Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1915-11-24
but just this would be Visible.

oN.'.suSs SlAe 11Atc1cSl lIlS empty pros
pect. more especially since my perch
vas anything but comfortable, and 1
was about to descend. when two white
robed Figures appeared at the edge of
the open space near the house and
walked slowly across it. l settle back
into my place with a tightening Of in
terest which made me forget it's dis
comfort. for that these were the two
star worshipers l did not doubt.
The distance was so great that their
faces were the merest blurs: but 1
could see that one leaned heavily upon
the arm of the other. as much. or so
1t seemed to me. for moral as for phys
ical support. I could see. too. that the
hair of the feebler man was white.
while hat OF his companion was jet
black. The younger mans face APP
peared so dark that i suspected he wore
a beard. and his figure was erect and
vigorous. in the prime of life, virile and
full of power.
He certainly dominated the older
man. I watched them att%entively, as
they paced back and forth. and the de-
pendence of the one upon the other
was very manifest. Both heads We're
BEN as though IN earnest talk and. for
perhaps half an hour. they walked slow
ly up and down. Then, at a sign of
fatigue from the older figure. the other
led him to a garden bench. where both
sat down.
The elder man I told myself. was no
doubt Worthington Vaughan. Small
dressed habitually in a white robe and
worshiped the stars at midnight! There
was something monkish about the hab-
Its which he and his companion wore.
and the thought flashed into my mind
that perhaps they were members OF
cult or priesthood. And both of them,
I added to myself. must be a little
mad!
AS / watched. the discussion gradu-
ally grew animated. and the
younger man. springing to his feet.
his forehead with his fingers from time
to time. and raising his hands to ileav-
en-. as though calling 1t as a witness to
his words. At last the other made n
sign of assent. got to his feet. bent his
head reverently as to a spiritual
rior and walked slowly away toward
the house. The younger man stood gaz-
ing after him until he passed from
sight. then resumed his rapid pacing
up and down.. evidently deeply moved.
At last. from the direction of tho
house. came the fluttcr of q white robe.
For q moment. l thought it was the old
man returning: then. as it emerged full
ly from the trees. I saw that it was a
woman-a young woman. I guessed.
from her slimness. n from the mass
Of dark hair which framed her face.
And then / remembered that Godfrey
had told me that Worthington Vaughan
had n daughter.
The man was at her side in an in
slant. held out his hand. and said
something. which caused her to shrink
away. She half turned. as though to
lee but h other laid his hand upon
her arm. speaking earnestly. and, after
p moment. she permitted him to lead
her to a seat. He remained standing
before her. sometimes raising. his, hands
to heaven. sometimes pointing toward
the house. sometimes bending close
above her. n from time to time. maxi
ing that peculiar gesture Of touching
his fingers to his forehead. whose
meaning l could not guess. But I could
guess at the torrent Of passionate words
which ire from his lips. and al the
e light which was in his ewes!
The woman sat quite still. with
bowed head. listening. but making no
sign either Of consent or refusal. Grad
ually. the man grew more confident.
and at last stopped to, taxi her hand,
but she drew it quickly away. and. rails
ing her head. said something slowly
and with emphasis. He shook his head
savagely. then. after q rapid turn up
and down. seemed to ngree bowed low
the house. The worna sat for some
time where he had left her. her face
in her hands: then. with IL gesture of
WEAKNESS and dfscouragement, crossed
the lawn md disappeared among the
treos.
For a long time 1 sat there notion
less, my eyes on the spot where she
had disappeared, trying to understand.
What was the meaning of the scene?
What was 1t the younger man had
urged SO passionately upon her, but
at which she had rebelled? What was
it for which he had pied so earnestly?
The obvious answer was that he pied
for her love, that he had urged her to
become his wife: but the answer did
not satisfy me. His attitude had been
passionate enough. but 1t had scarcely
been lover like. 1t had more Of adj
monition. of warming. even of threat,
than OF entreaty in it. It vas not the
but Of a master to his pupil.
And what had been the answer,
wrung from her finally by his insist
answer to which he had at
first violently dissented, and then re-
luctantly agreed?
No doubt: IL these people had been
CARRIED in the clothes OF every day.
I should have felt at the outset that
all this vas none of my business, and
have crept down the ladder and gone
But their strange dress
to the scene an air at
once unreal n theatrical, and not for
instant had I felt myself an intru-
the rehearsal. Of a .dralna designed for
the public gaze and enacted upon Z
or. more properly. . pantomime.
and figurative. but most impress
sive. Might 1t not. indeed. be a re-
hearsal OF some sort-private theatre
believe? But that scene at
midnight-that could not DO make be-
lieve! No. nor was this scene In the
garden. Il was in eaxnest-in dead.
lest earnest: there was about Il some