Evening star., 1924-04-16

ais stronger passion It was his habit
10 be glib, talking necessarily what
time he was in her company, and
seeing to 1t that his talk was shallow
and touched at nothing belonging to
the deeps of human life. Thus was
it, perhaps. that this sudden and
enduring silence affected her most
oddly; it was as If she had absorbed
some notion of what was passing in
his mind. She looked up suddenly
into his face, SO white and so COM
posed. Their eyes met. and he stopped
to her suddenly, his long brown
ringlets tumbling forward. She
feared his kiss, yet never moved.
staring up with fixed. dilated eyes
as If fascinated by his dark, brood
ing gaze. He paused. lowering above
her upturned face as hovers the hawk
above the dove.
Child" he said at last, and his
voice was soft and winning from
very sadness, child, why do Won fear
me?"
The truth OF it went home to her
She feared him; she feared tbe
strength that lay behind that calm.
she feared the masterfulness of bis
wild but inscrutably hidden nat,ra.
she was afraid to surrender to sucb a.
man as this, afraid that in the hot
crucible of his love her own natI,re
would be dissolved, transmitted and
Ienueleo part OF ms. Yet, though the
truth was now made plain to her, She
thrust it from her.
Il do not fear you" said she. and
her voice at least rang fearlessly.
DO you hate me, them? he asked.
Her glance grew troubled and fell
away. from his; it sought the calm of
the river, cleaning golden in the sun
set: There was a pause WiIdine
sighed heavily, and Strengthened him-
self from his bending posture.
You should not have sought TINS
to compel me-" she said presently.
bitterly. II own it. Yet what hope
had but in compuision?" She re-
said, with increasing bitterness, you
see, that had L not seized the chance
that was mine to win you by compuI-
sion had not won you at all"
1T might" said she, have been
better SO for both of u.s."
Better for neither he replied.
"Ah, think it not: In time, I swear,
you shall not think it. For you shall
come to love me, Ruth" he added
with a note of such assurance that
she turned to meet again his gaze.
He answered the wordless question OF
her eyes. There is" said he, mo
love of man for woman, so that the
man be not wholly unworthy, SO that
that can fail in time to arouse re-
sponSe- She smiled a little pitifuI
smile of unbelief. Were 1 Il boy" he
rejoined, his earnestness vibrating
now in votce that was usually so
calm and level, offering you protesta-
tions OF calloW worship, you might
have cause TO doubt me. But 1 am a
man. Ruth tried, and haply Il sim
full man, alasi--a man who needs you,
and who will have you at all costs"
lip took on curl. And you call this
egotism by the name of love, No
doubt you are right" she continued
with an irony that stung him, for
love it iS-love of yourself
And is not all love of another
founded upon the love of self" he
asked her, startling her with a ques-
tion that revealed to her clear-Sighted
mind a truth undreamed of. when
some day@pleaSe Heayen-I come to
find favor in your eyes, and you come
to love me, what will it mean but that
you have come to find me necessary to
yourself and TO your happiness?
fe ba deng Ho me ad aon nesd s9u1 Of l0xG #
/ love you because ] love myself, you
say. l grant IT. you. But you'll con-
fess that if you do not love me yet,
1t is for the same reason, and that
when you do come to love me the
you are very sure that : shall
come to love you," said she, shifting,
wornanlike, the ground of ARGUMENT
now that she found insecure the place
on which at first she had taken her
stand.
Were I not, sthink yon 7 should
compel you to the church tomorrow"
She trembled at his calm assurance.
1t was as II she almost feared that
what he said might come to- pass,
Since you bear such faith in your
heart" said she, were il not no0ler,
more generous. that you should set
yourself to win me first and wed me
TT is the course I should, myself,
prefer" he answered quietly. But it
is course denied me. I was viewed
here with disfavor, almost denied
your house. What chance had whilst
L might not come near you, whilst
your mind was poisoned against me
by the idle, vicious prattle that goes
round and round the countryside, in
creasing ever in bulk from constant
DO you say that these tales are
groundless?" she asked, with a sud
den lifting of the eyes, a sudden keen
eagerness that did not escape him.
Continued in TomVrroWs Starr