Page:The Best continental short stories of and the yearbook of the continental short story 1924-25.pdf/69

 the love that exists between friends, but I am sure that the tenderest love of all is the love between husband and wife.

When Severus was still only a student, he appeared to have no special qualities at all. When he was still only a pale, obscure student, devoted to geography, to history, to geology, to natural science, to archeology and to anthropology, and when he sometimes won a prize or a traveling scholarship, nobody ever imagined that he was unusually faithful and conscientious in his labors.

Severus never fed his childish dreams with the strange and adventurous travels recounted by Jules Verne, yet, while still an industrious but unimportant young man, he took up riding and the use of firearms. What did he think he would gain from these pursuits? With whom did he imagine he would fight? Severus seemed decidedly satisfied not to become a soldier. He seemed bent on gaining time, somehow. When finished with his books, he promptly discarded his geography, history, geology, and all the rest, especially anthropology, of his unparalleled knowledge. He learned how to ride and how to shoot at a target, but was neither more nor less apt at these sports than any one else. He talked little about himself. Every one knew that he was absorbed in his studies, and that was all they associated with Severus. By virtue of his self-discipline and persistence, however, he obtained his doctorate while still very young; and, as soon as he had become a doctor, he immediately married a girl he loved. Her name was Edith.

He went away with her to Algeria. Africa had no terrors for him, for he was accompanied by Edith, the girl of his heart, now his beloved wife. So accompanied, who could fear earth’s remotest corner? Who would not be enchanted at the prospect of beginning life, with the woman adored above all, beneath the palm trees, to behold with her the magical Southern Cross, and to clasp her more closely at night when the jackals were yelping from the cemeteries and when Zouerah and Khtab l’Arait were frightening the natives? Edith was also happy, because she loved her young husband.