Pine Bluff daily graphic. (Pine Bluff, Ark.) 1893-1942, 1913-06-22

ole OF party that had Come-probab Div
| from the hotel where was stopuiny-
Tor moonlight walk. looked quick
~ over my shoulder for her compan.
| ions, but saw no one, There were only
| the rocks here and there covered with
Verdure. the trees standing back. the
! path winding on eastward. the girl be
side me. all bathed in the soft light Of
the moon | was embarrassed ut this
beng standing so near me ut such an
honr without the slightest appearance
or reserve, was trying 10 think of
some remark, some question that would
not sound brusque, when she broke the
silence:
isn't it beautifully"
iieautlful. but somehow Just now
there seems something awful about 1t
What Is that red thing floating below :
In certain lights it looks like blood"
1T is blood! Come away. 1t affects
you nnpleasantly.
She turned and walked back short
| distance from the verge of the cliff
What could do but follow her: She
sat down on a rock surface that form
ed convenient seat and such position
as to make room for me beside her
Wonderingly 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 it is
we'll that they do not ! stayed at one
of the hotels hcreabout one season and
WAS bound by the same code as they
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?"
AopIhSlIiIHS ld)litlltti. IL 1 were 10
tell YOU what it is it would shock you
1t would have shocked me had known
that it was to happen. For a brief
space it filled me with horror Then
She paused.
mo" she continued 81 am not here
TO increase your burden Of life.
know that YOU have been looking for
ward for months TO your outing and
new that it has come YOU are disap-
pointed, You see about YOU that com
partnership which would enable YOU to
enjoy every moment of it. but between
You and me it is that hedge Of conven-
tionality which you find impossible.
know what it is. for was once fet-
tered by it myself Now it is nothing
to me ! can go where like express
what feel am Disseminated And
to prove it will tell YOU that tonight
| come here to meet you"
ITO 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 I come to you to
night who have seen you so often
here? Why have made myself known
to you? l will tell you, and | am not
ashamed to tell you. for l 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
Wullc all 1--WE cTclDl over me. lIlen
cast chances about me for my com
panion and shuddered at the 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 be impoS
sihlc to afford the slightest inkling
All can say is that they were 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 a house for
cup of water. an old man told me
there had been special reason for
placing the rail at the verge of the
abyss. Years ago. when the region
first became summer resort, farmer
saw Il girl standing there. He turned
away his glance. and when he looked
again she had disappeared. Going to
the cliff. he looked down and saw what