The Washington times., 1913-08-14


that he loved the Northern woman
more Indeed, his heart went out to
the mOurnful little figure of his wife
He pitied her: he was wiShtul. earnest
to prOmite her happiness; yet the very
fact that he was tied, fettered. bound
to her TUNED the ordinary affection
he had bourne her in the long days of
their cOmpanionship together into some
thing that at first blush seemed almost
like hatred. And he fought Stoutly
against such feeling.
he had kissed her with glad heart
many times. and, indeed ii was a very
klSSable mouth that she lifted to him
from time to time, but now to caress
her in the most casual way required a
COnStTaint that almost UNNAMED him.
Fortunately for him, the demands Of
the situation while her grandfather
lay Unburied, the many duties devolved
upon them both, the necessity laid
upon him to ride to RichmOnd and ask
2 fL~louSn 10! week t. arrange his
affairs, had kept the two apart most
Of the tine AS she stood there by
his side. however. he realized that the
rIOTrOw must bring forth some sort of
accounting.
He cursed himself for a fool to have
needed TO judges pleading whenever
he WAS away from his wife. He said
TO himself that kathleen'S fiery word.
her rejection, was not final: that had
he been more patient he might have
won her back again: but when he was
with ATiadne when his better nature
was uppermOSt, he was not sorry At
least he was glad that he had been
permitted to sacrifice himself for his
old friend and counselor. and he swore
TO make the girl happy. When he saw
the lCT" ard devotion she expressed
whenever she was alone in his pres
ence. and even in spite of herself when
others were near; when he marked the
way her eye dWelt upon him, how her
soul seemed to seek his, he cursed
himself again that wayward fate did
not allow him to return that treasure of
affection which she laVished upon him.
The struggle had written something
of this in his face. But he was a
young man. He had put on a soEier's
jacket. The call to arms rang in his
ear. He had never seen fighting: ne
knew nothing of the wearying days in
camp, OF the long marching under
blazing sun; of picket guard or frozen
snow; OF the unprotected body, naked
and fever-racked; of the searching
wound; Of hours Of exhaustion and neg
leCt on some rain-washed battlefield.
or in some i'll provided hospital; of
burning thirst, of racking pain; the
nervous agony of starvation: the hU-
initiation Of defeat-its despair. All this
was war-real war. If men realized it
beforehand perhaps there would be less
enthusiasm for fighting.
As Philip saw it, war was action. 4
brilliant chance to do and dare, to brave
death in the high places of the field. TO
follow the advanced flag in front of
the cheering line. 1t was to strike home
upon the enemy that dared assail the
State Of Old Virginia. 1t was to fight
with the yalOT and courage Of the cay
alters who had stood for church and
king in the old land who had fought
for right and freedom in the now.
Sometimes he forgot for the moment
both Ariadnc and Kathleen and threw
of
and triumphant therein.
The older man WAS wiser. touch
of sadness not altogether due to re-
spect for his departed friend fingered
on his handsome face. Yet he was not
d sad man: mrlauChoIy never marked
ness. too In the clOS"-shut lips, in the
direct glance Of those deep brown eyes,
tender and gentI" enough, yet with Il
ire lurking in their depths thar could
flash on occasion. Their" was ]" "ls
! caring serenity, a confidence. = GER
tain proud assurance that only ant!Ity
can give to IhOSn conscious OF their
powers An assurance mudcstiy borne
without parade Or pTetense. THIS man
knew what war WAS. n" h"G h".l.u
the bullets whistle; he had set squad
rOns, planted guns, and led charges:
he had ridden with wTung heart over
fields Of victory only less horrible than
plains Of d, feat. Here was man who
had none OF tn" Illusions of youth. He
realized as Philip could nOt-aIthOugi
Philip knew more than most Of the
men Of his day-just what was before
him. The vars of struggle ana toll, Of
labor and thought, Of marches and
fights Incredible. Of triumphs and dc
feat, Of success and failure.
Experience and ignorance. age and
youth, they wear not the same front
before the world; yet within both these
men there were points Of resemblance
as we'll as Of difference. They possessed
alike the same knightIy courage, the
same brilliant daring, the same fire
and energy. His few years had not
checked the development Of these at
tributes in the one, his many years
had not altered these qualities in the
other.
Ariadne's tender bosom shook with
her deep breathing, but she made no
sound. She endured all without a muir
mur, without complaint. She could
suffer and be Silent-the supremest ex-
hibition of wOman's courage! Yet her
grief that day was not what il might
have been were il not for the man at
her side whose name she bore. The
old love is ever lost in the new. Even
in that hOur-did she hate herself for
it, or was she glad?-her thoughts were
turned from that which was dead in
WAS alive by her side The touch Of
his hand upon Eer ann thrilled her. In
consciously at first she had loved Philip !
She did not understand exactly what |
the feelings We're that surged in her
young bosom. She did not realize what
they were. She was so inexperienced |
SO young, and she had no mother into