The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1913-06-27

ions. but saw no one There were only
the rocks here and there covered With
verdure, the trees standing hack. the
path winding OH eastward. the girl be
side me, all bathed In the soft light or
the moon | was embarrassed ut this
being standing so near me ~ such an
hour without the slightest appen rance
Of reserve WIS trying to think or
some remark. some question that would
not sound brusque. when she broke the
silence:
Isn't It beautiful!"
Beautiful. but somehow Just now
there seems something awful about II.
What Is that red thing floating below?
In certain lights 1t looks like blood"
ut is blood! Come away. 1t affects
you unpleasantly."
She turned and walked back a 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?"
mo" she said, but offered no word
as to where she came from.
~ cannot imagine" I 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 bound by the same code as they
are bound. pinned for freedom. I
| came here alone. have been coming
| ever since"
"Why?"
II cannot keep away"
There was silence between us for a
few moments while wondered. Pres
emily I asked:
"And why can you not keep awayT
Something happened. II were to
| tell you what 1t Is II would shock you
1t would have shocked me had I known
that 1t was to happen. For brief
space 1t 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
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
| MI = 10, hat nf
tionality which you find impossible.
know what 1t IS. for l was once fet-
tered by 1t myself. Now 1t Is nothing
to me. can go where like, express
what l feel am disenthralled. And
to prove 1t will tell you that tonight
come here to meet you"
''To meet mer'
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 I 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 n 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
1t had been. now llmpid, like the rest
while an awe crept over me. Then
cast glances 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 1t would be impos.
sible 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 house for q
cup Of water. an old man told me
there had been special reason for
placing the rail Mt the verge Of the
abyss. Years ago. when the region
first became a summer resort, farmer
saw a 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
he at first supposed to be red shawl
floating on the water. Upon investi-
cation ii wns discovered that the girl
he had seen had fallen over the cliff
had struck the rock surface below and
bounded off into the water It was her
blood that appeared to him like red
garment
Until writing this I have kept my
secret. First, | have shrunk from re
vealing It: secondly. have not dared to