Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-10-29
CHAPTER xx1II-(Con,inucd)

hear, would have much to do-and Sajpona
and he were to be the leading hgures IN
that festival He had consented to this
freely. The declaration was made with
melancholy emphasis It seemed 10 Una the
death-knell to their happiness. N placed
David suddenly in world quite OUTSIDE hcr
own. as II all along his life had been must
be, apart from hers There could be only one
reason for this Of course--Sajipona Una
seized upon II bitterly
You have always loved her :" she cried
David did not answer The fates that had
brought them to this pass were much too IN
tricate to be lightly disentangled. Satpona
was to him a being exauisitely beautiful
beautiful In every way-the most perfect wo-
man he had known. But there was a strength
and glory in her loveliness that placed her
above the reach Of mere human affection.
She was a being separate and distinct from
all others--and vet necessary to the very ex-
istence Of the thousands who seemed to be
dependent on her II might be love that he
felt for her--but II was more like the adora
tion with which one regards something
sacred. infinitely distant and beyond our own
likings and frailties. This feeling OF adora-
tion might. indeed. have been transformed
into the passion called love. This surely
would have happened had It not been for one
thing
Una. I love you.'
She started. looking wonderingly at him
How could he say that to her now, after all
that had passed?
Could it be possible that he was still In
that strange dreamstate from which, he de-
clared. he had been so happily awakened!
All, but 1t was In that dream.state that he
did not love her. did not even know her
And now--her own exclamation was eloquent
Of the doubt. the amazement with which she
heard him
David"
But. 1t is perfectly true" he protested
why don't you believe me? You always
have believed me. What is before us can
not tell for certain. Sajpona has my word
nHA hntA ,l~x 40
owe her my life. More than that--the faith
that a man gives to one whose beauty has
opened to him the depths of his own soul
+ But this has nothing to do with us. This
is not love. Come what will. I love you
Una. | love you'll love you -
They looked at each other fearfuly There
might be logic. Of a sort-logic born Of
kind of poetic exaltation--in the distinction
that David tried to draw between the two
women and his own feeling for them. Cir
cumstances, however stronger than
argument. They felt the approach of disaster
| BY David's own confession. II Sajipona willed
II. their love was lost. For the first time
Una realized that it was not David. not any
thing really tangible, but power outside of
him that kept them apart Against the ap-
parent evidence of her senses her faith in
| David was restored She knew him now. she
| felt. as she had never known him before.
And they loved-that was enough. 1t was all
very difficult to unravel. the maze they were
in There might be endless tragedy at the
next turn Of the gallery, But at least there
was love here. II only for the briefest Of
moments. Their reawakened passion tingled
in their veins. Reason unreason. they
knew they belonged to each other-although
| they might be separated forever before this
day of miracles was over. tna's jealousy,
doubt, bitterness were all forgotten, Her
| cheek. flushed with joy. her eyes sparkled
with the sweet madness that belongs only to
| youth. youth at the highest pinnacle Of its
desire. Neither spoke. Speech would have
| silenced the wordless eloquence with which
| their love revealed itself. They drew closer
| to each other. Again their hands met Their
| lips touched. Love swept away all doubts
| and denials in one passionate embrace.
Ever since the world began lovers have
solved their difficulties thus. and they will
doubtless choose this dumb method long
| after an aging civilization has pointed out a
| better one Whether they are wise not, a
college Of philosophers would fail to con-
| vince US. In this particular instance love
put forth his plea at the very instant when
these, his youthful votaries, wanted of
] another. allen destiny. AS they stood to-
| gether, oblivious Of all else save their own
| passion, the music grew louder, more joyous.
| throbbing i'm statelier, mere ntelligible
cadence than before. At the end Of the gal
lery light began to break. The in
| tervenng wall disappeared. disclosing an in
chamber filled with throng of gajly
dressed people, some of whom played upon
musical instruments. while others swung
golden censers from which foated forth in
amber clouds the fragrance Of many gardens
A living corridor Of color. formed Of
courtiers. musicians. priests. extended from
this inner chamber in spreading half circle.
the broad portion of which reached the gal
lery where David and Una were standing
At the center of all this light and motion
and color was Sajipona every inch of her
queen although the pallor Of her cheek. the
unwonted tenseness of eye and lip, told of
emotions that needed all a queens strength
to restrain. Immediately about her were
grouped the explorers; Miranda, silenced for
once by the splendor of the scene in which
he suddenly found himself In leading part
Leighton, still absorbed in the problems Of
science revealed at every turn in this
derand Just above and behind them
a human figure of heroic proportions. con-
cealed from head to foot In flowing white
draperies. Against the rounded pedestal OF
green stone sustaining this figure leaned
Sajipona. one arm resting along the base OF
the statue, the other lost in the silken folds
of her robe.
As David and Una. startled by the sud
den clash of the music, raised their heads,
her eye caught theirs. Like a queen of
marble she looked at them unrecognzing,
motionless, save for the slightest tremor of
her faultessly chiseled mouth--the sign
that sh. saw and knew With gesture she
checked the music. Silence followed, unbrok-
en- by the faintest murmur of voices or rustic
of garments from the waiting throng OF cave
men. Unabashed by this strange reception,
moved only by the steady gaze of the ma
jestic woman standing before him. David
still claspinE unas hand. came swiftly for
ward and would have thrown himself i'm
petuously at Sajipona's feet. The fantest
hint of a smile CLEANED in her eyes she
prevented this show Of homage Her greet
ing came clear and low from quivering lips.
This 10 our festival, David!'
Again the music sounded not. as before. In
iovOlR hurst melody. but In a slow