The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1914-06-15
BENEATH THE STARS
ey DOROTHY DOUGLAS.

railing, the night was perfect; to the
girl, slim and pale as the moon itself.
the night held a feeling Of unrest that
was both definite and vague.
Il do not see how you can feast your
soul-on night like this" the girl
said softly, @and still refuse to believe
in him who created it,
Felix Valdez looked down at the
girl and shrugged his shoulders
! believe in some great force with
which we are powerless to cope" he
said, but | do not call that force
God"
ITO whom do you pray when you
are In trouble or when you want some
thing2N asked the girl
Il do not pray" Valdez said.
The girl shiyered in spite OF the
warmth OF the night.
Are you cold?1 inquired the man.
"No-only shocked have never
before met an unbclierer'
You would meet plenty in my coun-
try who believe as do. Valdez told
her quietly. we are even now lighting
a religious faction in Chile They are
so strong that they are holding our
country back from any kind OF prog
ress. They oppose everything that
means growth and betterment for the
people"
You will never win out though you
have ten million men beside you, Ma
dine Vance said softly. You have no
power upon which TO call in moments
Of weakness"
Il am strangely weak--at this mo
ment," he said only half aloud
Come" cried Nadine Tell me
some more about the stars | was in
terested until you shocked me with
your lack OF faith"
Can yon not teach me faith p Val
dez realized that he had spoken more
because he wanted to hear the girls
soft voice than from any desire 70
swerye from his own philosophy OF
the creation.
Il can scarcely do Sc .geat thing
in so short time. Adne replied.
Tomorrow night you viii have ar
rived in Plymouth, while | win go ON
to Cherbourgr
All things must have beginning, :.
suggested Valdez.
~And an ending" laughed Nadine
NO no. There is where my phi,os-
ophy is happier tlian yours. That
wiseh lives never dies--ln my opin'
ion
Love dies, said Nadine with a
quaint assumption OF experience.
Then it did not live" He turned
suddenly toward the girl and his voice
TOOK on an accent OF seriousness. do
you think that should you and | love
each other time would rob us Of that
love? DO you not want TO believe
that a million years from now 1t would
be the same when we we're perhaps
reincarnated az flowers or birds on
that twinkling red planet up there?"
lie pointed TO the red star about
which they had previously spoken.
Nadine turned her face upward to-
ward the wonderful sky and gazed
with unseeing eyes at the armament.
Have you no answer for me?' ques-
toned valdez
NO" whispered Nadine. and swayed
slightly toward him
In another second she was in his
arms, held tightly, as II the very wind
would rob him of his treasure. You
do love me-you wonderful being" he
said. And you viii marry me and
come down into the mountains Of
chile with me--will you not-and viii
show you the red star that watches
over my country"
mo, no." she cried swiftly. Il
could not marry YOU 1t would kill
me to live beside one who has no
faith" With a movement sudden and
unexpected Nadine slipped from his
arms and along the deck. She had
disappeared before Valdez could gath
er his tewildered senses.
The girl had torn aside the drap-
cries of Valdez rather comfortable
philosophy and had set tiny lighted
candle somewhere within his taber-
nacle of flesh After that she had
left him alone and he knew not where
to turn. He realized that life without
Nadine would be as void OF beauty as
a garden without flowers.
AS for Nadine. she went below to
her cabin and fell to dreaming and in
her dreams she saw herself boarding
a steamer for Panama. then going by
rail to Colon and from there to Val
paraiso. After that Nadines clear
reasoning became vague, for 1t was
there that Felix Valdez again entered
her actual presence and only the mem.
ory az the touch OF his arms remained
clear to her. So great was the long.
Ing 10 see him once again before the
long separation that Nadine slipped
into her coat and went up on deck
Tine stars were faint in the sky and
only few travellers remained outside
She made her way toward the bow OF
the ship and saw Valdez standing
where she had left him Her heart
was beating tumultuously vet she
went bravely to him He put out his
arms
= wanted to tell you my plans, Ma
dine said softly when she could speak
{" i.o,e 'tSlitt die. i~think ~ Will ioys
one another--in all other lives.