The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1912-08-17
oyrght lsUo by the BoooS- Ael
CHAPTER XVI.
Roses Point Of View.
Illustrations by
Dor m. j. LAWN

The following Sunday, at ten o'clock
descended the stairs of the fat and
let himself out. into the street. He
would spend the morning walking,
anywhere where thereswas quiet and a
view. He would take his lunch at any
little joint-country hotel, city chop
house-he happened to pass, and in
the afternoon he would walk again.
He assembled the hill by one OF the
streets on its southern slope, violently
steep, the upward leaps of its side
walk here and there bridged by flights
of steps. Every little house was dis
gorging its inmates, CARRIED in the
light Sunday attire Of the Californian
on pleasure bent.
Dominick went up the hill in the
clear, golden sunlight, and in his re
volt he pushed Berry from his mind,
and let Rose come in her place. His
thoughts, always held from her, sprang
at her, encircled her, seemed to draw
her toward him as once his arms had
done
Standing on the summit of the hill
where the wall of the quarry drops
down to the water front and the
wharves, he relinquished himself to
his dream Of her.
AS if called, he turned sharply and
saw Rose standing few yards away
from him, looking at him with an ex-
preston OF affrighted indecision.
Il wasn't sure it was YOU" she said.
And then when | saw it was, | was
going to steal away before you saw
me. But you turned suddenly as IL
you heard me-"
81 felt you there" he answered
Il felt you there" he answered. 81
walked up here this morning to
have a think. l don't know where the
think was going to take me when you
came round that corner and stopped it.
What brought you here?"
Nothing in particular. 1t was such
fine morning l thought I'd just
ramble about, and l came this way
without thinking. My feet brought
me without my knowledge"
"Sit down and talk to me-" she said
! quietly. mo one can hear you It's
like being all alone in the world up
here on the hilltop. We can sit on
this stone"
There was a broken boulder behind
| them, close to the narrow foot-way
and she sat on it. motioning him to a
| fiat piece of rock beside her.
Tell me the whole thing" she said
You and l have never talked much
about your affairs. And what con
Germs you concerns me-"
Its just what you know" he be-
gan slowly. only as every day goes
by it seems to get worse. I've never
! told you much about my marriage
I've never told anybody.
81 knew all about her when I mar
rfed her. l was young, but l wasn't
| a green fool. Only l didn't seem to
realize, didn't guess. didn't dream
that she was going to stay the way
| she was
Does she want to leave your"
The question seemed to touch a
nerve that startled and then stiffened
him. He answered it with his head
turned toward her, the eyebrows lift
ed, combative note in his voice:
81 don't know whether she does OF
not" He stopped and then said, with
his face flushing, mo, l don't think
she does"
How can you leave her, them"
you expect too much Of weak HUI
man nature" he said.
mo-" she answered, 81 don't.
only expect what you can do"
He turned and looked at her
Then I'm to live for the rest o.
my life with wife I cont care for
separated from the woman / love
What Is there IN that to keep a mans
heart alive?"
The knowledge that We love each
other. That's a good deal, think"
1t was the first time she had sail
in words that she loved him. There
was no trace of embarrassment CT
| consciousness on her face; instead she
seemed singularly calm and steadfas st
much less moved than he. Her words
shook him to the soul. He turned his
eyes from her face and grasping 70,
her hand, clasped it, and pressed Il
to his heart, and to his lips, ther
loosed it and rose to his feet, saying
to himself:
Yes, that's a good deal"
Her eyes followed him, and ther
brought up on the schooner bearing
away on its long tack, strained and ca
reening in the breeze that, down there
in the open, blew fresh and strong
from the great Pacific.
It's a schooner" she said absentIy
where do You suppose it's going?"
Il don't know. Somewhere a Ions
way off, hope. Ny devils are sailing
away on it,
They stood side by side, gazing
down at it till she moved away with ,
| oT14I