Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1932-05-29


their hands and then destroyed them.
THAT the wheel of destiny turned without
mercy he we'll knew but that it would
sgain turn and engulf him in emotion he could
not believe. His love for her was dead No turn
Of the wheel could resurrect it,
AS the days passed there was an increasing
irritation in the conditions confronting him.
His mind was in tumult. A short time before
it was one Of supreme content with his home
and its surroundings. Now, there was unrest,
dissatisfaction. A disturbing element had
entered his life He resented it. Fought
against what he believed was dead until
Helens nearness set his pulses racing. Was 1t
possible that out of the ashes Of the past there
was still longing for the companionship of
the woman who had stirred the depths
within him? Had he deceived himself into
feeling of security: into a belief that love
was dead; that there could be resurgence Of
his day Of dreams? And If he loved her, which
he could not believe possible. would 1t be strong
enough to make him forget those first desperate
years: strong enough to revive his faith in
her?
The situation was intolerable 1t must end
at cnce. AS he reached this decision Helen
to him where he sat in the shadow of
great fire. He looked up but did not speak, too
conscious Of her nearneSs to speak casually.
She was always an attractive woman and the
years had given her added something.
Charm, she had always possessed. Was it soul?
he wondered as he glimpsed her face turned
toward the mountains clothed in all the glory
of the departing sun. He had seen a mo-
mentary quvering of her lips Had she, also,
suffered?
The silence unbearable He moved rest
lessly. When she spoke the words were almost
whispered.
Malcolm. cannot you forgiven"
He jerked himself upright THE man you
knew. Helen, is dead: his love- his ambitions
buried from sight. Let the past be- There can
be no talk of forgiveness, for you cost me my
manhood. That is not forgivable else would
be fighting the knocks Of the world instead Of
hiding like criminal away from my kind
I loved you. You rejected my love. You had
the right to do so. But no man. no woman
has the right to destroy that which Is i'm
planted in him by his Creator. His self
respect. With that left there is fight in
him Without it he is as nothing. That is
what you did to me- Killed the thing that
would have enabled me to lift my head among
men," He turned away, furious at his inability
to meet the situation calmly and without
rancor. Shall go back"
Not yet There is much wish TO say and
do not know how to say it,
Leave it unsaid. 1 do not wish TO hear It,
In this you must be guided by me-"
You must listen. have right to be heard
There were lies told to me. Lies I would not
believe, for I loved you, but at the last"
She stopped short shrinking from the fury
in his face
Lies! Who told them? My life to you
open book Nothing halfway. You had the
best that was in me. Now you tell you
believed lies" He made determined effort
for self control Who told them?" he asked
more quietly.
She moved back from him, shaken by the
passion he could not hide but answered
steadily Jim He would have gone to any
lengths to marry me, even to murder. He
told me that" The voice scarcely audible,
stif1ed by soal-racked memories.
Twentieth century meiodrama And This
Jim. Who was hep"
The man married. Add there was q letter
from a woman who wrote that for year she
had been your wife"
And what Jim did not do, the woman
fnished?"
He wrote it. When he died q glimmer OF
conscience returned to him and he told me-"
And would have staked my life upon your
belief in me- your trust. I-oh, what Is the
use?" He turned to leave her, but she had one
more word to say. If that failed life held
nothing further.
The dearest thing IN all the world Is my
love for you, Malcolm. Is it impossible for you
to believe me?"
He laughed. Laughed in frenzy of passion.
He was quite mad, yet had sense enough to turn
away and plunge into the depths of the canyon.
All about him were the mountains that before
had given him peace of soul Now they refused
It to him.
A ND the woman, LEFT alone, wondered how
life could 60 on with the thought Of .
ruined manhood heavy upon her conscience:
thinking bitterly Of herself and the tnplacable
animosity Of the man whose faith, whose love
she so earnestly wished to revive. It had taken
courage to speak and her words had been futile.
He did not return to the cabin until late.
Then he stood before his great rock fireplace,
stalwart figure with grave, strong face now
etched with lines that had not been there few
days before. He stopped for a splinter upon the
hearth, lighted 1t from the blaze and when his
pipe was burning to his satisfaction said: 1T
iS hest vo,1 and Ars proinard on ont NJ