Tombstone epitaph., 1917-05-20

the surf of his passion had spent Itself in foam. Had 1t 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- 10 his hunting shirt and drew forth the dueling pistol he had taken from Blackford's room. For long while he stood looking at 1t In silence.
 A light step rustled the dead leaves underfoot and he turned quickly. Toin- cite stood beside him. a joyous smile on her face.
 T was sent to find you" she greet. ed him astonishingiy.
 He stared at her as though at a mes- senger from the skies. Her silver laughter rang out as 1t had in days gone by.
 Do not deceive yourself" she smiled. T am no angel-Tm ToinetteI"
 David did not believe her denial; never believed 1t.
 Father sent me for you. He's go 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 a voice, a voice trembling with emotion
 1 cannot cannot .. please goT
 She opened her eyes wide and shot a blue radiance of hurt surprise at | him. Then she went swift and straight to the point, a woman not to be put aside by evaslons:
 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.
 '1 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 a floating strand of Eossamer. But he felt 1t 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 memorable judgment.
 What did she see In the wildernessi A dry reed. shaken in the wind of de- spair? But her voice rang like a song in the morning:
 Tt Is not brave to turn back from the blowing. have heard my father say that courage should be lifted to such height as to maintain its great ness even in the midst of miseries,
 
 David smiled.
 Il 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 l do now think it the act of d 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 dappIed the little glade, the frozen branches of the trees stood mOtionless. white snowflake danced across the space before David's eyes and his vision followed 1t up, up. into l the cioudless 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 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 unprcv!ded of good reason to stay in the old?"
 "No, certainly I do not" she said, l with rebuke lovelier because 1t lay in her sweetly troubled voice. since | 1t is not for us to appoint that mighty 1 majesty what time he will help us 1; 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- 1 cd David took a step forward. But she checked him. "No," she said, do not tell me. Doc | tor Elliott has told me all. He and l Lydia have gone. Forgive me, forgive | me. David! Let the dreadful past go | with themI See, you have made me cry-aren't you sorry? And by this time there's no dinner for either of us"
 They laughed together. They were young.
 -Tn get dinner for you" promised