The sun. [volume] (Morris, Stevens County, Minn.) 1882-1895, 1893-01-19
CHAPTER III.
AT ALL COSTS AND RISKS.

swooned with horror. Jose Mans
field leaned over her, and held her up
with one large hand. She was beauti.
full, so. That dropping head, that
shapely shouldsr-how marbly white!
how magnificent! how satinlike! how
faultless!
He held her for minute or so. He
was in no hurry for the girl to come
round. This bewilderment brought
out wildly the strong points of her
face. She looked like daughter of
Niobe in the Florentine halls; for
though Jose Mansfield boasted himself
true son of the prairie, he was travel
led for all that; he had "done" his
Europe.
In short time, as he gazed, she
opened her eyes, and came to again.
She looked at him rsproachfully. "Oh,
JOSE" she cried, not so much angry
as appalled, and unnerved, "You
should have told me that before!
You have q wife in Nebraska"
Eyes, Maisie, my child" the poet
answered, peering deeper still into
those liquid eyes, too perfect to be
tender. II have wife-in Nebraska
in the Lunatic Asylum"
At the words, with sudden bound,
Maisie took heart of grace again, "In
the lunatic asylum!" she cried gasp
ing. "Oh, Jose-incurable.
The poet bowed his head. "Incur-
able" he answered, with Sphynx-
like air. 1t was a part of Jose Mans
fields pose to be Sphynx-
like and inscrutable?
Maisie drew deep breath again. In
many of the States-above all our
west-hopeless lunacyis agoodground
for divorce. Maisie knew that very
well. There were not many moves on
the matrimonial chessboard unknown
to Maisie. A tremor ran through her
from head to foot before she dared to
go on tentatively to the second ques.
ton.
"And you've never tried-you've
never attempted in any way-to rid
yourself of this incumbrance-to-"f
The poet smiled, and interrupted
her placidly.
"Wnat would you have, Maise?"
he answered, struggling his shoulders,
after the fashion intended to denote
his Castilian ancestry. 81 am poor.
am free. am son of the rolling
grasslands. never before met any
woman in this world who attracted
me to submit myself once more to do.
nestle slavery. zee. e. e. It's abol-
ished in the south. Why restore it in
Nebraska -. -. e. Consider the
situation. / was young once, and a
fool. In the West, in those days,
women were scarce, andspoor articles
They sampled very ill. I did the best
I could for myself. That best was
feeble. You should have seen her
Maisie; little understood thing, not
taller than your shoulder-oh, yes, q
decent enough woman in her way, nc
doubt; pretty-faced baby; but not
fit for me, for whom the Fates design
ed @ great, glorious, large-limbed ex
ultant Greek goddess. Say
you, for example, Maisie." And he
darted such a look from his big
brown eyes at her that Maisie
trembled and thrilled in her Utmost
marrow. The poet went on, lingering
his mustache with affection. IA small
cramped nature as well; not like mine
OR yours-born to roam with the
buffalo of my native prairie. A moth
er of children, good to bake and clear
house. And that, too, for mel Pah
my heart grew sick at it!'
He paused again and eyed her.
"Ip time" he said slowly, "the muse
came and found me. She found m,
on the rancho, among the coyotes ant
the cowboys. Write, jose she said
And l rose and obeyed her. wrote
till the world flocked around me tt
read. Then I knew what was, and
grew sick of the woman. e. .. =.
She conveniently went mad. e. -. :.
There you have the whole episode"
Maisie gazed at him, awe-struck. I
was grand! 1t was glorious! Hi
bombast imposed upon her, TIL
mans callousness and egotism' neve
impressed her at all. She saw onl!
her own gain in this hideous story.
"And now, Jose," she asked tremu
lousy. "What do you mean to d.
nowF The laws of Nebraska admi
incurable lunacy as a good and sufi
Gent cause"
With snap Of his finger the poe
once more interrupted her.
what can / dos" he answered
playing with her as cat plays with
mouse. II am poor. / am penniless
/ get what make with my pen-.th
spinnings of my own brain-the bart
er OF my likelihood. Out of that
support myself-and the mad womal
in Nebraska. How would you hav
me support yet @ third or fourth
Above all, Greek goddess, Tapped i
Washington tuxury2"
Maisie's mind was made Up. II
had said it himself. No obstacl
should stand between her and til
man of her choice. Was he not right
indeed, that here was O help, NEE
for himH If he could give up his ma
wife she could give up all else. Wha
were ties of blood to her now! A
all risks she should have him, he
own peerless poet. For his sake sh
could dare all-the Unspeakabl
Thing itself. Eos his sake she coul
stand any risk; any punishment,
"Good-byel" she cried, rising to &c
81 can't stop here longer now. Thi
episode has been too much for me, a
least for the moment. But, Jose, yo
shall have money to set yourself FIRE
from this encpmbrance. And you
set yourself freq, ! feel sure, if Pm abb
to marry you"
The poet smiled his inscrntabl
smile once more, but answered neye
q word. 1t was his che TO say netf
ing. Silence never compromises.
As for Maisie, she drove home in tn
carriage with mamma, rejecting q