The Oakley herald. [volume] (Oakley, Idaho) 1908-1961, 1924-05-16

never MIND the world, she an
swered Listen to one thing, and b.
proud of 1t If you care to be. Before
| met you, when life seemed hopeless
/ had resolved to yield to De Witt tc
save my fathers life, which is In his
power. You saved me. l was going
with him that night, but / know thai
there was murder in my heart. ] was
going to kill him. You showed me the
better way; taught me to honor myself
even at the cost of my fathers life II
need be-"
"Sheila, l honor you for what you
have told me-" said Winton. Il under
stand what you have suffered. / do
not pity You. l admire your courage"
"Yes?" she answered, with an ironic
infection in her voice. perhaps you
will tell me that you still love me7"
81 love you, Sheila, as l have done
from the first !" he cried.
"And would still ask me to be your
wife?" she persisted relentlessly.
Winton was silent. He knew now
that the memorable law of the race is
founded, not on prejudice, but upon
some interior prompting that may be
called divine. In spite of the spell
that the girl exercised over him he
shrank from the idea. And the thought
of his own ostracism that must follow
had the least part in his adherence.
Sheila laughed, and Winton cried
out, stung to the quick:
81 am ready to marry you, Shella.
And will take you away from Malopo;
l will take you to America. where none
will ever guess at the truth"
'You propose too high an honor for
me-" answered the girl ironically. But
then, her bitter mood softened by the
vehemence of his words, she went to
him and put her hands on his shoul-.
ders with the old gesture. Her face
was very tender.
mo. my DEAR" she answered 81
have made you suffer in my outraged
pride; have brought sorrow upon you
in return for the kindness you have
shown me- But 1 would never do you
this wrong"
"Sheila, 1t is no wrongi"
1.-THE race bar"
means nothing You have inherited
none of the qualities of-of your
mother"
"Are we responsible only to our
selves thenf" asked the girl, seeming |
to shrink for the first time under her |
ordeal. "Or are we, each one OF us,
custodlans of the race? You, at least, |
have your duty to the generation that
Is to follow yours.
"In the years to come you will thank
me, II you cannot now. Good-by and
believe that, If my heart we're not
warped and twisted, 1t would be yours,
though / could never be-
OF sudden the suns rim burst
above the valley turning it into a glow
of gold. The lengthy shadows of the
mountains swept it from end to end.
In the huts beneath them there was
stirring. Women, their straight bodies
as graceful as Greek statues, carrying
water pitchers made from wild gourds
upon their heads in classic guise, began
to walk In single file along the path
down to the spring. Winton saw
group of warriors standing, and looking
Up at them.
81 have one more word to say" I
Sheila added. 1.-THE tribesmen are dis [
satisfied about their lands, as you must |
NOW. There have been rumors of a
'ebellion. They are well founded. The
Meeting last night was to discuss the
.hances of an uprising I know no &
more. But warn Malopo. This is the l
asst service that 1 can do for those who 2
re no longer my people," t
She turned and began to descend the q
lope. Winton stood watching her I'M
II she had mingled with the throng of I
avages below. Then only did he seem b
0 wake from the dream that had taken
ossession Of him since the moment of (
heir encounter in the desert. &
He shuddered and, sick and broken, /
pre- himself with almost a physical
fort and set his face toward the s
esert.
Only that obscure race duty which is a
ever awakened in the vast majority
{ men prevented him from obeying his II
npulse to follow her into the native 81
llage and do what Seaton had done. n
/ spite of Sheila's vehemence Winton
elieved that he could overcome her u
,ruples He felt that she loved him, o.
. rather, that there was, beneath her
Gods, beneath her hardness. a spring III
love, loyal and inexhaustible. fo
Presently Winton perceived the Hot Oh
mot whom he had encountered In on
e desert. The man came up to him RI
Id indicated by signs that 1t was his re
ission to guide him out of the noun Ve
ms
Winton followed him, not along the =,
ute by which they had come, but ~
ong a defile in the hills, which led, ~
in the opposite direction. q ee
ough, after many twistings, it finally ns
rned southwark. ~
The desert appeared again. Winton ~.
uld see the vast, dead waste. which -
rs so appropriate to his heart, ex- -.
nded, fiat and like a frozen sea, - -
ward the horizon An indeterminate 80
cen line showed where the fertile
How andad A t.fd0a of cactus traaS