Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1924-02-16
Continued from Yesterdays Starr

CONTINUED from Yesterdays Starr
'Meriwether Lewis. come back!
You have gone far enough. On ahead
are only cruel hardship and continual
failure. Here are fortune, fame,
wealth, ambition, honor-and more.
told you one time | would lay my
hand upon your shoulder out yonder.
no matter where you We're. l sald
that you should look into my face
yonder when you sat alone beside
your fire under the stars. You said
that it would be torment. l said that
none the less / would not let you go.
said my face still should stay with
you until you We're willing to turn
back.
"Turn back now, Meriwether Lewis:
Come back"
The letter was not signed and
needed not to be. Meriwether Lewis
sat staring at the paper clutched III
his hand.
Her face! All. did he not see it
now? Was 1t not true what she hau
said? He saw her face noW-but not
smiling. happy, contented, as 1t once
had been. No, he saw it pale and In
distress. He saw tears in her eyes.
And she had written him:
"Oh, if only l had the right to lay
some command on you
Was not he. who had forgotten
honor, subject now to any command
that she might give him?
will, Will!" exclaimed Meriwether
Lewis sharply, imperatively, to his
friend. whom he could see dimly at a
little distance as he lay.
The long figure in it's robes
Strengthened quickly, for by day or
night William Clark was instantly
ready for any sudden alarm. He
started up on his robe with his hand
on his rifle.
Who calls there? Who goes?" he
cried, half awake.
1T is I, WILL" said Meriwether
Lewis, advancing toward him. Lis
ten. Tell me, Will, why did you do
this?"
why did l do what? Merne, what
is wrong?"
Clark was now on his feet, and
Lewis held out the letter to him. He
took it in his hand, looked at 1t Won
deringly.
This letter." began Meriwether
Lewis. Certainly you carried it for
me. Why did you not bring it to
me long ago."
What letter? Whose letter is it,
Merne? I never saw it before. What
is it you are saying? Are you mad"
81 think So" said Lewis, II think
must be. Here is letter. found
it but now in my bed. 1 thought
perhaps you had had it for me long
time and placed it there as a sur
prise"
Who sends it. Merne? What does
1T say?"
1T is from the woman whose face
] have seen at night, Will. She asks
me to come back"
Burn it--throw it in the fire." said
William Clark, sharply. Go back?
What. forsake Mr.. Jefferson-leave
me?"
God forgive me. VIII. but you
search my very heart, For one mo-
nent I was on the point of declaring
myself too i'll to finish this journey
on the point of letting you have all
the honor of it. was going to sur
render my place to you"
You cannot desert us, Merne You
shall not! Go back to bed. Give me
the letter! Bah, it is some counter
felt. some trick of one of the men,"
1T would be worth any mans life
wether Lewis. 1T is no counterfeit.
know it too well. This letter was
written before we left st. Louis. How
1t came here ! know not. but 1 know
who wrote it,"
"She had no right
"Ah. but that is the cruelty OF it
she did have the right
There are some things which Il
man must work out for himself said
William Clark, slowly. after time.
II don't think I'll ask any questions.
If there is any place where | can
take half your burden. you know
what | will do. We've worked share
and share alike, but perhaps some
things cannot be shared. even by you
and me. 1t is for you TO tell me il
can help You now. If not, then you
must decide"
Even as he spoke. his beloved friend
was turning away from him. Meri-
wether Lewis walked out alone into
the night. Stumbling. he passed on
out among the shadows, under the
starlight. Without much plan he
nd inns nlf Ia
the bluff near by.
He sat down, his blanket drawn
over his head, like an Indian, mo-
tionless, thinking, fighting out his
own fight. as sometimes a man must,
alone. He did not know that Will
liam Clark, most faithful OF friends,
himself silent as a Sioux, had fol-
lowed, and sat a little distance apart,
his eyes fixed on the motionless fig
ure outlined against the sky.
The dawn came at last and kindled
a red band along the east This gray
light at length grew more clear. y
coyote on the bluff raised a long and
quavering cry. like some soul in tor
ture. AS if it were his own voice.
Meriwether Lewis stirred. rose. drew
back the blanket from his shoulders,
and turned down the hill.
He saw his friend rising and ad-
vancing to him. Once more their
hands gripped, as they had when the
two first met on the Ohio. almost a
year ago, at the beginning of their
journey.
Lewis frowned heavily. He could
not speak for a time.
Give the orders to the men to
roll out, Captain Clark" said he at
length.
(which way, Captain Lewis - up
stream or down."
THE expedition will go forward
Captain Clark"
God bless you, Merne," said the
red-headed one.