The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1913-12-26
CHAPTER ~.
In the Buried Temple

The red rim OF the sun had already
disappeared as David Hurst set oct
upon his journey, but a fire still burnt
IN the west and reflected itself in q
somber glow over the plain and into
the race OF the lonely traveller The
shadows of the rapid Indian nightfall
began 10 rise They lowered. 6e0-
cately lilac, on the outer courtsMl the
sunset and signaled TO their violet and
purple sisters who crept up from the
east and north and south waiting Tor
the moment when they should close
in over the drowsy earth For "A fleet
ing second light and darkness shared
their dominion, and in that time OF
transition David Hurst stood still ana
waited He had come fast and his
lips were parted in GREATNESS sobs
his thin face was lifted TO the sky
where the first star had risen resplen-
dent. ands in his eyes there was
Kind OF challenge. And suddenly he
began to speak aloud. His hands
were clenched. rigid at his sides. and
mis- voice rose scarcely above 4 wits
per. but every infection. every word
was weighted; the frowning brows
proclaimed desperate incohercnt
thought struggling for utterance.
"Oh God. ! don't know who YOU are,
or where YOU are. didn't even love
you perhaps-now. didn t
love YOU in the church. nor the you
Nr. Eliot told me about. You were
not beautiful enough. | loved my moth
err and hi They are beautiful
never thought of anything else but
them | loved them so. | didn't know
oh God. they don't want me- M
not any good TO them-I'm no good al
anything I'm lame. and ugly, ana
stupid. and a coward. | quite under
stand. | couldn't love myself hate
ugly things And mother does, too.
| know how it feels Take me back
i couldn't bear It, ! should always be
thinking people hated me-and |
SHOULD always be alone Nothing
lbeautiful-could ever care for me---or--
or-belong 70 me And I'm no good.
I've never PRAYED properly 10 YOU be
fore. I DIDN'T love You You were
church and MI Eliot and duh psalms
and sundays. | didn't want you But
want YOU now. Out here YOU are
different You are the stars and the
Sky. and you are beautiful You are
q long way on Uu' maven "ty ''N
else hut YOU now. I'm not going on
my knees 10 you--worshiping - Mt
Eliot calls it-because I'm sure you
can't care for that sort OF thing.
shouldn't should much rather PEG
pie stood up and looked me straight In
the face and said what they wanted
and didn't try TO butter me up hrst.
or course. know you can care aoout
me either, but | think you ought 10
be sorry when YOU make mistakes and
mt ugly helpless things into the world
where they are no good. Take IN"
hack If yoa can and make me diner
ent-strong and clever and like my
mother. so that she and hi won't hate
me and-lauPh at me. For Christs
sake he broke JON and finished
because you made me
For a moment ne stood quite stiN.
hut gradually the clenched hands re
laved II was as though all his
strength had fought in that effort al
self-explanation and now that he had
succeeded. a kind OF peace crept over
him And presently he turned ana
went ON his way The path WidenFd.
Lehr- corn fields fell back OH either
hand like receding tide and out OF
tho omen space the dark outline OF a
native dwelling stood ont Sharply
against the background OF fading sun
set David Hurst turned o little 80 the
left so as TO pass behind IT, No lights
burned. bu, he could hear the sound
81 voices raised in dull monotonons
chant. such a. tt--.+~ahmans sing at
e,ontide David Hurst stood and us
tened fascinated.