Year: 1879

ANA he did tell 1t. The story was not
new; there was much of error but nothing
ot crime, much Of human weakness and
too little of trust, the same fearlessnesS
which characterizes most men who have
known the world well, and no sparing of
self when the recital took on shadow.


And now what do you think ofit-me?''


Il think, from your own showing, you
are a very gentlemanly vagabond.''


There was hard pressure of the hand
some lips, little whitening of the face.


You may be right. but ! think not.
some day you will Judge me fairly and
tell me so.'' f..,..-e


MIR. Waring, it may he because have
been always situated as yeu see me, in the
midst of n working world, that | have
grown to feel that life means something.
! Whatever the cause, | cannot entertain for
You the respect I-should- d-hold if you had
been earnest in living.1UasF erfp


Life means as much to me as to you"


''llow have you proved it?'


$50 you, never knowing the meaning of
temptation, choose to judge me from your
standpoint! Yoa are good it is true, but
what reason can You possibly find for be-
ing otherwise here, where temptation
sleeps?"


Pardon my abuptness, but cannot
reverse my opinion. In all your story
find no sacrifice


What do You know nf sacrifice? 1t is
bare sound to yoG. YOu have never
been tried yet, but when the time comes.
as come it surely will. have YOU strength
enough to yield everything for a princi
ple?"


II cannot tell. But is this in self-vind-
cation. Mr.. Waringp Pr


1T is not. say it because believe that
at some time God tries every man and every
woman, and because believe that a pure
ly negative goodness is not worth the
breath it takes TO defend it. ~


Il do not intend to institute a compar-
son between ourselves. But let that pass
From what you have said now and previ-
ously, infer You find but very little TO re-
spect.


That is true. but aside from God him
self there are some things hold sacred"
and leading forward. he took both her
hands in his and looked into her eyes.
''Shall tell You what they are. Mar
garet ?'' nis sla' 4


AS you please" tn.45i.t


"A mans honor and a woman's purity"


With eyes still meeting lis she said
quietly:


VIZ oii-WHdt next! f- t


That's enough for the present., and
iiercely throwing down her hands he
looked out into the darkness She was not
umoved, although her manner BETRAYED
nothing as she looked with deep interest
at this man sitting in Judgment upon his
own past. She turned that evening a new
leaf in her experience and never forgot its
unfolding
pardon me if have shocked You with
my brusqueness-you are not prudish bnt
you are puritancal."


Il may be puritanical but you have not
shocked me- ~ tftf i ti


Margaret Howard when YOU know the
world better-and God forbid that you
should ever know it us Ido-you will think
of this night and not wonder as now, that
| have so little faith. Then vou will
know what mean when say find my
sell doubling at times whether virtue ex-
lists in woman or goodness in man..


Il hope | shall never know the world
so we'll AS to share your doubt


while | know the trial of moral
strength has never entered into your life
feel in some strange way that YOU will
bear it well. But before we say good
night, let me tell you what might not
again be in the mood tor admitting: feel
myself better for having known YOU


"She said nothing. What was there
tor her to say? Narrowed down to an
area of twenty miles of distance what did
she know of vice and wrong and woe?


Here it becomes necessary to tell Won
that Margaret had very vague and indis-
tinct ideas of religion. 1t was a matter
that had many times been present to her
after orthodox fashion, but such is the OBJ
stinacy of Il few unhappy mortals that they
refuse positively to take opinions at second
hand, hence this perplexing subject had
never been settled entirely to her satisfac-
ton. She had been told many things
about election, free agency and eternal
punishment, rs well rs those things per-
tanning TO the love and mercy and good
ness of God, but she had never been able
to reconcile two sets of qualities so discor-
dant, and had almost concluded to give up
trying when Waring came to visit her.
As during one of their conversations they
driited into this subject, he said, after
plainly stating his views:


but don't know why have said this
to YOU ut


'And don't see why vou should NOT
il You believe it.


Il do believe IT. Your SURROUNDINGS
show what vour life has been and wonder
little church the religious teachings to
which you have been bound down. Nv
life has been very different and my views
correspondingly So"


ii do not yet see why You should regret
having told me-. .e.tts


For this reason alone; Ii YOU have
simple faith and trust in God as his char
acter has been revealed to you after the
evangelical way of doing, take severe
blame to myself for having said anything
TO disturb that faith or to lead YOU To
doubt the correctness of that idea.''


You attach much Importance to your
opinion as affecting mine''


Il attach importance to any mans opin-
ion so far us this do not believe one
thought we experience or one word we
utter is entirely lost. and when hereafter
you recall my visit you will think of this
with the rest. You cannot help H. Cir
cumstances are so linked together in this
life that one draws another in its wake


Whv .ba lid NOT H.. III