Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1912-09-07
7 he Honor
BY James
Oliver GUrrW@0a
CHAPTER XIV.
Jams story.

but two other human beings. 1t is
the story OF another mana man from
civilization, like you, who came up
into this country Of ours years and
years ago and who met q woman, as
you have met this girl at oxford
House. and who loved her as you love
this one and perhaps more. II is sin
culaT that the case should be so SINH
lar. msieur. and II is because Of this
that believe our Blessed Lady gives
me courage 70 tell II 70 you. for this
man, like you. left a wife and two
children when be came into the north
M'sieur, pray the great God to for
give him, for he left a third child
unborn"
Jan leaned upon his hand 30 that 1t
shaded his face.
1T Is not so much OF that as OF
what followed that ! am going to tell
you. m'sieur," he went on. 1T was q
beautiful love on the woman's part,
and It would have been beautiful
love on the mans part II it had been
pure. For her he gave up everything,
even his God. as you would give up
everything and your God for this girl
at oxford House M'sieur. / will
speak mostly Of the woman now. She
was beautiful. She was one Of the
three most beautiful things that God
ever placed In our world. and she
loved this man. She married him, be-
lleved IN him, was ready TO die for
him. 70 follow him 10 the ends OF the
earth. AS our women will do for the
men they love. God In heaven, Can
you not guess what happened, m'sieuri
A child was born"
50 6ercely did Jan cry out the
words that Thornton jerked back as
though a blow had been struck at him
from out Of the gloom.
"A child was born" repeated Jan,
and Thornton heard his nails digging
in the table. That was the fr9
curse Of Coda child! Carrion. beasts
Of carriou. that is what we call them
beasts OF chrrlon and carriop eaters.
breeders Of devils and sin! NY God!
That il what happened. child was
born with the curse OF God upon him.
Jan stopped. his nails digging deep
err his breath esca ping from him as
though he had been running.
Down IN yOur world he would have
grown up man." he continued. speak
ing more calmly. Il have heard that
since. But here IL Is different The
curse never dies. II follows, day after
day, year after year. And this child.
more unfortunate than the wild things,
was born one OF them. II the winds
had whispered the secret nothing
would have come near him. The In
diuu women would sooner have touch
cd the plague. He would have been
an outcast, dcspiscd as he grew Older,
pointed at and tainted. called names
which are worse than those called to
the lowest and meanest dogs. That is
what 1t means TO be born under that
curse-up here"
He waited for Thornton to speak but
the other sat silent and mOveless across
the table.
The curse worked swiftly. m'sieur.
IL came tirst-in remorse-tO the man.
il gnuwed at his soul, ate him alive
and drove him from place to place
WIN AAt NOulAh anu Aht NAAiO he
purity and love OF the woman added 10
his suffering. and at last he came to
know that the hand Of God had fallen
upon his head. The woman saw his
grief. but did not know the reason for
1t. And so the curse first came to her
They went uOrth-far north. above the
Barren Lands. and the curse followed
there. II gnawed at his life until-hs
died That was seven years after the
child was born"
The oil lamp sputtered and began "a
smoke. and with quick movement
Jan turned the wick down until they
were left in darkness.
'M'sieur. II was then that the curst
began T., fall upon the woman and tn,
child. DO you not believe that abou
the sins OF the fathers falling upoI
others? II is so, II is so. 1t came il
many small ways. and then the curs
II came suddeuly-like this" JAM
voice came in a kissing whisper now
Thornton could feel his hot breath a
he leaned over the table. aud in tn,
darkness JAMS ewes shone like twt
Goals OF fire 1T came like this" pant
ed Jan. There was a new missione
Rt the post-a-a Christian from tn
south. and he was a great friend to tn,
woman and preached God, and she be
hcvcd him. The boy was very younl
and saw things, but did not under
stand at FIRST. He knew Rfterwar,
that the missioner loved his mother
beauty and that he tried hard to vii
it-and failed. for the woman unit
death would love only the one 70 whom
she had given herself first. Great God
Il happened then-one night whel
every soul was about the big fires q
the caribou roast and there was no on
near the lonely little cabin where tn
boy aud his mother lived. The bo
WAS AZ the feast, but he ran home Wit
IA frr~Nk -d=ppfns meat as gift for hi
mother. and he heard her cries aud ral
in, 10 be struck down by the missiouer
Ii happened then. and even the DO
knew and followed the man. shriekin
that he had killed his mother" Their
was a terrible calmness nOv In Jan
voice. M sieur. II was tn1a Sh
wasted away like q flower after tha
n.-'.' She died and left the boy alou
v,.a The curse. And that boy. m'Sieu
was Ian Thoreau- The woman va
his mother"