The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1917-02-16


widened beyond bridging. He looked
across the gulf that lay between him
and Toinette and felt the bitterness of
ruined hopes. He thrust his hand in
TO his hunting shirt and drew forth
the dueling pistol he had taken from
Blackford's room. For n long while he
stood looking at il in silence.
a light step rustled the dead leaves
underfoot and he turned quickly. Toin-
ette stood beside him, n joyous smile
on her face.
81 was sent TO find you" she greet
ed him astonishingly.
He stared at her as though at mes
senger from the skies. Her silver
laughter rang out as il had in days
gone by.
"Do not deceive yourself" she
smiled. IL am no angel-Im
Toinettev"
David did not believe her denial;
never believed it.
Father sent me for you. He's GO
ing TO give great dinner at the tav-
ern and you're To sit in the place of
honor. Come, you mustn't keep your
cook waiting"
And she held out her hand.
But David did not stir.
The look of haggard suffering had
returned 10 his face. Her loyeiness
was an arrow that sent all the poison
Of his despair once more burning
! through his veins. For the first time
he found a voice, n voice trembling
with emotion.
81 cannot / cannot &.
please gow
! She opened her eyes wide and shot
! blue radiance of hurt surprise at
him. Then she went swift and straight
TO the point, woman not to be put
aside by evasions:
Indeed, will not. You mustn't
stay here alone"
He had regained control OF himself,
but the struggle left him deadly pale
He could not bear to face her as he
spoke.
81 am going away. / cannot live
without you" The words were hard
| ~ more lHun IL Whisper
She took two quick steps forward.
! Her hand fell upon his shoulder. light
as a floating strand Of gossamer. But
he felt ii and thrilled through all his
being. Slowly. slowly, he raised his
head and she saw his face, that he had
gone into the valley of the shadow Of
death In the hush of the wilderness
his scarcely audible words seemed to
fall on their hearts with the measured
beating of an inexorable judgment.
What did she see in the wilderness7
| A dry reed, shaken in the wind of de-
spair? But her voice rang like a song
in the morning:
at Is not brave to turn back from
! the plowing. / have heard my father
say that courage should be lifted to
such a height as to maintain its great
ness even in the midst Of miseries,
holding all things under itself"
David smiled.
81 call the immortal truth TO witness
that no fear, either of life or death,
can appall me, having long learned to
my being. And / do now think it the
act of Il coward TO die"
The girl had grown paler as she read
his determination in his face, white
and rigid as a mask.
David was silent. In the morning
sunlight that dappled the little glade,
the frozen branches Of the trees stood
mOtiOnless. A white snowflake danced
across the space before David's eyes
and his vision followed 1t up, up, into
| the cloudleSs blue beyond. In the quiet,
1t seemed to Toinette as If she could
hear her own heart beating. David
spoke again, slowly:
"And If we be lleutenants Of God In
this troubled world do you not think
then that We have right 10 choose a new
station when he leaves US unprovided
! of good reason TO stay In the oldp
mo, certainly / do not" she said,
with n rebuke lovelier because II lay
In her sweetly troubled voice, "since
IL is not for US 20 appoint that mighty
majesty what time he will help US;
the uttermost instant Is scope enough
for him 10 revoke all things 20 ones
own desire"
And she sealed her lips with the
moistness Of her tears, which followed
still one another like n precious rope
Of pearls. David suddenly realized
how ineffably sweet life was; wonder
ful, tragic, joyous worthy Of music,
worthy Of tears.
The pistol fell 10 the ground unheed-
ed. David took a step forward.
But She checked him.
"No." she said. edo not tell me. Doc
tor Elliott has told me all. lie and
Lydia have gone. Forgive me, forgive
me. David Let the dreadful past 20
with them! See, you have made me
cry-aren't you sorryi And by this
time there's no dinner for either Of
US"
They laughed together. They were
young.
"TH get dinner for you" promised
David. Il knew a butchers son once
upon a time"