The San Francisco call and post., 1913-12-20
(NovELIZED BY)
D9aEszE7

Serial rights held and copyrighted By Inter
national News Service.)
<6VE told you that l don't love
/ youF
"And I've told Father Shan
non you dol"
"Oh, 1 hope you didn't do that,
captain" cried the girl anxiously.
Who could tell-thought she-just
what this fearless, frank, fascinating
soldier OF fortune, this 'world-man, y
this adorable wild Irishman," whom
she dared not learn to love, might
do? She had told him twice that
her decision not to marry-any
one was irrevocable He
had airily replied: "Irrevocable-of
course, but I will revoke it"
Il did" said he, in that glowing
voice, touched with wee bit OF a
brogue-that voice that played on
her heartstrings with torturing
sweetness and precious pain. II
told the father, indeed. Twill be a
comfort to you when you get used
to itr
a comfort to me-" asked the girl.
Her very heart leaped to her
great tender gray eyes whenever she
looked on this wonderful soldier who
loved her He looked so safe-and
she was so pitifully unsafe.
Eyes, a comfort TO you" said Hol-
brook, quizzically tender smile in
his merry brown eyes. Dark days
when I'm away and you'd give any
you can just run over to Father Shan
non and talk about il to your hearts
content"
The girl looked up from the great
golden divan where she sat-herself
all brown and gild like her fathers
great library. but she was touched to
the splendor of springtime by a flush
ing pink in softly nodded cheeks and
by a tender light of love in gray
eyes that said: Yes, yes. while
schooled lips ever said her lover nay.
A MYSTERY
Why was Aline Graham afraid of
love. Why did she deny it-refuse
it-and reject her right to happiness
are away?" she asked lightly.
I hope so-and tell Father Shan
non about ft-tell him all that you
tell me-"
i've told you that don't love
you"
Yes. but you can't tell untruths to
priest" said the ever ready Irish
man. Tell him all you tell me-and
tell him all you-don't tell mes'
A1ine grew serious. She seemed al
most afraid of the man to whom her
eyes had been raised with such mes
sage of trust in their depths.
"what-what do you mean by that,
captain?"
:
mental reservation working against
me-in your mind-some thought or
memory that's an enemy to your
heart-and me. Please don't inter
rupt me. 1 know you love me. Aline.
If l hadn't known IL, refusal number
one would have been enough for me
All my life I've lived where
the quiver of a lasn, a breath. the
dilation of a nostril meant the diff
ference sometimes between friend
ship and death. I've judged men not
by what they say. but by what they
look when they say It, and so I've
judged you. Your words have told
me that you did not love me; that
my hope was hopeless; that you
wouldn't marry me. but your face
the soul that crept into your eyes
told me you do, and I'd stake my
life on It."
There was a pause, an eternity of
heartbeats, 10 seconds of time.
Let's not discuss 1t, please
please" said the girl at last in a
tone Of mufied pain
Il don't want TO discuss 1T, and
don't care what 1t is, little LADY,
only want you to know that what
ever 1t is means nothing to me, must
mean nothing to your
The girl looked at him-dumb mis-
cry turning slowly to trust, to ra-
dance of knowledge that here was
the very summit of JOY and perfect
love-that II she trusted, too. II she
broke the silence of six long years
all might yet be well with life and
love.
Could she tell him? Can any woman
tell the man she loves-tell him
freely and frankly-of horror he need