Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1918-09-08

teieu tho room ana at the slgnt OF
her he rose and his arms went out;
then he sank back weak and stricken
into his chair, gazing as IL he could
never have his fill at her noble coun-
tenance luminous with a boundless
pity IF not with the tenderness Of
an unforgotten love.
When she was near enough to speak
without effort and had thanked the
gentlemen who had made way for her
with every evidence of respect, she
put with strange depths Of feeling In
her voice:
What is It you want to say to me !?
AZ ! stood at the door, heard you
tell these gentlemen that you would
like to have a few minutes talk with
me- was glad to hear that: and I
am ready to listen to-anything."
The pause she made before uttering
the last word caused 1t to ring with
double force when 1t fell. All heads
came out on Mr.. Gryce's face till he
looked his eighty-flve years and more.
But what Carleton Roberts had to
say at this critical moment of his
double life was not at all what they
expected to hear.
Rising. for her eyes seemed to draw
him to his feet, he cried in the in
describable tone Of suppressed feel
ing .!S,,aov. ar. falling ,,non ma Nv
interview with these gentlemen may
end in way I cannot now foresee.
In my uncertainty as to how and
when we may meet again, should
like to make you such amends as OPP
will you marry me--now-tonight,b be-
fore leaving this house?"
A low cry escaped her. She was no
more prepared for this astounding Of
ter Ter, than were these others. earle
Carleton! Carletonv' the word ris-
ing In intensity as thought followed
thought and her spirits ran the full
gamut of what this proposal on his
ture. Then she fell silent and they
saw the great soul Of the woman H.
lumine a countenance always noble.
with the light Of purpose altogether
lofty. When she spoke It was to say:
impulse which led to this offer. But
I do not wish to add so much as a
feathers weight to your difficulties.
Let matters remain as they are till
He took quick step toward her.
Motif my heart is full Of regret?"
he cried. mot II I recognize in you
now the one influence left in this
world which can help me bear the
burden Of my own past and the
turo?"
NO.. she replied. with an ac-
cess Of emotion Of so elevated a.
type It added to rather than detracted.
from her dignity. ut is too much or
OF ia not enough"
His head dropped and he fell back,
throwing a glance to right and left
at the two officials. who had drawn
UP on either side Of him. 1t was an
expressive glance; it was as If he
said. "You see! She knows as well as
you for whom the arrow was intend
ed-yet she is kind"
But in an instant later he was be-
fore her again, with an ASPECT so
II had hoped" he began. then stop
ped. Passion had supplanted duty in
his disturbed mind: a passion SO
great it swept everything before it,
and he stood bare to the soul before
the woman. he had wronged and under
Life Ia over for us two" said he,
whether your presence here is trap
in which have been caught and
from which 1t is hopeless for me to
extricate myself, or whether 1t is by
chance an act Of Providence that we
listening and eager eyes watching
for such tokens of guilt as will make
their own course clear, true 1t is that
they have got what they sought; and
comfort or honor is left for either
you or me. Our lives have gone down
in shipwreck: but before we yield
utterly to our fate, will you not
grant me my prayer II I precede 1t
by an appeal for forgiveness not only
for old wrongs, but for my latest and
gravest one? Ermentrude, entreat."
All, then, they were witness to the
fascination of the man, hidden here
tofore, but now visible even to the
schooled spectators of this tragedy
Of human souls. The tone permeat-
ed with pathos and charm, the look,
the attitude from which all formality
had fled and only the natural grace
remained. all were of the sort which
sways without virtue and rouses in
both weak and strong an answering
chord of sympathy.
The woman, in whom it probably
awakened thousand memories. trem-
blew under it. She drew back, but
her whole countenance had soften
ed, revealing whatever of native
charm she also possessed. Would she
heed his prayer? If she did not they
could well be silent II she did
But the woman gave no sign of
yielding.
Cease. Carleton" came in stern re-
ply-stern for all the approach to
concession in her manner. IF your
life and my life are both over, let us
talk of other things than marriage.
When one faces death, whether Of
body or spirit, one clings to higher
hopes than those of earth or its re-
naming interests. II my forgiveness
will help you to this end, you have it.