Evening star., 1915-01-10

IS all harmless enough. Life has its terrible
side for some people, and Fate chose to set
you down in a hateful place. You couldn't
have done anything else"
ooh, was fool not to tell you!" Sybi1
confessed II wish you could have seen into
my heart. 1t was you, dear Jermyn, of
whom 1 was afraid. Can't you understand
too that in those first hours of that wonder
full life, when you told me that you cared
and all of a sudden everything was so
changed, the thought Of Lord Lakenham
and his admiration was like hateful, hide
Gus discord? You were so different, Jermyn,
and mixed with all my love was just little
fear of you. had always hoped that there
were some few men in the world like you;
but you were the first whom had met, and
1 was afraid that when you heard of those
ugly days I should come topping down in
your thoughts. You know that have been
good, Dear,-you would believe that, but
you have so much beautiful sentiment. 1
felt that even the thought of those things
and of Lord Lakenham would somehow de-
stroy the beauty of those first few days"
"My DEAR" he murmured, "am l not hu-
man like other men? Could you really have
thought me such an intolerable prig?'
3Oh, was wrong-wrong!" she admitted
sorrowfully. Il just went by the way felt.
wouldn't Think wouldn't use my brain.
But of course it was fallacy. Because we
were living in paradise it was foolish to
imagine that one could shut out the knowl-
edge that many people in the world like Lord
Lakenham live in pigsties. But l was so
happy to have found my little corner in life,
and l was so terribly afraid of losing it"
She was sitting on the arm of his chair
now, her hands clasped, her eyes fixed upon
her interlocked fingers. He leaned over her;
his fingers touched her shoulder. The room
was going round What business had men
to plan their lives with their brains? Those
might do that who were immune against the
great forces of the world.
@Sybil," he whispered, 3it's all terrible;
but tonight, as 1 sat in my room, something
came to me, some new thing, something l
don't understand even now. Only it seemed
so big, and it made everything else seem SO
small. I couldn't keep away from you. 1
felt that l must tell you everything and tell
you this. Sybil, have promised nothing
but my name. Sybil, for me all my days,
for all the days of my life, there is no other
woman but you!"
She shivered little He dropped on one
knee by her side. The consciousness of her
near presence set him quivering like a boy,
his arm half hesitatingly went round her
waist
4Dear," he went on, @look up. There
isn't anybody else in the world I love, there
isn't anything else shall ever desire except
you, your kisses, the feel of your arms, the
light from your eyes. There is no one else v
could ever walk in the gardens of Paradise
She was trembling violently. Her hand ST
though to keep him away. @Jermyn,' she fal
aren't like that-you and I. Oh, have
so much because l know that you belong to
derful world, and it's the world have str
hard to keep my little place in through
troubles"
Should we lose it?" he demanded. "Onc
have answered very decidedly; but that wa
cared before l knew what a wonderful THU
love that comes but once in lifetime, which
is eternal. There isn't thought comes nov
heart worth having, Sybl, that hasn't little
it. There isn't a beautiful place can look in
finding it empty unless you are there"
She turned her head; she looked at him wi