Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1912-10-01

spineless creature. the cast off lover Of
worthless woman--who has not the
manhood to deny himself the chance to
maunder TO you of his troubles or to
sicken you with his insistence on his
love for YOU. Il Now you know
me"
BY way of answer Cynthia's arm
wreathed his shoulders. and Cynthia's
cheek nestled contentedly against his
arm.
IF that's ALL" she said serenely.
surely we have no quarrel with for
tune, dear. You are free in everything
save fact free to love me and to marry
me when your freedom becomes fact
| We have ourselves and our love and
the future and / can wait
Sooner or later We shall get
away and then you viii work and
win wait and our day viii
come. my dearest. as surely as the
sun shall rise tomorrow
love you.
So said Cynthia with little laugh.
gentle and rich and deep, that seemed
the very voice of happiness. so you
see Gods in His heaven. dear; ais we'll
with the world. Have patience. o my
heartl-and little faith. Love shall
sustain us. :"
/ He turned his head. with confused
and doubling gaze searching for long
1.-THE serene depths of her brave ana
candid eyes, while slowly light kim
died in his own and warmed them, anc
their look became strong and firm with
hope and faith and his abiding JOY OF
her, mirroring her fiaw!ess trust and
confidence.
81 ell
/ arm his shoulders forgot their droop,
even as his mood its misgivings.
! you wonderful onel" he
cried in a hushed and reverent voice
1 his face glowing TT must and shall be
SO, dear heart-even as you will have
IT. Surely it shall be SO,
sweetest Of women; 1 viii have pa
thence and faith to conquer; for YOU
and because of you alone. who have
remade a man of me- / will work and
wait and want and fight Gym
thia, my Cynthia!"
This time he found her hand resist
less; and he took tito his lips, mummy
and gratefully pledging her his fealty
and devotion, world without end
Round them they seemed to hear faint
chords of harmony, as sweet and WONDER
full as the singing Of the spheres soIlly
eouorous in the vibrant of mid-morning;
drowned, tranquil and contented In
that secluded spot the fragrant, heady'
air hung moveless; only the softest sioi-
lance of the seas amending murmurings
came to their ears. sense OF their
aloofness, their remote disassocia-
ton from the world, was strong upon
spirits, like benediction, ANONYMOUS as
/ absolution after confession knowing
their utter isolation, they were unafraid;
they OWNED troublous future without
shrinking; love balanced all. Peace and
thanksgiving brimmed their naive hearts,
J twin chalices for the wine OF life.
Then, upon this hush that bound all
their world, as II it were a witching
SPELL without any warning whatsoever
there fell a sound as quickening as the
trump of doom, wild, weird blast or
noise, raucous and unearthly; an inhu-
man below that rasped the eardrums
ere it's swift diminution into a goblin
shrek that faded suddenly into complete
silence.
Like children appalled, by thunder
clap in the engrossment of play, with
single impulse Cynthia and Crittenden
started apart and jumped to their feet,
so to stand through tense instant or
two, vainly interrogating one another
with startled and incredulous glances;
until again that inexplicable gust Of
sound shook the stillness-as a dog
shakes a rat-and again trailed or sick
eningly to its cessation.
Crittenden shook his wits together with
a quick, impatient movement, and nodded
reassuringly to Cynthia, who was stand
ing at a little distance, poised in her
alarm as lightly and gracefully as a
bird on the edge of instant if aimless
flight. His lips frightened and his eyes
narrowed with concentration of thought.
cit isn't reasonable" he said with an
attempt at lightness to ease the strain;
cts the Widest and most improbable
and absurd thing imaginable; but either
I'm stark, starting mad, or that's
siren whistle And that means -
He indicated his thorough mystihcation
with a motion of his hand:: Wait here
till 1 take a look" he said sharply.
Sounded as though it came from the
lagoon"
Another repetition of the racket
drowned the rest of his words. He set
off incontinently toward the inner beach,
running as though he thought their
lives depended on his haste-and with
half a hundred hopes and fears seething
to the surface of his consciousness.
On the verge of the thinning wilder
ness half-jungle,e that marked the beach,
he delayed his anxious footsteps going
more cautiously and with eyes jealous
to reconnoitre the sweep Of sea and sand
and sky that was momentarily more
widely revealed.
Suddenly, with an exclamation, he
stepped boldly out into open sunlight
cupped hands to mouth and sent hail
ringing out over the waters.
"Aho-o-oyl" he shouted at the fun
strength of his lungs.
From q stock, iead-colored steam
launch fairly we'll filled with men in liv-
cry Of white, which was just then nego-
tiating the, entrance to the lagoon
picking its way warily at half speed
there came an answering hail.
He fingered for an instant In semi
confusion, straining his vision in futile
attempt to single out or recognize a
familiar figure amongst those on board
the boat-as yet too far away for any
one of it's occupants to wear distinction
from his Acknowledgement, with a
stupid wag of his head, the British flag
tapping Imply at the little vessels
stern; then, W IA a swing of his arm,
turned back to go to Cynthia
He found her almost at his elbow
Just within the sheltering shadow Of the /
trees.
IT couldn't wait she said breathlessly.
What is it? What does it mean2"
IT'S a launch from an English battle
ship, If I'm not mistaken he told her.
he win nm of ell