeanne, II you elect to take that way.
I shall take 1t with you"
She struggled away from him, turned
and faced him with horror-stricken
eyes. You must not say that! You've
no right to threaten me with that!
No right" Then. clutching at his
hands again, you must promise!"
Again she pulled her hands away
and covered her face with them. She
was trembling uncontrollably.
1T was not q threat" he said stead
fly. TT was a promise, a promise I
have the right to make. make 1t
again. now. Jeanne-a solemn prom
Use before God. Whether it's living or
dying, I shall go beside you"
mo right" she repeated in . whis-
per. What possible right could you
have to make a promise like that-a
threat that calls itself promise?"
'T have the only right there H..
Listen. Last night. when you were
lying there asleep. I sat thinking.
thinking about you. about the love I
had for you; about the change which
that love had made In me and would
go on making after had lost you. For
I faced losing you. knew that when
they sent a boat ashore for you, l
should have to let you go without q
word. III could have heard a prophecy
then, that today I should be telling
you l loved you. telling 1t with clear
heart and conscience. should have
gone half-mad for Joy, 1t seemed as
II the thing could never happen. l am
a man with a stain upon me, and yes
terday that stain made 1t impossible
to say anything to you but goodby.
meant to say 1t, and take my way
through the air again and live out the
rest of my life on what, from your
bounty. you had already given me.
But the coming Of new day has
changed all that. It has given me the
right to tell you what have told you.
and It gives me the right to make that
promise. Isn't that quite plain? Don't
you understand?
II must think" she gasped. you
must let me think"
NO" he said, "I have not asked for
an answer. There is nothing that you
have to tell me- Nothing that I'm
waiting to hear. No decision that you
must make. You understand what l
said and you know it's true. The
supreme fact in my universe Is
Just you. That gives me the
right to follow you wherever you
60 But you are still free. You
can stay here. where Fate has put you.
and let me stay here, too. being sure
NAht GAL thC hhPPihSSo Ah sio "SN -
there is for me is to be found here at
your side, in helping you. And then II
the torture of privation. loneliness and
despair become too hard"
She turned to him then and inter
rupted. Her words came quietly, un'
accompanied by any gesture Of her ex'
pressive hands. She spoke with the
utmost simplicity.
They won't be too hard, think
neither the privation nor the loneli
ness. There won't be any despair
not with you. my friend. And-and
we will follow my fathers gospel"
She saw the blood go ebbing out OF
his face. and then come back with a
surge. He drew in two or three great
breaths Of the keen, winelike air
Then. in a strangely matter-of-fact
fashion, he seated himself beside her
That gospel begins with breakfast.
he said.