Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1891-10-11
golden stairs.

since she had been calling him tiresome
IN her thoughts, when one could not
but guess, seeing bis thin, drawn face
and too brilliant eyes, how strong the
chance were that before very long he
might be proving himself whatever
might DO in 1.-The great perhapS"-gone
cover the range"
and why not?" his light laugh bro
ken off by his hollow cough. Because
1 have o sore throat do you think it be-
hOOveS me % assume a gOod-boy atti-
tude? IL seems TO me that about half
the show of piety OF the world is built
up on this basis-the instructive thrift
that would blindly provide against pos
Sible rainy day-haif admitting that the
enterprise may turn out lottery draw
ing nothing but blanks, yet taking the
gamble, since 10 seems 10 cost nothing
but little lip service"
Glow can you be so cynical-sO IN
just?' in shocked eXpoStulation. And
life is so wretchedly short!'
''You mean we ought to make hay
while the sun shines, so to speak, and
swallow orthodoxy while we have time.
can't Mia. l think a man must be
happy to be relgious-to feel that he
has something to thank God for. But
for me, lam not happy, are you, Nita?"
"Ah, who is?" returned Anita senten-
tiouSly. 1T is not necessary"
"N0, but very desirable. And when
some of US can see so clearly just what
is lacking TO give us perfect happiness
when il seems as If one might almost
reach out his hand and take tit seems
a little rough, don't you think?"
"NOne of US know what is good for
US, " returned Anita sagely, with shrug
of her shoulders.
"But we suffer Just as much from
baflled desire if we only think we know"
persisted Gray, touching up the horses,
And ia that connection l have often
wondered and now l want TO know"
turning 10 her determinedly, 'if you
had been left to make up your mind
alone, would you have married me?"
"Oh, Gray" in distreSStul embarrass-
ment, "what is the use Of raking up
that old aEair!"
And what is the harm since it is an
old affair, past and done with? Call it
an idle curiosity il you like. don't
see why you should mind telling me
now"
81 wish you would put on your over
coat, Gray. IL is growing cold" nerv-
Ously buttOning her jacket.
THAT is not answering myQuestion.
y (Which you have no right to ask"
Il know that" humbly, "but l have
so longed TO know. One thing" search
ing her face eageraly, you do not say
/ you would not.
"NO; because'-stODping with swift
/ blush as she saw whittier her words
tended.
You would" cried Gray, his face
aglow.
"Not at all. did not say so, sharp
( ly, but relenting little as she met his
reproachful glance. There was only
/ the smallest possibility, the merest
scrap of a chance, that If Uncle John
| had not been opposed TO it, and Aunt
| Annie had not preached in its favor so
continually that-well, perhaps l
might"
"Oh, Nita, you dear, dear girlw with
/ passionate Joy. IF you could under
| stand what this small admission is TO
/ me, you could not regret it. To think
that you really cared enough for me"
"But I did not, she quickly protest
| cd, frightened at the passion in his
/ eyes. Il never cared for you as much
as YOU did for me. 1 could not have
pretended 1t for moment"
III you cared quarter as much it
/ was enough" he doggedly retorted.
"You cared enough 10 marry me; you
have owned that, Nita, and you can
never take il back. Nothing on earth
can rob me OF that crumb Of comfort
/ now. You would have been mine
mine, Nita," with a sharp drawn
/ breath, his fingers closing on the rein
as if he were holding himself back
/ from catching her in his arms, "and
YOU would have been but for that pack
of eddlerS-damn them"
Don't. Gray. Can't you see that il
was ali for the best?" in cool, dispaS.
| slonete reasoning. ~ would have mar
! ried YOU for your money-tO have had q
handsome home or my own-that is the
truth OF the matter; and that sort oil
marriage is always failure. 1t would
have been q cat and dog life we would
have led together
''It would have been heaven" he pas
siopately retorted. "YOu would no
have married me If you had not been
little fond Of me, money or no money
I know you better. "
al wish you would put on your over
coat" she abruptly interposed.
~Bother the overcast" with an M
steady laugh shut of course you mus
have your way"
1--WE are almost there, she remarked
thinking to bring the conversation Z