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

IL
"No Christian Ever Believed in His
God as Believed in Her"
with you No, not for anything that
you can prefer, nor for any reason
that you can urge, will come to you
when in my soul belong to another
There may be no end to this but my
despair. This man may cast me of
This man may trample me under foot.
The spots upon my soul may loom
larger in his view and hide what else
is there. know 1 have been for
given by God. l will not be for
given by men, but tell you here and
now, again and again. that | will not
be your wife. I will be his wife or
no mans"
Langford turned away and hid his
face in his hands. Whitaker stepped
forward and laid his hand upon the
shoulder of the man of the island.
He shook him for a moment
You stand immobile," he cried.
sharply, after such a confession as
that. after such an appeal? What
have you to say, man? You ought to
get down on your knees and thank
God for the love of such a woman.
Aye, aye" burst out the deep tones
of the old coxswain of the cutter. so
say all of u.s."
God help me-" cried the man, lift
ing his hand and releasing his shout
der from the grasp of the officer, Il did
love this woman. Think how it was,
think how believed in her No Chris
tian ever believed in his god as | be
IieYed IN her. She told me what purity
was, what innocence was, what sweet
ness was, what light was, what truth
was, and looked at her and saw
them"
"And you can look at her and see
them now" cried the officer
No" said the man, Il can never
look at her and see her the same"
"Oh, Man, Mani" cried the woman.
The test was upon him. He was
failing. Her sorrow, her giief were
more for him than for herself.
Don't mistake me-" said the man.
Il can't help loving you, whatever you
are. If you had been as guilty as,
when he began to speak and when
you corroborated him, l fancied that
you were, should have loved you just
the same and l should have married
you, and l shall marry you. This
this awful thing has come between us,
but we will try in some way to live
it down. to forget it, to go on as we
were"
He stepped toward the woman.
She drew herself up to her full
height and looked him unflinchingly
in the face.
No" she said. 1--WE are not going on
as we thought. We will not marry and
live together. We will not bury this
wretched happening in the past in
any oblivion. will marry no man,
although he may have my whole heart,
who is not proud and glad to take me,
who does not realize that am as pure
and as innocent of wrong and shame
as he would fain think his mother. as
he would absolutely know his wife
must be. told you that your manhood
must be put to the test. told you that
your love must be tried by fire. What
| loved in you was the assurance that
you would survive the test, that you
would triumph in the trial. It is not
that have been before the great Judge
this morning, but you. and you have
failed"
Kate" said Langford, he casts you
on; take me. swear to you that
were in his place, / would not have
hesitated a moment"
Il respect you more than ever" said
the woman; but don't love you and
l cannot, | win not take youl"
"Charnock," said Whitaker, "if
that's your name, permit me to say
here, saving the lady's presence, that
you are behaving like damned FOOL
The man looked at him dumbly. I'M
comprehendingly. and made no reply.
1t was the woman who spoke, coldly,
impartially. She had seemingly dis
missed the whole AFFAIR. though at
what a cost to herself no one could
know.
Sir" she said. is there anyone on
your ship empowered to administer an
oath?,
Z have that power" answered the
ACCOMPLISHMENTS why do you
ask?'
4 wish you would bring some of
your officers here with paper and ink.
| wish to make a deposition as to the
facts that ! have learned CONCERNING
this man which may be Of service to |
him IN establishing his Identity and
discovering his history when he re-
turns to the United States.
But are you not going back with
US, Miss Brenton?" asked the officer In
amazement. We are sailing for Hon
olulu and thence for San Francisco as
directly as we can CO."
No" said the girl, Il viii not leave
the island. You can take my friend
here"
The Southern Cross" said Lang
ford, is at your disposal, Kate"
I have had one voyage upon her,
said the woman bitterly. 4 want new.
eF TO see her again"
Woman" said the man OF the Is
land suddenly, If you stay here. I
stay here. Without you viii not 90.
Not SO" said the woman soornful
y. Il would not be upon the same
sland alone with you again. You have
lailed me-"
Her voice broke. but she caught It
again Instantly and resumed her iron
'elf-control.
hall be l."
No said the woman. Il have
'een in the world and you have not
You may 60 and learn what it holds
or you. have tried to prepare you. !
o give you lessons Now. you NAV
'ut them in practice
The island Is mine. seld the man.