Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-02-26
(CuArTER " Continued

~
ALLAN laughed and cut off power. In
"A the old days not for ten thousand DOL
lars would he have tried so tckllsh de-
scent but now his mettle was of sterner
stuff and his skill with the machine devel-
oped to a point where man and biplane
seemed almost one organism
with q swift rush the Pauillac coasted
down. He checked her at precisely the
right moment as the sand seemed whirling
IN to meet them, swerved to dodge hre-
blasted trunk, and with shout took the
earth.
The plane bounced. creaked, skidded on
the long runners he had fitted TO her, ana
with a urch came TO rest not ten yards from
an ugly stump dead ahead
Made it, by heaven!" he exulted. "But
a few feet more and it wouldn't have been
we'll no matter. We're here, anyhow. Now,
supper and a good sleep. And tomorrow
| the cathedral
He helped the girl alght, for she was
| cramped and stiff. Presently their camp
| fire cheered the down drawing gloom as
| so many other times in such strange places
And before long their evening meal was IN
course of preparation, close by great
| glacial boulder at the end or the sahu
barren.
In good comradeship they ate then
| wheeled the biplane over to the rock and
| under the shelter of its widespreading wings
made their camp for the night An hour or
| so they sat talking Of many things-ther
| escape from the abyss, the patriarch dea.n
| their trip east again the loss of their llt'le
| home their plans, their hopes, their work
| Beatrice seemed to grieve more than
| stern over the destruction of the bungalow
| SO much of her woman's heart had gone
| into the making of that nest, SO many
thoughts had centered on return 10
once more. that now when 1t lay in ruins
| through the spiteful mischief of the Horde,
| she found sorrow knocking insistenty at
| the gates of her soul. But Allan COM
| forted her as best he might.
"Neyer you mind little girl" said he
| brayely. ITS only an incident, after all
| A wear from now another and stll more
| beautiful home will shelter us in some
| more secure location. And there1l be hu-
| man companionship, too, about u.s. IN a
| wear many of the folk will have been
brought from the depths. In year mir
acles may happen-even the greatest one
of all"'
Her eyes met his moment by the ruddy
re-glow and held true,
yes" answered she, "even the greatest
in the world
| sudden tenderness swept over him at
thought of all that had been and was still
| IN be at sight of this woman's well-loVed
| face irradiated by the leaping blaze-her
face now just little wan with long fatigues
and sad as though with realization, win
|
pending responsibilities.
| He gathered her in his strong arms,
he drew her yielding body close, and kissed
her gently.
Tomorrow he whispered DO you
realize it,"
Tomorrow" she made answer her
breath mingng with his, Tomorrow Allan
one page of life forever closed, another
| opehed Oh may it be for good-may we
be very strong and very wise'
| Neither spoke for the space OF few
heart beats, while the wind made vague
melancholy music in the sentinel tree-tops
and the swapping sparks danced upward
by the rock
Life all life-just dancing sparks
then gone" said Beatrice slowly. And yet
Vet il is good to have lived, Allan Good
to have lighted the black mystery of the
universe formless and endless and in
scrutabe, by even so brief flicker J!
"Is it my little pessimst tonight?" he
asked TOO tired that's all. In the morn
ing things will look different. You must
smile, then, Beta, and not think of form
less mystery or-or anything sad at all
For tomorrow is our wedding day."
He felt her catch her breath and tremblt
just a bit.
ives. I know Our wedding day, Allan
| Surely the strangest since time began NJ
friends. no gifts. no witnesses. no minister
| no"
"There, therer he interrupted, smiling
| HOW can my llttle slTl pe so Wiohe-hcau
ed? Friends? Why, everything's ou
friend All nature is our friend-the who'll
life-processes is our friend and ally. GIFTS
What need have we of gifts? Aren't yo'
nv gift surely the best gift that a maj
ever had since the beginning OF all thlngs
Am l not yours?
Minister? Priest? We need none! TIL
world -to-be shall have got far away fron
such beyond its fairy-tale stage, It's weak
nesses and fears OF the Unknown, whic
sl,Atw laNA n
storm King, under the arches OF the oil
cathedral our clasped hands. our mutua
words of love and trust and honor-thes
shall suffice. The river and the winds an
forest, the sunlight and the sky, the Who'll
infinite expanse of Nature herself shall
our priest and witnesses And never ha
wedding been so true solemn and s
holy as yours and mine shall be- For 20
are mine, my Beatrice, and am yours
foreven'
higher and the shadows deepened in III
dim aisles of the fir forest all about then
In the vast canopy or evening sky cluster
ing star points had begun to simmer
Redly the campfire lighted man an
woman there alone together In the wilt
For them there was no sense OF isolatio
nor Of loneliness She was his world no,
and he hers.
Up into his eyes she looked fairly an
brayely, and her sfull lips smiled.
Forgive me. Allanp she whispered. 90
was only a mood that's all. It's pass
now--it won't come back. Only forgive m
boyr'
my dear. brave girll' he murmure
smoothing the thick hair back from h
brow. Never complaining. never repi
ing. never afraidr'
! afraid? How could be with your
Their lips met again and for tin
the girls heart throbbed on his.
Afar a wolfs weird, tremulous call drift
down-w An owl. disturbed In Its no
turnal quest. hooted upon the slope abo
i to eastward and across the darkening q