The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1919-11-03

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gone quickly to something else. Sud-
denly he spoke. with apparent iIreley-
ance, on dangerous groupdh
"You know, you once called mean
idiot. It's pretty easy to see that you
still feel that way; that's why every
! body knows we'd be safe ct the end
of the world without any intrusive
matrons around to offer Fefreshment
at the proper moment"
She eeemed to Vince little at that.
At least, he felt her arm tighten on
! his; but the way was becoming rough
or, and he noticed how difficult 1t was
/ for her to walk over the sharp, un-
even stones In her DELICATE plmps-
Here and there, her graceful, fragile
ankle, would bend as her foot slipped,
and he felt that she NEEDED more aid.
He knew he should put his arm around
/ her-he wanted to do SO intensely, yet
he had made up his mind. Should he
do 1t, with her enhancing presence
close to him, her lovely head against
his shoulder, he knew he would fail In
what he had once promised himself.
Pride had helped him keep that prom
Use for long time and he would not
tempt failure now.
They were far out on the rocky
point; the wild waters leaped about
them on both sides Of the narrow land !;
waves coming in from mid-oeean
shattered themselves at their feet in
an instant, Everything seemed big ana
elemental; sea, rocks, and gray mists.
He wanted to tell her things; things
that were with him, day and night, He
wanted to crush her frail little figure
against him, and lift her up over these
sharp stones. Pride, after all, was out
of place'here puny thing.
But she had once called him an
idiot when he was telling her these
things, llong ago, and she had laughed.
She still thought so, no doubt. He
would never let her laugh again.
He looked at her and saw that she
had been watching him. He Thought
he caught a strange, PARKWAY CLEAN
in her eyes. But she looked down in
stantly.
And then they saw that they were
standing where they had stood years
before, in the rocks at the farthest
point, with the sea all about; once be-
fore, when the sun had leaped from
crest to creast and the view had termi-
mated only with the horizon. One could
afford to have laughed then. Now they
were shut in by the heavy gray world;
alone, terribly alone.
With a grim laugh, he said, well,
might start being romantic now, II you
wouldn't be insulted. l could say the
regular thing: I'm just crazy about
your ways; your eyes have so much
soul, and there's such thrill in your
voice for me. May caress your hair,
it's So"
Not until then he saw, quite startled,
how deeply he was hurting her.
Don't; please, please don't" she
said in low, strangely suppressed
tone.
And the foggy wind blew the spray
of the waves about these two as they
stood together on the rocky shore.
Suddenly she turned to him and
grasped his hand in hers, small, cold,
and damp with the breath of the sea.
do you remember" she said, lit
was here, years ago, when we were,
, oh! SO young, you-you once said you
loved me?"
yes" he answered with quiet ten
derness, u remember"
She pressed closer to him, and turn
ed her face up to his,
TELL me-" she said quickly, tell
me! Do you still? want you to-
oh! how want you tol"
do"
Then, kiss mex she whispered.
He bent his head to hers, and their
souls seemed to meet, trembling, upon
their lips.
The waves beat their rhythmic
thunder upon the rugged shore, spray
ing high over the rocks, as though at
tempting to liberate themselves from
the eternal bondage OF the sea, and
: dash into the mists, free as the air,
that swirled about the two indistinct
figures.