The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1913-09-11

Beautiful, but somehow just now
there seems something awful about 1t.
What is that red thing floating below
In certain lights it looks like blood"
ut is blood Come away. 1t affects
you unpleasantly.'
She turned and walked back short
distance from the verge of the cliff.
What could / do but follow her? She
sat down on rock surface that FORM
ed convenient seat and such position
as to make room for me beside her.
Wondering!y asked:
Are you from the hotel where am
staying?'
NO" she said. but offered no word
as to where she came from.
IL cannot imagine" | continued,
"any of those young ladies' coming
here alone and at this hour"
There is not sufficient to tempt them
to break through the conventional
forms that bind them. Perhaps 1t is
well that they do not ! stayed at one
of the hotels hereabout one season and
was ", lb' s7hhiN ''i' 40 tiNs
are bound | pinned for freedom. |
came here alone. | have been coming
ever since"
WHY"
81 cannot keep away"
There was silence between us for
few moments while | wondered. Pres
emily | asked:
"And why can you not keep away?"
Something happened. If | were to
tell you what it is it would shock you.
that it was to happen. For a brief
space 1t filled me with horror. Then
She paused.
NO" she continued. 81 am not here
to increase your burden OF life. I
know that YOU have been looking for
ward for months to your outing and
now that 1t has come you are disap-
pointed. You see about you that com
partnership which would enable YOU to
enjoy every moment of 1t. but between
you and me it is that hedge Of conven-
tionality which you find impossible. l
know what II is. for | was once fet-
tered by it myself. Now it is nothing
to me. can 90 where | like express
what | feel. am diSenthralled. And
to prove it | will tell you that tonight
l come here 10 meet YOU
"To meet me"
"Ies. You do not know me, but |
know you Often | have seen you
leaning over the rail looking down into
the chasm. Every thought that passed
through your brain vibrated in my be-
ing. You are nearer the line that di-
vides the finite from the infinite than
one mortal in millions, and when you
look over the cliff down upon that
scene, the sluggish waves following one
another in never ending succession.
you feel within you that which is akin
to the infinite
She paused while | looked at her In
wonder, then added:
"And why have l come to you to-
night who have seen you so often
here? Why have made myself known
to you? | will tell you, and | am not
ashamed to tell you, for | am abso-
lutely pure. 1t Is because love YOU"
| have dim remembrance of her
rising and going to the cliff, OF my
following her and leaning on the rail-
beside her and looking down into the
chasm. Then | was alone. The scene
below was beautiful as before. and the
red spot was gone
| stood gazing on the water where
it had been, now limpid, like the rest,
while an awe crept over me. Then |
cast glances about me for my com
panion and Shuddered at tie vacancy
she had left. Then | was seized with
a desire to get away from the place as
quickly as possible.
| walked back to the hotel filled with
emotions Of which It would he impos-
sible to afford the slightest inkling.
All can say is that they We're such as
| had never experienced before.
At the hotel | found no one to tell
me anything about the cliff, but on one
Of my walks, stopping At house for
cup of water. an old man told me
there had been a special reason for
placing the rail at the verge OF the
abyss. Years ago, when the region
srGt became Il summer resort. u farmer