The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1919-06-26

|. mas been to do as I pleased so Ion,
: as | lived up to my creed. For | ha,
a creed, a kind OF religion, If you wan
to call 1t that. Put into a single word
perhaps nine-tenths of my creed is In
dependence. What people thought o
me didn't come into my scheme of life
| thought it a slavery to bow to public
opinion, and gloried in my freedom. II
seemed a false principle without cause
or reason. You see l never reckoned
on your coming. l thought I was liv
ing my life just for myself. 1 car
see now that underneath all the false
ness OF the worlds conyentionalities
there runs some good reason, and
there may be circumstances where
some OF the things they insist upon are
r1ght-even necessary. This is one.
never considered anything like this.
couldn't see any reason why / should
ever need to care what people thought
OF me, or to go out Of my way to make
them think well Of me. 1 always re-
lied on something else to get me what
wanted, and so far it has not failed.
They will tell you that. They will let
you know that l have not been power
less because some men hated me-for
though they have hated me they have
also feared me"
The girl turned her eyes, tear-flled,
II full of amazement, to look at him.
studying h fine outline Of features
against the starlit background of the
sky. She could see the power in his
face; power with gentleness was what.
she had seen when she first looked at
him; but Hate! Fear! How could
men so misjudge him? What was
there about him to fear?
He read her thought.
You don't see how mat could be-"
he said sadly. Il don't look that way
to you now. But wait till you hear
them talk. You'll get another view
point. You won't see me this way at
all any more. You'll see me with their.
eyes"
"Don't!" she said with a sob in her
voice, putting up her hands as if to
defend herself from his words.
Il shall not blame you," he said
bending tenderly. eagerly. toward her.
1t will not be your fault. It will be
almost inevitable. You belong with
them and not with me, and you can
not help seeing me that way when you
get with them. 1t is a part of my
miserable folly. 1t is my punishment.
| have no right to make you think l
am better than they believe. 1t will be
easier for you to forget me if you be-
lieve what they do"
Il will never believe what they dol"
said the girl ~vehemently, Il will never
to their opinion! You may have
sinned; you may have done a lot of
things that you ought not to have
LONE am not wise to judge those.
things-but you are not bad! know
you are not! And know I can trust
you! shall always trust you, no
what anybody says, no matter
how things look! know you are
good and true! I know you!"
She put out her hands piteously to-
ward him and her delicate face was
lifted with determination and inten- .
;ity. There was something glorious in
he sparkle of her eyes. He took her
hands reverently. 4
"You dear!" he breathed tenderly.
You wonderful woman!"
She caught her breath and her
hands trembled in his, but she sat up !,
as il she were defying the /,
world in his defense. 7.
Now, tell me the rest" she said.
Tell it all! And then / shall believe
ust what you tell me, nothing more, /.
t they tell me other things, l shall
lnow they are false. l shall not be
lfraid when you tell me what you have !
lone because you are here and I can
ook into your ayes and know you are
;orry; so tell me the worst. But you
Needn't yer think I shall listen to /,
hem" II
So, with her soft small hands in his,
md her eyes bright as the stars aboye /
hem, looking straight into his, he
ooked back as straightforwardly and
old her. All the foolisnness, the stub.
,ornness. and independence. All the j
light against convention and law. His
rambling and wild, rough living. His
'om~panioning with men who were out
avs and sinners. His revolutionary {
Methods Of dealing with those who did
lot do as he thought they ought, or
Who tiled to interfere with him. His
'umrlary punishment OF those who
his soul to wrath. He told 1t
q low tones and grave. searching out
ZACH confession OF his heart as though
e would make q cleansaweepSo of II, and
ifting his eyes bravely each time to
meet the pain he could moi. help seeing
n hers. It was his real Judgment. his
irst sense Of shame and sorrow and
'ereltance.
Anil then q n wns told nal