Fulton County tribune. (Wauseon, Ohio) 1883-1925, 1917-03-02

a u 3 B n N n 4
own life. There had been swift yet
eternal moments when it seemed that
both of them, trembling on the brink,
would follow the downward rush of
the gusset plate. Now as he strained
her to him, she lifted her face to him,
glad that she was tall enough for him
to kiss her with so slight a bend Of
the head.
There, under the great trusses Of
steel, amid the huge, gaunt, massive
evidences of the power of the might,
of the mastery of man, two hearts
spoke to each other in the silence, and
told the story that was old before the
first smeIter had ever turned the first
ore into the first bit of iron, before
Tubal Cain ever smote the anvil; the
story of love that began with creation,
that will outlast all the iron in all the
hills of the earth-that is as eternal
as it is divine
After that wild embrace, that first
rapturous meeting of lips, he released
her slightly, though he still held her
closely and she was quite content.
'T'm quite calm now," he began,
''that is, l am as composed as any man
could be who is holding you in his
arms. But If it had not been for me,
you would never have been in danger.
1t was my fault. l should have made
sure. l shall never forgive myself"
"But if had not been in danger 1
might not now be here in your arms.
And if L were not here" she went on
swiftly, too happy in her love to be
mindful of anything else, 81 certainly
would not be doing-this."
And of her own motion she kissed
him in the moonlight.
"And if you were not doing this"
said he, making the proper return, 81
might not have had the courage to tell
you"
"You haven't told me anything-in
words" she answered fain to hear
from his lips what she well knew from
the beating of his heart.
''It's not too late then to tell you
that love you, that 1 am yours. To
give myself to you seems to be the
highest possibility in life, if you will
only take me-"
"And do you love me more than the
bridge?"
More thG2 all the bridges in the
world, past, present and to come; more
than anything or anybody. 1 tell you
I never knew what love was or what
life was until saw you sliding to your
death. If I had not succeeded should
have followed you"
81 felt that, tOo," she answered
dreamily.
"We must go back, dearest" he aid
at last. 81 am so fearful for you even
now that / am almost unwilling to try
it. Every time 1 glance down through
these interspaces between the string.
ers my blood runs cold"
"You supported me before; 1 will
support you now,", laughed the woman.
woman.
"No," said the man, "'we will go to-
gether."
They turned toward the shore. He
took her hand and slipped his Other
arm about her Just as simply and nat
urally as If they had been any humble
lover and his lass in the countryside
BY and by they got to the end of the
bridge. Far down the platform they
could see the lights of the car.
''Listen," she said as they walked
slowly along. "You must not tell ia
ther anything about this little acci
dent"
II obey, but why not?"
ut would only worry him, and i
was my fault"
''No, NINE"
II will not hear you say it."
"But I must speak to your fathe
about"
"And the sooner the better; he is il
good humOr with you and the bridg
now. / have heard him speak well o
you. 1 believe he will be glad to Civ
me to you"
"And if not2"
II should hate to grieve my father
: but"
She turned and looked at him in tn
moonlight. her glorious golden heat
her neck, her shoulders, her arms bar
/, and beautiful in the celestial illum
nation. He seized her hand and lifte
1t to his lips as a devotee, and she III
derstood the reason for the little touc
, Of old-wOrld formality and reserve
: when naught but his will prevente