The Nets of Fate

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 359, 21 May 1928, Page 5

The Nets of Fate

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========= By

OTTWFLL BINNS

“He will not fight again in this war, he must not expose his eyes to strong lights for some time, and tinted glasses will be necssary, but, well, the day will still be day to him!” Jocelyn stood there without speaking for a moment, then, as she moved toward her husband, she tried to speak her gratitude. “I do not know how to thank you, Monsieur Nanterre —” "Please do not try, madame! Your husband has served France, my country; and her I also serve in that 1 serve her saviours. I am happy to have the skill to help them. But you will wish to talk, you will have many things to say to each other—” He broke off and flashed a whimsical glance at Pat Ambrose and his com-

, surgeon went his way to work other miracles of healing. “Oh, John, John! How glad I am!” With his wife in his arms, Lancaster had no need of his goggled . and shaded eyes. “And I am so glad also, for more reasons than one, dearest.” “I was horribly afraid—not for my own sake, but for yours, John. Foe myself I could have borne it! I should have revelled to serve you, to be eyes to you—but I could not bear to think of you, who are so . brave and strong, living a maimed life. I think it would have broken my heart. But it is not to be so. thank God! You can still be active and—” “Still see you, my dear! Whicli is the best of all! You heard what Nanterre said. Fighting is over for me for the present at any rate. But there is other work that I can do—that we can do together. While ] have sat in darkness at Nanterre’s, my brain has been busy. There w'ill be other men who will be stricken as I have been stricken. We will have a hospital for them here in Paris, j There will be others not so fortunate —for whom not even Nanterre will be able to work the miracle; they will have to begin life anew—and in darkness. We will help them. We will have a home. We will teach them how to win their bread, and make the burden of darkness as light as that burden ever can be made. We will do it together, Jocelyn—” “Together, dear!” she whispered. “In gratitude. It shall be the offering of our love!” Jocelyn was silent for a moment, then she spoke. “There was a thing you said the other day, that I have thought of much since. You spoke of our love having broken into flower at last. John, dear, I think this is its real flowering, this service that we shall do together, and I think it will be a beautiful thing.” John Lancaster nodded his head, i “You are right, Jocelyn. Service is the true flower of love.” And in recognition of the truth of that lies the wisdom of all great love. (The End.)