The Holly chieftain., 1916-11-10

you suffer was unjust and unworthy
OF you. She knew nothing Of life or
pain or temptation. She judged like q
child"
Have you learned 30 much in these
v weeksr
"At least I know now enough to
Judge more gently"
He Eroaned In bitter recollection.
THAT y the worst-to know that
was all useless. Oh. Sylvia. 1t was all
a terrible mistake. should have
fought for you-I never should have
yielded place to that poor scoundrel-"
mo. no. Richard. not q scoundrel.
but q man tempted and suffering and
maddened like yourself"
His head dropped back against her
shoulder.
my God-what irony that I should
Judge" He seemed to drag his
fevered thoughts together with q su-
preme effort. what are you doing
hereY he demanded with the old i'm
periousness. "H0w did you come here2
1t IL not safe. II they found you"
''They will not find me-" She had
taken something from the pocket Of
her mantle and held 1t to his lips.
Drink thisr' she commanded tersely.
ITS Of no good"
II wish 1t. You must have strength
to listen to me-" He yielded and lay
still. his bright delirious eyes fixed in
tently on the long white track Of stars
above him. a. though 1t was from
thence that her voice came to him. 1T
10 not likely that we shall meet again."
she went on rapidly. land I want you
to remember what am saying-as
long as you live. am not unhappy.
Richard-remember that. I have gam
bled away my heritage In a mad hour.
and have no right even to sorrow. I
love you. I thank God that you came
into my life. Remember thatr' She
bent over him and with her handker-
chief brushed the sweat of breaking
fever from his forehead. "Can you
hear me still. Richard-can you still
understand mer'
81 understand" he answered.
''You must live-for my sake. I am
only poor human being-I cannot do
without you on my earth. And then
you cannot throw down your weapons
now"
He started, as though at some far
OF, familiar sound.
"That is what the little gray lady
would have said. We cannot throw
down our weapons in the first skir-
mish.' have often thought Of that
Tell her-I have not forgotten"
II will tell her"
He was silent moment. Then his
eyes opened fully, and smile Of bril-
liant hope, as of man who has laid
strong hands on an adverse fate.
flashed over bis wan features.
I'VE must 60 on-at whatever cost
we must go on" he cried hoarseiy. And
with swift change of tone, infinitely
pathetic in its sheer Joy and gratitude:
How beautiful you are. how beauti-
full"
That was all. His voice. reused for
that brief moment in the strength Of
reborn happiness. passed like ripple
on the face of the deep silence. Very
gently she slipped the long cloak from
her shoulders and laid 1t over him. He
did not moves The long-drawn-out
seconds became minutes. the minutes
hours. One by one the great host of
watchers above them flashed out, leav-
Ing blank waste Of darkness. A chill
wind, sand-laden from the south.
brushed against her face. Still she
knelt there. with the mans uncon-
scious head against her knees. her eyes
fixed In proud strong patience on the
western sky. where slowly. almost i'm
perceptibly. the dawn was breaking.
In all the glory of reawakened life the
pale-gold heralds of the morning rose
above the distant horizon and, gather
ing warmth and deeper fire as they
swept the desert, broke In one mingled
food against the topmost minarets.
which glowed back in splendid an
swer. The bivouac fires had long since
died out, and the sickly ghost Of night
crept back into the groves of olive.
From the high tower Of the mosque a