The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1911-09-23
!HE RIsH sTANDARD SATURDAY SEPTEMBER g. 1911

his clasping arms strained her 80
close they almost hurt.
Thank God, I came In time!" she
heard him whisper.
But you did come in time." she re-
minded him, for she could still feel
him shuddering with the horror of tho
thing. you brought mo back. and I'm
not even afraid any more" She
paused, and there was q little silence.
Then she added: And I'm quite warm
now"
His arms slaokened for moment,
and then once more they clasped her
close.
"I-I-don't want to let you go" he
said, and his voice had a note in it
which she had never heard before.
"Jeanne-Jeanne. dear, can you for
give me-forgive me that it's true? For
give me for telling you? have the
you like this. And life and death and
promises. and past deeds, and right
and wrong, are all swallowed up, just
in the love of you. God forgive me.
Jeanne; it's true!" Then he unclasped
his arms. Cant you forgive, too?"
She caught her breath in a great
sob. Turning little, she clasped her
own young arms around his neck and
held him tight.
1t was long time after that be-
fore either of them spoke. Finally,
Jeanne asked question.
But, why" her voice broke in an
unsteady little laugh, but why do you
ask to be forgiven? You told me the
very first day, the day we found the
yacht had gone, that you-loved me.
That's why 1 allowed you to stay"
Eyes, but there's an inf1nity of ways
of loving, Jeanne, dear: had a right
to love the soul of you. for that was
and my power of loving. But we set
out to live through this winter in the
hope Of q rescue, the hope that when
another day came it would bring a
ship to take you back into your own
real world. l couldn't go back with
you. you know, man with q stain
upon him. Since that was so, hadn't
any right to love you this-other way
I wonder IT you understand, even now
love all Of you; from the crown OF
glory you wear, down to the print
your boot has left in the snow. l love
your lashes, your wistful lips. The
touch of anything that is warm with
no th~i1 fNv
the hands. themselves-oh. I can't
make you understand"
eyes," she said very softly. II I'M.
derstand, now" -
And yet" he began after awhile
II haven't any right, when must give
you up some day ;" r
She laid her fingers on his lips.
We'll not talk of rights" she said
mot now, not tonight. But there's
something more to say. Philip. II
wasn't the sight of the ship there
against the moon that made me think
I wanted it all to end. That was the
excuse made to myself. but it wa.
only an excuse. The real despair
came when saw you flying, saw how
| glor1ously free you were up there, ane
thought it wasn't love that kept yor
here beside me, but only pity Well
a sort of love, perhaps, but not what
wanted, not what felt for you. I'd
seen you draw away when I touched
you"
She heard sound in his throat
that might have been sob, though II
seemed meant for a laugh, and she
felt his arms tighten about her with
a sudden passion that almost hurt. Sc
she said no more, Just kissed him and
| lay still.
1t was good while after that that
she made move to release herself.
Let me go now" she said, land I'll
get you some supper, or breakfast, OF