Jasper County Democrat, Volume 14, Number 93, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 2 March 1912 — THE MAN HIGHER UP [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

THE MAN HIGHER UP

By HENRY RUSSELL MILLER

CHAPTER XXVII. THE BEGINNING <3f TJIE E-\n. IT was lons before sleep came to any in t,lie house ofvSeath that night. To Eleanor it did not come until the first streak of gray showed in the east. Then she fell into a light, . dreamful slumber that lasted only until broad daylight had cothe. She was awakened by the sun shining into her eyes. It was the mating time. From' without came the blithe call of bird to mate. She stirred contentedly, it was the first night she and Bob McAdoo had passed under the same roof. . The thought was like a caress. She arose and went to her bath, to emerge fresh and glowing. She went downstairs to find the hall deserted 1 -by all save the sleepy manservant. “Is-no one down?” she asked him. ‘‘Mr. McAdoo, madam,” he answered, struggling manfully to stifle a yawn. “Beg pardon, madam. He’s been out these two hours—went to send a telegram, he said.” N She passed on out to the wide vine covered veranda. There she stood, drawing in deep breaths of the pure spring air. “Let me not be too happy. Let me , not forget that there is a tomorrow.” 1 From down the street came the clang of swift footsteps. Her heart beat time to the stride. She knew who the pedestrian was. He halted close to her. Once again he caught her in that grip of the eyes from which she could not free herself. “You are like no woman I have known,” he said slowly. “Yet you hare known none but good women.” He shook his head proudly. “That is not the difference.” “I have given you little reason to think me good.” she said sadly. ■ “You are good; I know that. But were yon the wickedest woman in the world still you would be the one woman to me, Eleanor! Eleanor!" Tie breathed. • “Ah!" she cried. “You must not! We dare not"— , “How I love you!" “Ah!" She drew a long, shuddering breath. Then her head went back s)rondlv “Why not? Why may our lips not say what our hearts and eyes have said, since we ask nothing? I love you. I always shall. 1 can’t help it.” v“Do you 'want to help it?” “See!”

She stepped down uoe stair, where her face was on a level with his. Fully and freely she gave him of her eyes, that through them lie might see down into her heart, afire with the love surpassing, that asked nothing, that was content with loving. “Eleanor, Eleanor!” he breathed again. “Yes.” She met his eyes steadily, fearlessly. “Even though we may never know the happiness of sharing one life I shall always he yours and you mine. Life can’t take that from _us.” He turned away in the anguish of 4 temptation. Ilis big body trembled. Ilis voice was hoarse as he spoke. “I know now \vhy meh give up honor for a woman. Ho you know how easy it would be for me to throw everything else overboard and seek happiness with just you in spite of everything even now?” 41 Look at me!” Slowly he turned once more to meet her eyes. “You will not tempt me, will you? You are stronger than I: you mustn’t let me be weak. Do y6u think I don’t know? How oft§u during the last two years I have prayed that you might be weak enough to come to me and that I might be weak enough to yield! But we must ( not. It would be a cowardly happiness. It wouldn’t be clean. Until he is found and we know he is reclaimed ,we could never be really happy; there would always,be a stain on our love. We know what selfishness brings. You belong to the people of this state. Our false happiness would cripple* you. because you would always have the knowledge

that you hadn’t been true to yourself. And if you aren’t true to yourself how can you be true to your trust? You won’t tempt me, will you?” she pleaded, her voice growing more and more unsteady. “Because I—l am so happy in just being near you. When I am with you something keeps pulling, pulling me to you. I am almost past the resisting point.- Don’t tempt 3e. yet I want you to tempt me—you ust be strong for both of us. "And remember.” she went on, trying to be strong—“remember that it is harder for me than for you.' Tomorrow. after the funeral, I go back to my little work, which, after all. is only a scanty refuge, while you go on to your great task- that often will shut me out of your mind and heart. It will always be that—your work always first, I always second." “No!” he said roughly. ‘‘lt will never bo that. You are first—you always aball be.” “Ah! I wanted you to say that. But yoo mustn’t. Aud it mustn’t be true. That to the selfish part of my love I

must always fight to keep down even if—even if we must not always be_ apart. You mustn't let me be selfish. If you place me first, if you don’t sacrifice me when it is right, you can’t be true to yourself, you won’t be my man. You are so strong. You mustn't come to weakness through me” “Yet you say you are not good!” he cried. <, The vine wreathed veranda hid them from the world. She went to a chair, fell into it and buried her face in her hands. Harsh, dry sobs shook her. Bob was helpless .to comfort her. j Awkwardly, as one unused to caress, ; he put out his hand and let it rest upon her hair. The unaccustomed j touch sent fire racing through his ! veins. J “Eleanor!’’ he murmured hoarsely. Slie caught his big hand and pressed it to her cheek. “I ani not good. I am only weak and shameless. You ■; miist be ntfioag'-Hjr take me " ••( Lie sat down beside her and took J both her hands in his firm, strong ; clasp. . ' ‘ : j “Dear!" How strangely the \yord | : dwelt upon his tips! "Dear, look at j me. Two years, ago 1 found myself, ■ The people of my city trusted me J when they' would have been justified j j in crushing me.” * [ “But you weren’t guilty. Katherine ’ has told me.” “1 wasn't directly responsible for the crime that was done. But 1 don’t 1 hide behind that. It was done for me, and I accepted the benefit. But my people didn’t know it. Nevertheless they trusted me. They have helped me to grow stronger at home and oyer the state, The good people here—they have trusted me and strengthened me. In a few weeks I am to be nominated i for governor. I can be elected, I think. Great power has been placed iu my I hands. 1 aiu under the most sacred ! obligations to the people of this state, j to John Dunmeade, to him who is | dead. I can do much. These two years 1 have tried to atone, 1 have tried to kill the ugly self that ruled ! me. I thought I had succeeded. And now I find I have failed. I am ready j at your word to forget everything but myself, but you. We must start a new life together. The wealth that Murchell has left me I will give to Dunmeade. All the knowledge 1 have gained, all the power I have won. all the power that has been given to me for a purixJse not my own. must be t thrown aside. All Mure hell’s work j will have gone for nothing. John Dunmeade. left alone, will be beaten. The people who have trusted me will j be helpless. I must give these things tip because, having been weak once, ' I dare not fa/e the responsibility of i weakness in power, it would be easy, ! Every nerve in ine aches to do it. If you say the word I will give up these I things for you. and 1 will never re- ! ! proacli you. never blame you." H*» 01 used questioning!,;'. While he :

was speaking her eyes had not left, bis. She was very white. “My answer is—l love yon!” “And thnh means—no?” ' “And ttint means—no!” f Their eyes,fell away. She leaned back in her chair and looked out into space. Half unconsciously she freed one hand from his clasp and with it caressed the backs of his bauds. He watched the gesture sadly. o After awhile. “We need each other to be strong, don’t we?” she said softly-' He gave no answer. “1 am afraid." she went on latex In dreamy, detached phrases—“] am afraid to hope. I have always felt that he would return and thought that witli his coming every tiling would be right. Now I dare not hope. All at once it is clear. Ah. I can't bear to think of that. We are uot our own." Suddenly be caught her hands to bis lips and covered them with rough, passionate kisses. She let him. “We are not our own And it is something, oh. everything, to know that we have had this hour, with its

bitterness and its Sweetness, and to know that we have been strong and always shall be!” “Eleanor*! Eleanor!” “And we shall always be together, for always you will know that I am praying for you and loving you, as you will be loving me!” The temptation flew away aud left them, if not at peace,' with a new courage. . Once he turned to her and cried. ”1 would not be without this love, even

though it means heartache!” “Nor would 1. And somehow—now —this happiness is so real, so, wonderful, the heartache so far aw4y, so Impossible, 1 have faith!” Concluded Next Week.

THE CAUGHT HER HANDS TO HIS LIPS AND COVERED THEM WITH KISSES.