Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1892-12-22
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4hcrS, you confessed LndJ you are.
Anyone else would have spoken so diff
ferently."
"Any other woman, you mean?"
SWELL, yes" he assented.
"And other women, when they talk
with you, monsieur, are anxious to con-
vince you of their honesty"
swell, yes"
Kathleen seemed to muse . little,
slowly shaking her head THAT is be
cause you are you.''
He made an inpatient gesture. cit
is so conducive to feminine deception,
then this being I, as you put it?'' and,
without waiting for her to respond, he
went on: What made me in the first
place like you SO much, mademoiselle,
was your charitable forgetfulness of
who l really am
ST didn't forget it in the least, how
ever. 1 cultivated myself into seeming
as if did,
'Ah! you're bent on Disappointing me-"
"No, monsieur, only on telling you the
.eruth!s'
''The truth from people never disap-
pointsane.''
''Are you so sure?" she murmured, a
little vaguely,snot meeting his look.
He gave, slight start. ''Not quite
sure, not quite sure-in your case.
For example, it did disappoint me
to learn that you are unhappy"
ShewOuld not admit that she had ever
confessed this to him during their pre-
-vious talks, end for a good while they
gently battled with one another con-
corning what human happiness truly
means, until Clarimond at last said,
with an accent of mild irritation:
For man or woman of reasonable
age there is but one perfect kind of hap
piness. The heart is a mill, whose
wheel should always turn in full
stream and grind forth golden grain.
The soul, like a wealthy miller, must
be buoyant and gladstone at the labor
performed; the deeper he is covered
with the dust of that delicious industry
the more prosperous he. rates himself,
while he looks forth on the world de-
fed by his hearts consoling thrift
1T is not everybody" smiled Kath-
1een, as the speaker paused, ''who can
be both king and poet in one short life. -
Are you now satirical, mademoiselle?"
'No, no! But l am skeptical. There
are so few hearts 1 like that Mine,
fear, is an idle mill wheel above an
empty stream-bed!''
yet one whose waters have been
dried. Or, if not dried, cruelty damned
81 have not said that, monsieur"
You say more, find, than you mean
to say
''And yet you do not think me de-
~ceitful; you have granted as much.''
His eyes, for an instant, seemed to
.caress her face. 81 think you strangely
miserable!' he affirmed. Then, lower
ing his voice a little, and leaning nearer
to her: Il can't but wonder if you are
-incurably So
Il am not miserable" she said, with
wistful ardor of denial. ''It is too bad
that YOU should think this. You said
something of the same sort yesterday.
But you are wrong-wrong. l still
have great deal to live for
Still! And you say that in the early
= glow of your maidenhood! Still! 1t is
amazing. Or, no; it isn't amazing at
all; it is thoroughly explainable. There
is something you want. l wonder if
could get it for you
She shook her head quickly and then
stared down at the hands which Law like
two pale curled feathers in her lap.
mo, monsieur" she breathed, enshrin-
ing the words, as it were, in sort of
long sigh. 1T is nothing that you could
get me-
He accepted her reply as surrender.
She eoas Borrower, after all, and the
feints of her assertion to the contrary
had been admittedly futile.
In the silence that now followed they
both looked forth upon the iicompara-
BILE valley, thanked by its mighty noun
tains, over-scattered by its ethereal vii
las, crowned, accentuated, dignified by
its romantic and imposing palace.
The king slowly lifted his hand and
pointed to that pale and beauteous edi-
flee. His voice was quite faint Though
1T reached her ears very clearly indeed
as he said:
Il have thought of offering you this
for a home.''
She did not make the slightest sign of
reply. He saw the color leave her
checks and the light greater in her
eyes. But she did not turn her look to-
wards his. Now her breath came Wis
IDLY quicker, pulsing the spray of lace
at her throat. Soon he saw her delicate
hands flutter a little there in her lap
like fallen flowers that a breeze blows
over and vaguely unsettles. But that
was all.
Yes he went on, 81 have thought
of asking you to dwell there with me
At once she turned and met his gaze
with great directneSS.
''You-have had this thought, mon
sieur?'
lit is my wish-my request-my en-
treaty"
Your wife?" she repeated; and he
saw thdt she was deeply perturbed-
MY queen" he continued. II want
You to share my throne and crown with
me, such as they are. I have never
asked any woman to do this until now.
I have never asked any woman, for the
simplest of reasons. Need 1 tell you
that reason?" He reached his hand for
ward and took her hand, lifting it to
his lips 1t had grown cold-piteously
cold, and the kisses that he gave it were
somehow bestowed with the compass
=sionate tenderness which implied that
he sought to reawaken its natural
warmth.
Your qusen-your queen" she said,
and Withdrew her hand, not rudely, and
yet with firtnness. The color came back
to her cheeks AS he watched her face
it seemed like tea-rose in some delight
full process of revivifcation, faint yet
distinct. q
'That is what said" he answered,
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