The Benson signal., 1917-04-07

An end of all things had come to
David. His long quest was over and
the surf of his passion had spent itself
| in foam. Had it been worth while to
| forgive? All that he had lived for was
torn from him. Toinette would know
that she had judged him unjustly; but
would that knowledge bring back what
he had lost Of her? He had been a
hot-tempered fool, he had insulted her
beyond fOrgiving. The breach had
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 long while he
stood looking at it in silence.
A light step rustled the dead leaves
underfoot and he turned quickly. Toin-
cite stood beside him, joyous smile
on her face.
II 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 it had in days
gone by.
do not deceive yourself" she
smiled. II am no angel-Pm
Toinette I"
David did not believe her denial |;
never believed it.
"Father sent me for you. He's 60
ing to give a 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 to his face. Her loveliness
was an arrow that sent all the poison
of his despair once more burning
through his veins. For the first time
he found voice, voice trembling
with emotion.
81 cannot cannot +.
please go!"
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, I 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.
II am going away. I cannot live
without you." The words were hard
ly more than a whisper.
She took two quick steps forward.
Her hand fell upon his shoulder, light
as floating strand of gossamer. But
he felt it 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 wilderness? :?
A dry reed, shaken in the wind Of de-
spair? But her voice rang like song
in the morning:
''It is not brave to turn back from
the blowing. I have heard my father
say that courage should be lifted to
such a height as to maintain it's great
ness even in the midst Of miseries,
holding ell things under ITSELF"
David smiled.
II call the immortal truth to witness
that no fear, either of life or death,
can appall me, having long learned to
set bodily pain in the second form of
my being. And do now think it the
act of a coward to die"
The girl had grown paler as she read
his determination in his face, white
and rigid as 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 it up, up, into
the cloudless blue beyond. In the quiet,
it seemed to Toinette as if she could
hear her own heart beating. David
spoke again, slowly:
"And if we be lieutenants of God in
this troubled world, do you not think
then that we have right to choose a new
station when he leaves us unprovided
of good reason to stay in the Old?'
"No, certainly do not" she said,
with a rebuke lovelier because it lay
in her sweetly troubled voice, "since
it is not for us to appoint that mighty
majesty what time he will help us; /;
the uttermost instant is scope enough
for him to revoke all things to ones
own DESIRE"
And she sealed her lips with the
moistness of her tears, which followed
still one another like a precious rope
of pearls. David suddenly realized
how ineffably sweet life was; wonder
full, tragic, joyous worthy of music,
worthy of tears.
The pistol fell to the ground unheed-
ed. David took step forward.
But she checked him.
sENO cho cold edo not toll mo- Doc