The Washington times., 1919-08-17

moonlight eombing your hair
Isn't that rather q GORGEOUS gef.uu
TO waste on only met" He held
her at arms Lengths beautiful
shimmering vision. "You dazzle
my eyes, he said, passionatsly.
7 haven't dared 70 take such 4
good look At you for q long time
] was always afraid Of making 4
fool Of myself, and yet I could have
watched you al day long I want
ed so much to remember evsrv
look, every expression-the small.
est detail"
Tears filed her eyes.
Nothing IS too good for you =
she said, softly. 7 dressed 70
please you tonight; wanted -
look my best. Those dear eyess-
with a caressing touch-eand 10
think never kneWl IL had
guessed should never have lei
you out Of my sight Thank
Heaven, that horror Is over; 90
not know how / could have borne
It"
"That is what I feared he said
1T began to work havoc with nv
nerves. But we are getting gloomy
again; this win never do. Come
and see whether some Pommery
win cheer rs up. I shah sxuect
you to pledge me IN q bumper
And they went IN 20 dinner.
They had neither Of them en-
jOyed the smartest function half a.
much as they enjoyed this tete-a-
tete. though the table stretched be-
tween them and their conversation
was limited to commonplace. A
glance may express 50 much when
it Is winged BY love; q word
laugh may be enough for happi-
ness.
The servants had left the room
and NOrah was finishing her
grapes when Estcourt said sud
denly:
do Jon know what / heard at
the club today"
She looked up inquiringly.
They say that Fortescue Is tax.
ing his wife back. No one felt
more sorry for her than did-thsn
I do. She had q hard life, and one
can understand how the Wretchsd
catastrophe came about. But how
any man can take back his wits
after she has deserted and betrayed
him-whateTer excuse may Be
made for her, however much he has
cared, or may still care-uttsrly
passes my comprehension"
You could not forgiven" she
murmured, unsteadily.
1T Is not q question Of forgive
ness" be said, sternly. Il might
possibly both pity and forgive; but
] would not live with such a woman
again. The more / loved her the
less would It be possible. I could
not bear the contrast between what
had been and what was; Il would
taint everything. Though I might
forgive / could never forget, and
with that horrible memory ready to
get between as az any moment %
take up the old life again would Be
horrible-impossible.
But she is so young, not much
older than / am. What would have
become Of her Il he had not been
merciful? Once upon a time she
had everything to make her happy
las have"
Don't make such comparisons
sharply. Il don't Ike them. I
know how easy and charitable so
ciety is nowadays in such matters
especially as long as any pre-
tenee can be kept up-but I think
It Is a mistake. ] would draw q
distinct line between. good and eYil.
between the sheep and the goats.
You cannot touch pitch and not be
dehled. A man and a nation de-
teriorate when they lower their
standard OF right and wrong, when
they sacrifice their principles to ex-
pediency."
''It sounds cruel ! don't Ike 70
think that you could be so hard.
You cannot escape the law OF
retributiOn;. sooner or later. II you
have sinned, you must suffer. That
is one OF the rules Of the universe.
You see it in everything. II it isa
hard Jaw it is a just and, ! think,
a necessary one"
Then do sorrow and repentance
count for nothing? Why should We
grievJ and repent If 1t is to make
no difference?"
But 1t dOes-to ourselves, II to
no one else. Only what has been
must always be; you cannot wipe
put the past. II follows rs all
through our hves-for good OF eVfl."
"Oh, no! moi" she cried, passion
ltely, sprfnging to her feet. mot
hat-not shadowed forever! There
must be escape at last some day.
The sentence cannot be for life"
She shuddered at the word.
''Norah, sweetheart, what Is it?"
he asked, throwing his arm round
he trembling, excited girl you
ire oVertired-OYerWrOught with
III that has happened to-day, and l
'ught not to have told you that sad
tory. Have I been preaching, and
10 you think me a monster Of Sc
'erity?" He kissed her tenderly.
Darling. don't you know it is all
'retence% trying to make her
augh. Don't you know that / am
wax in your hands, to make Of me
What you please?"
Gha 1C,Ir,5 =. sEL - a,s,4 -v-,s1a