Greenbrier independent. [volume] (Lewisburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1980, 1895-04-11
Why, Tom Benton !"

QucriCd.
Ho laughed quietly "Lovely day,
isn't it,"
"What about Russia?" sho repeat
cd.
"I'm sur" l don't know" no ro-
spondvd blandly, looking at her fix
cdly.
Sho returned his look, an innocent
stare in h"r gray eyes. mo moro do
], sh" said simply And there tho
matter rested until they had found a
bench
Then Benton returned to tho
Charge. "Pity YOU woro not ut your
grandmother : funeral" no said.
Il should havo loved to havo been
There" she said smilingly.
''Tho CoconCr'S jury sand heart fail
uro caused her death" pursued Ben
! tom
"Ah, what an Intelligent class of
mon must havc served on that jury !
! Wcro YOU ono of thcm?"
mo, he answered, "or might
, havC brought in another verdict "
"What, pray" and She leaned for
ward toward him, her eyes twinkling
with mCrrinCnt
Il should hnvo said" no answer
cd, "that shN died from tho absorb
ton of too much nihihsm."
"A second Daniel como to iudg-
mcnt,' she said and thon burst out
laughing. "YOu'rc awfully witty, "
she added. You say so many hu.
morous things in such serious
way"
Benton was silent for moment.
Thcn: Tin no match for you. You
arc woman of tho world, and they
ar" moro ClcVOr than tho wiScSt phi
lOSOphvr.
"Tommv Benton, You re an unSo.
phiStiCatCd boy" sho began as she
leaned her elbow on her knee and
rested her face in her hand. You re
rather clever, rs mon go, hut they
have their limitations You have a
good deal of backbone, and what you
will YOU usually do. You mako VI
your mind to doa certain thing, and
then only after you've thought out
all the pros and cons in tho case
Then YOU do it. No power on earth
could stop You from doing it. Am ]
right"
He nodded acQuicsconcc.
"Wcll, here's Il case where you We
got to stop. To begin with, it S none
of your business, and to end with
we'll, you wouldn't bc fcrrcting the
matter out very long before ono OF
your friends would 10 trying to con
vine" the police that you camo tc
your death from an ovcrzcalous re
gard for JUSTICE You're much toe
young to die, and she looked ut hi1r
critically.
You vo put tho matter in bust
ncsslillc way" said Benton. IF tn,
Russian government wanted Mrs.
PalltSli put out of the way, Why the
Russian government can get some
ono to do it, and, rs you say, it's
mono of my business. Still didn't
like your doing it,"
"Who said | did, my poor, moral
iZing boy? Don't worry about me-
Tommy Benton. Take caro- of your
own dear neck" Then, after few
seconds silence, You know Brown
ing?"
"A tritlc," he said.
"Wcll, she went on, browning
says, lis an awful thing to play
with souls, and matter enough t.
| sc 4
in that, isn't thcrc?"
Instead of answering her question
Benton leaned close to her and said
IF l wasn't engaged to be married
I'd want you for wife.
Aquick flush spread over her face
leaving 1t whittier than before. Sh,
bit her lip and dug her nails into the
palms of her hands, and little tire
NOR passed over her. Don't tall
nonsense, Tom. III mover marry
never SEQ you again in life after to
day. I've a certain plan of actor
outlined for mo to do, and it's lif,
work. You know we discussed love {
couple of years ago at Atlantic City
and both cumo to the conclusion thai
1t WAS II term only. Fools in genera
arc divided into two classes. Tn.
first class comprises women who
think they love men, and the SECOND
class Is mado up of mon who thinl
they love women. And all men an(
all women not in these classes arc tn,
Wis" of the earth" She was lookins
out ut tn" river, along whose surfac,
q tiny breeze was playing. The eye
gave the brain II Thought. Tho lives
that flow along the calmcSt only al
low the hr"rZcS to rufflc up the sur
face. The DEPTHS are never sounded.
The dreamy SOmnOlCnco of Jun,
was in the air, and nature prodiga
OF her charms. cXhalcd an odor rcd
olrnt of gladncSs. Yet tho woman:
voice was frciyhtcd with sadness q:
sh" said, still in that dreamy way
"llrl"n of Troy, who overthrev
mems hearts and Troy walls; Cleo
patra, WHO changed the world s com
plcNion, were only grinning skele
tons, with thin covering of pretty
flesh. Yet you men build tragedio.
from w0mrn's prcttincss and forge
the skeleton that undcrlies it all"
But, Cora"
No more. Tom. No lOvemaking
I'll walk with You to the entrance tc
the park, and there our paths for nj
time separate.
Tho walk WAS brief, and Benton