The Tabor independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1913-19??, 1919-06-26


has been to do as I pleased so long
as I lived up to my creed. For / had
"a creed, a kind cfersligion,Af you want
to call 1t that~sPut into a single word,
perhaps nine-tenths OF my creed is In
dependence. What people thought OF
me didn't come into my scheme of life.
/ thought it a slavery to bow to public
opinion, and gloried In my freedom. 1t
seemed a false principle without u
or reason You see l never reckoned
on your coming. I thought I was tliy-
ing my life just for myself. can
see now that underneath all the false
ness .of the worlds conventionalities
there runs some good reason. and
there may be circumstances where
some Of the things they insist upon are
right-even necessary. This is one.
l never considered anything like this,
I couldn't see any reason why I should
ever need to care what people thought
Of me, or to go out Of my way to make
them think well of me. i always re-
lied on something else to get me what
I wanted, and SO far 1t has not failed.
They will tell you that. They will let
you know that I 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,
and full of ~amazement, to look at him,
studying the 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 ut
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 ina could be-"
he said sadly. 81 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 n more. You'll see me with them
eyes"
"Don't!" she said with a sob in her
voice, putting up her hands as II to
defend herself from his words. 81
81 shall not blame you," he said
bending tenderly, eagerly, toward her.
at will not be your fault. 1t 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. It is my punishment.
/ have no right to make you think I
am better than they believe. 1t will be
easier for you to forget me If you be-
lieve what they do ass
81 will never believe what they do"
said the girl vehemently, Il will never
listen to their opinion! You may have
sinned; you may have done a lot OF
things that you ought not 10 have
done-I am not wise to Judge those
things-but you are not bad! ! know
you are not! And / know / can trust
you! / shall always trust you, no
matter what anybody says, no matter
how things look! know you are
good and true! / know you!"
She put out her hands ~piteously to
ward him and her delicate face was
lifted with determination and inten'
sity. There was something glorious In
1.-THE sparkle of her eyes,. He took her
hands reverently. ~
"You dear!" he breathed tenderly
"You wonderful woman!"t
She caught her breath and hel
hands trembled in his, but she sat w
proudly as if she were defying the
world in his defense.
Now, tell me the rest" she said
"Tell it all! And then l shall believe
Just what you tell me, nothing more
II they tell me other things, ] shall
know they are false. shall not BIZ
afraid when you tell me what you have
done because you are here and I cay
look into your eyes and know you are
sorry; SO tell me the worst. But you
needn't ever think / shall listen t.
them"
So, with her soft small hands in his
and her eyes bright as the stars aboy'
them, looking straight into his, HI
looked back as straightforwardly ant
told her. All the foolisnness, the stub
bornness, and independence. All thu
fight against convention and law. Hi
gambling and wild, rough living. Hi
companioning with men who were out
laws and sinners. His reyolutionar!
methods of dealing with those who die
not do as he thought they ought, o
who tried to interfere with him. Hi
summary punishment of those witt
,, stirred his soul to wrath: He told !
in low tones and grave, searching GU
each confession Of his heart as though
he would make a clean sweep OF it. ant
! lifting his eyes bravely each tiue 7
meet the pain he could not help seeini
, in hers. It was his real judgment, hi
first sense Of shame and sorrow an
|, repentance.
And tlen when 1t was told h
bowed his head In silence for a me
ment, still holding her hands, a
though. there yet remained somethin
more to say. At last he spoke.
There's one thing" he said. and b
1 lifted his head with a sigh. "Yes-tw
things, I might ~say--that I suppos
you'll be glad to hear. I haven't bee
) a drinking man! doubt II many 9