Show t J J e THE RENUNCIATION By MARTHA IIENDERSON GRAY C > Jllilht lee bj Joph II Ikiwli nov Philip Ware looked thoughtfully thoughtful-ly around the sllting room of the tiny flat It wan very homelike thero were evidences of a womans fingers In every little nook and over all was the soft rose light from the lamp Sho had como Into Ills pariah six months before and ho had made his first call upon her In his capacity of minister Ho had called many times very many times hut these wore not altogether In the capacity of minister This was noted by his devoted parish par-ish and on this account the newcomer newcom-er was promptly disliked by several There was one girl who disliked her particularly a tall dark girl with beautiful hair and the face of a saint lUBldcs tho report had hcou spread I abroad started by some ono who knew her before she came to M hat ahe was separated from her husband hus-band Rev Philip Ware thought of all this as ho waited It would be very simple ho rear Boned Ho would not stay long they would have a pleasant friendly chat at first and then as ho was going ho would tell her She would understand under-stand she was n wornnn of tho world and would know what ho meant without with-out his telling It all Then feeling that ho was not alono ho looked up and saw her standing In r d tho doorway Sho was looking at him + with n peculiar Intense expression In d her eyes and ho caught tho look before c be-fore alto had tlmQ to veil It behind her z usual laughing manner At that look Rev Philip Wore lost his wonderful selfcontrol Springing n to his feet ho strode determinedly to n t tho door and clasped tho soft womanly + p woman-ly figure In his arms Sho quivered a llttlo nnd then vm very still Silently he laid her Jlt gainst his shoulder and laid his lip upon herR Somonow he had forgotten about tho friendly phut and the llttlo message Just before ho wont Suddenly the sound of n bell In the next flat brought thorn to consciousness i conscious-ness It was tho woman who started backLet U Let mo go Philip she said quickly r quick-ly and firmly let mo go But ho made no motion except to clasp her more closely There was a dogged look In his eyes which she did not like to see Philip ° she pleaded and there was a ring almost of desperation In her voice for Gods sake let mo go At that name the nnmo of the King whose ambassador ho was somo consciousness con-sciousness of what he was doing came to Rev Philip Ware and for Gods 14 Bike for Ills onlyho let her go 4 4 Listen to me Marian he cried It My love for you Is stronger than anything I any-thing else and you must lovo me you shall Rov Philip Wnres voice rang out as firmly and powerfully ns was Its wont p AI when ho rend Thou shall not In tho Commandments Perhaps tho woman thought Of this for Sho shivered fr slightly 1 You know that to me ho went on more quietly death alone has the power to separate those who have been joined together but since In your eyes divorce Is lawful I will wait until 0 you aro freed So now there cnn be nothing to keep us apart unless you Bay that you do not lava 1110 but you doIs It not so sweet He bent nearer slowly as It afraid of frightening her but as ho touched her hair she started back and snatchIng snatch-ing away her hands moved quickly to tho other side of the room Slowly I she turned and faced him and when she spoke her voice was calm and rII s natural I think you must surely be forgetting s a ting yourself I did not know thai I I had ever given you cause to think that I loved you until perhaps just now but that was because because you surprised mo so that I did not realize re-alize what you were saying and doing do-ing Had she thought of It she would have been amused at herself for faltering falter-ing she to whom this was an old story starDut But as she glanced at him there was something In his eyes that she could not bear to see those eyes from whoso I depths she would have kept away tho shadow of pain with her very life She only knew that she loved him better bet-ter than anything In tho heavens above or the waters under tho earth the phrase came to her unbidden and that she had given him his deathblow death-blow Why could she not go to him as he sat there with his head burled in his hands and tell him thistell him that she would do what ho asked would go with him anywhere It she alone were to be considered she would do it but he must bo kept safe his honor must never bo blem fshed nor his career as a priest of God be spoiled So this womnn of whom the world spoke so slightingly nerved < herself to begin the struggle against him and her other self I have always been called heartless heart-less she said In an unemotional tone and I must be If I have made you be hove that I love you for I do not I never have I never can rite last was uttered with difficulty for ho had lifted his eyes to her face and she saw that they were haggard nnd drawn even In the soft lamp light lightMarian I Marian he said must you take n111 I have given you my love my honor must you take my faith toot 1 ty 1 For if you have deceived mo there Is no one whom I can ever trust Pity mo Marian have mercy I tell me that you did not deceive me that you do lovo mo only that dearest j only that A man can live without love or hope lie can even die without them but he cnn neither live nor die without faith Slowly she gathered her scattered POIISCH and looked up at him You are right Philip she sale softly I I thought I was doing It ho best way but I didnt know fdi Imlm not good 1 you know It 11 not because I do not wish toto dc as you want mo to do but because 1 will not and I will not because I love you dear Oh Philip my darling my life i love you somoro than anyone else could ever lovo you Yet you wll marry hertho girl who hates mo so tho girl who has always been good How long would she love you If stu knew of this do you think She lover you only because you are noble and reverent nnd good whllo Iher voice wad harsh with pallloh Philip 1 would love you In heaven or earth ol hellTho The man could bear no more Ht caught her hands and pressed the I palms passionately to his lips Hit I very touch seemed to soothe her foi I she drew them gently away and wher hlio spoke her voice was low and sweet I have never loved anyone you know dear so perhaps that Is what males It so hard I married because I had no home and he was good to me Since then I have not cared whethei men loved mo or not They were rather amusing and I was not good enough for the women to care for mo I she added bitterly But when yon cnmo Into my life I know then what It would have been to have tho lovo ol a good man She paused and looked at him longingly Philip sho said pleadingly yet with a note of shyness In her tone may I run my finger through your hair You must bo very very quiet and not touch me The man looked at her with mutt eyes that reminded her somehow ot f the eyes of a dog I have always wanted to do this sho said You have such pretty hair so thick and black and wavy I be Hove that I lave it best of all but thei I lovo nil of you best She paused a moment and looked ai him critically If you were less l good PhilipI you had mado no struggle against It perhaps I would have heard you foi I love you so Now I will go back tc him the one who tho law says is m > husband and you will marry tho beau tlful girl who does not know what wickedness means I could never satisfy sat-isfy all of you for I am not good enough Her lip quivered n little Philip sho cried why did God forget for-get to put a soul In me when I wn s r 1 l GOOD NIGHT made Perhaps ho did give me ooo but there was no ono to help it tc grow Do you think she asked suddenly sud-denly that she would have loved you enough to give you upY But just then the clock chimed tht hour There were many strokes ant each ono seemed to beat upon helm consciousness the fact that now they must part You must go Philip she said gently The man rose This Is the end ho asked In shard s-hard dry tone This Is the end sho repeated softly soft-ly and held out her hand Ho drew a quick breath and looked at her hand reproachfully Not that way surely not that way dear May I not at least tell you good by as I want She wavered an Instant but looked up Into his face with a bravo smile No it would do no good and only make it harder for both of us I know a better way tho way your mother would tell you goodby Lean down a minute Philip She slipped her arms around his neck and rested her soft lips for ao Instant on his forehead I Good by my life sho whispered so low that ho scarcely heard It Keep good always He took her hands and reverently lifted them to his lips kissing them in the pretty pink palms Just one thing Philip sho said wistfully Do you think that I have harmed you much I would hate to harm the only I ono I have over loved you Know sho added with a pathetic little break In her voice Strong man as ho was this was too much for him Tears choked his valet BO that he could not answer but he shook his head Goodnight she whlsp red and watched him as he slowly descended the stairs without ever turning lack rhea sho mechanically went to her own apartmen The i retty rosecol ored lamp went ut and I ft her In merciful Oar n s |