i nwaad— | SINNERS \ IN HEAVEN BY CLIVE ARDEN (C o n tin u e d ) httle home with Just yon and a dear little nest all ear own. . , O h! It’s cruel, cruet I" Passionately the 1 gripped his shoulders. **I long for H all— I ache Inside. Honletlmea 1 dream we have it together; and then—then I wake up—” "But we can have tt, here, new.” he Interrupted eagerly. “Only the forma would be absent; the spirit would he there. Surely. In these clrcutaatancee, we can raske our own lawsF* He took her «dinging hands in Us. "Barbara, hare you thonght over the m atter! Faced tt squarely!" "My brain has gone round and round like a whirlpool for months! I don't know what I think." “Well, think this," he said gently: "Marriage laws and forma vary with every creed, and In every country, to : suit temperament or—environment i And everywhere, certain convections are necessary. For God's sake, don't ' Imagine I’m an advocate of loose moral­ ity ! But you and I are cast off from all rules save those of our own making. Have you considered th at! These na­ tiv es—or Indians. Turks, Christians— all have some Ideal which they embody in certain marring« rites and laws." She hung upon bis words, clasping tightly the bands holding her own. "Yes!" she breathed, when he paused. 'Well—we are adrift from every one Lifted Her Bodily and Carried Her. which applies to us. We can’t obey , them In the letter. We only have them 1 w ,J'n } ?U °'v' Then he rose to bla feet, lingering be­ in our hearts." “You mean.” she whispered, “yon side her for a time, a world of almost think It would be right to form our maternal tenderness in hts steady re­ gard. But she made no reply. With own—marriage rites?" “I do. Before God Barbara, I do. a little gesture of helplessness, he To me. our wedding would be as sacred turned, and walked hack to the lagoon. Croft, In old days, could not have and lawful here, with the sea for music, the birds for witness, as In a crowded been called a strongly sexed man. All church. I want you always to remem­ the vitality of his nature went Into other channels. Now, when, for the ber that.” The waves echoed faintly upon the first time, passion hud come to h ia , It found him bereft of all those other out­ shore; the wind stirred the palm leaves lets to his abundant energy. It shook In their enclosure; otherwise the whole him with fierce Intensity. In the past. world seemed waiting. In a stillness hts whole concentration, every ounce like death, for her reply.. of brain and strength, had been given I believe you, Alan," ¿he murmured to his work and Inventions. Now the at lust. “I had not thought of it at same splendid force, welling np sail all in this light. It would be the same overflowing, was concentrated upon to me, In ray heart. But—slytuld wo woman—a channel half closed ngalnst be right? Suppose—afterward—we him. Being half closed cuused more were rescued?" torture than If It hud been entirely "Well? Then we should at once obey shut and barred. Fate—God—whatever the Unseen (lie letter. Here we cun obey the spirit. But Isn't that the greuter? In Power was called—had hurled them. looked up at her, a grim defiance to his eyes. "We can't go on like this. It's dam­ *1 wonder,” suggested Barbara, when nable! Barbara—come here.” they strolled together one night, "if we Hesitating a little, not understanding ought to leach them Christianity." the unufmal expression of his face, she Alan looked down, smiling at these went toward the hand he held out. He lingering Instincts of the parson's caught her roughly by the arm. pulling daughter; but ... .. , shhok his head. . her down to her knees at his side, gaz- U they learn gentleness, kindness jng into y,er eyeg f„r severnl seconds end cleanliness, dou't you think they without speaking—searching, proring are acquiring the spirit of it?” he her In some inexplicable manner. asked. "These will permeate, paving “How much do you love me?” hs the way, if you thick it necessary to demanded, at last. teach them Christian creeds later. But She looked startled at his peremp­ don't upset their old faiths yet—they tory tone. "Why do you ask such quee are not ready. It’a always a dangerous tlous?" But she collapsed against him. thing. If it’s hurried, It Is fatul.” Site thrust her arm through his. “With my very life,” she whispered "You're awfully wise, Alan mine! You passionately. "I should die If I lost seem to know Just how to manage the you now.” He strained her close, pressing hot natives. Why Is It, I wonder?" "Because I care for them. You can lips to hers. “How far would you go usually understand those you love. If with me? How far?" he muttered you try. See how well 1 manage y o u !” eagerly. "To eternity I" she murmured, half She laughed; then felt Ills arm. ''D’you know, you're getting thin faint with the sudden passion sweeping them both away. The arms holding her wgre trembling. “Hard work." “If we never get rescued? How far “I have noticed It In your face, too. You mustn't work so incessantly— then? How fur. Barbara?” there’s no need." Only a little stifled gasp answered “Isn't there! Ah, Barbara! I think him there Is.” All the soft night odors of the forest She looked up quickly; but he had wore stealing down to the beach, blend­ turned his face seaw ard; only the grim ing with the pungent smell of hot earth, set mouth was visible. The woman In mingling with the languorous murmur her thrilled to him, for she understood. of the tide. Close in his arms, a weak Clasping his arm tightly, she laid her craving to surrender, to capitulate be face against It. fore the forces arrayed against them "Dear!" she murmured. both, swept over her. It was easy to “We have been here nearly a year." let all else go, , . . Twine she was his only response. opened her own lips, but no words “X know.'* would come; only her eyes told him They walked on In silence a while, that which caused his senses to reel passing near Roowa's hut. Just out­ His grip tightened, so that he hurt h e n side the entrance the native and his but the pain was an exquisite joy. wife sat close together, the youngest The animal In man, longing fiercely child asleep In the man's anna, both for Its mate, had been let loose In Alan, too much absorbed In low-toned con­ stronger for all these months of temp­ versation to notice their approach. The tation and repression. The future at natives’ love may be little above that this moment lay in his hands—and he of an animal for Its m ate; but It con­ knew ft, exulted in the knowledge. tents them. * Half unconsciously he rose to his Barbara's clasp tightened, ns these feet, lifting her. unresisting, with him. two outcasts from all laws looked upon Her warm young body lay acquiescent, the group. at his mercy. He took a step toward “They are very happy. Alan, I often the h u t; cnst one dazed look round the watch them." darkening beach— 9 “So do I—my G—d !” Friim ltoowa’s dwelling the faint cry • She glanced up In surprise at the of u child catne to them, wafted upon passloaate tone In his voice. the soft night breeze down the the world It Is the reverse, often. The man and woman, together In this Isola- "I sometimes wish I had never bay. . . . splUl is violated.” • tlon. Why. by an that was sacred. brought them here," he continued. She The girl heard It, and raised her "Suppose," she began again, with a should they resist the law underlying waa silent a m om ent: then drew his h«iad. The man heard It, and caught shudder, “only one of us were res- | His creation? Must His primal laws hand sw iftly up to her face. With her his breath. Their eyes met. be set aside because those made by lipa against It, she whispered, so low She slipped from his arms with a cu^ ^ ’ 'Don’t conjure up Imaginary hob man. now mere chimeras, ware ab- that he had to bend down to catch her long quivering sigh. They stood fac­ sent? It was absurd, quixotic, unnec- words: ing each other, struggling with the tur­ ri*’’-” She drew away, looking around the essary. "Do you ever look at—their bulence of their emotion. But beneath the velvet glove of little one»—and think—supposing—if— “ 'Reverberations’ ! Do you—remem- bay with the same pathetic helpless­ ness that had struck him so poignantly ' ture lies the Iron hand; behind her only!” , her?" she whispered, at last. smiling face sits grim severity. These, "Barbara I I do." He made no reply, continuing to gaze on Chrlstuius eve. O h!” she muttered, “It .Is a terrible more than any scruples, caused hint to He turned and drew tier Into his upon lier face, ami she went on speuk- arms. “I have thought of It all—over Ing, utmost to herself, standing before problem ! If only there wSke somebody pausp. He who hod ever scorned oh and over again I 1 think of nothing hint with the darkness closing around outside li all, to help I I am so afraid stacles. now faced them appalled He our very love may guide us—wrongly." who had never known fear, was now else." her. "No,” he said quickly. "It won't, be­ afraid. . , , “ ‘The vast harmony in which each The relief of speaking, for once, about the theme which lay heavy upon not« has unlimited effect upon every cause It is love—not that other word He who had ever seized what he de­ their hearts caused discretion to be other note.’ You taught me that. Do beginning with the same letter. B e Arown to the winds. “It haunts me!" you remember? Life’s harmony, you sides, It Is the motive of the heart sired, now stood aside and waited. 'Barbara must decide. To that, amid which counts. In all problems.” she cried paaslonately, clinging to him. said. We—we are forgetting.” the turmoil of bis spirit, he clung "It haunts me day and n ig h t I cun't He turned away and walked to the She turned sway, covering her face There must never be coercion; she was lagoon, standing there for several with her hands. bear to see them. I’ve tried—" no weakling. Not until site saw the "And L by heaven!" minutes, his back toward her, hia What can we do? What can we path clear before her would she move Loosing her nbruptly, he threw hlin- bands covering his face. When he re­ do?” The words came brokenly, an in ch : that he knew well. eelf down upon the rock outside the turned, he had, she could see, regained thetically, to the other outcast No sign came from the hut. Within hut and bowed his head In his hands. his self-control. Coming close, he luid nil laws. He was conscious tonight, Its darkness. Inert head buried In hei What was passing through bis mind his hands upon her shoulders. more than ever before, of their grow­ outstretched arms, lay the arbiter