The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1897-08-04
Stories of an Inland State.

deepened here and there plotting out each
article his eyes IN turn sought, touching
with s.lken softness each colored vase and
ornament and engulfng them into the SOM
breness Of night and the sombreness that Is
rest.
An hour before he had given away TO a
| rather Iudicrous conviction that this place
was not his home; that his mind dwelt here
and that his body lay in a feather bed with
a prospect OF dusty rafters and laths which
had never felt plaster. Observing that no
/ one was near he had acted as q delighted
| country boy on visit 10 rich relatives tie
had given away 10 a desire TO punch the
| cushions of the leather chairs, TO rub his
shoes on the nap Of the heavy carpet under
! his feet. 10 strike the keys on the piano
and thumb the long, fine curtains, 10
smooth the statuesqUe figures on the pedes
tails and whirl the chandelier. And al this
! with stealth.
| 1t was the spirit OF change from one
home to another working in his heart, ana
THIS now was home. Strongly he 1eit now
the unutterable comfort of the room, the
comfort that sheds it's influence like the sun
! its light, from furniture with outlines ard
cushions. il is rest to look upon TO say
nothing of touching; from walls of quiet-
| ing color. from carpets of mild and pleas
/ ing pattern And as he sat there nlled
! with this restfulness which is sleep without
! consciousness surrendered and wakefulness
without worry. two images struggled IN MS
| mind TO stay. one a woman whom ne drove
away. who came again, another woman
whom he beseeched to stay, who turned
! away HIS eyes rested in the blank twl-
! light and A square of moonlight which feil
! through the window upon the moor, he-gH-
| tening the pattern figures Of the carpets
| came before him and he did not notice II,
but went struggling on with duty mat
woul1 release him and temptation winch
would not.
He did not see Nell Everett enter the
room and take a seat silently, with the
silver moonlight in her golden hair, with
| down-cast eyes, ungloved and cad Win
studied simplicity in the fi,ms!est OF white.
Had he known she was there then he
would not have known why she came. he
ooul5 mot have fathomed the tactics of her
mind. Perhaps they were beyond MS rheh-
I'll ,reen as she was beyond him mentally.
Sba had waited for three weeks. and all the
ubila conscious of owing him an apology.
she had studied her part well. Not hSntly
she considered her offense. The disaVowaI
of all regard she had given him on the
dusty country road could not be explained
awav with words. This she knew. That
she should refuse him then and favor nm
now could argue nothing to his mind but
that she placed ducats above devotion. Con-
fession Is a thief that steals forever and
leaves accusation poor. She must not per-
NIT accusation from him. She must con-
fess. But no words or fashion of thought
of hers could confess this thing gracefully.
.sBut then" she said with a smile as she
planned It. NO word ever carried apology
with it. Humility never owned it was so
in words Our greatest defense IS our want
of defense. We disarm our enemies by
throwing away our weapons, and pardon
quickest comes to him who offers no justi-
fication Who asks is refused-except who
asks in silence"
But little she knew OF silence and the
world of It, the unspeaking universe, the
loves the needs. the cares. the jealousies,
the strifes. the quilts which have no voice,
hut are forever writing in knots inextric-
able, the world of stifled hearts, of gaspinS
cries for rescue, of lurking, damning sus-
picion that wears an outward smile of con.
fiGence of inner battles that have but enc
historian and he dumb. Little she knew of
silence and the world of Il, the face behini
the masque C. deed and language, unse ~
and speeches. still.
But this she knew, that the less formal
an apology the more acceptable it is. Sh,
aust go tc him and offer her apology ih
silence-without words.
So she had come down upon him tonigh.
to offer this explanation stimulated with
the desire to make no false step. and 10
follow every detail of her campaign with
concentrated effort.
She had met Mrs Reuter- at the door and
that amiable lady, with womanly intuition.
compromising the object of Nell's call and
restraining a desire to repr:mand her for
delaying so long, motioned her to the study
and retired.
And as solic.tious mothers Will sometimes.
she listened with her chubby finger to ner
lips. Nell had passed in and taken her
seat there in the moonlight. She knew
her son Joseph must be there before her
But Mrs. Reuter-, change her position as
she would and steal from door to door,
heard nothing
she might have broken in then. indeed
she thought of it. but feared to do so.
Still there was no sound from either OF
these young people.
Strange" said Mrs. Reauter in her won
greet each other"
Slowly the realization OF her presence
came 10 him. more through the agency OF
TIE ear than the eye. and his heart broke
its restraining reins and he sprang to his
feet. sighed and sat down again d.sconso-
lately.
She turned her eyes upon him and he
Ciutchei al the arms Of the chair and stir
red
She turned her ungloved hand and held il |
ont 10 him for him 10 take He studied 1t |
with curious scrutiny. from the tips of the |
tapering fingers to the full wrist and the |
snowy fore-srm spreading 10 voluptuous |
rlumpness up beneath the fimsy sleeves |
Then with a world OF sadness in his ewes |
he looked into her face. her sad. beautiful |
face with its great brown eyes pleading |
with him 70 forget, her lips IN a half-smile, |
the half smile OF pa;hos.
Her skirts moved in the wind and the i'm |
ploring Of her eyes grew uuttl he could ses |
nothing but her eyes and the melting Tgh; |
from them enthralled him ant engulfea |
him. His fingers tingied and ne held his |
hand down with. an effort, for It seemed 20 |
b. bent on acting Independently Of his VII /
and flying 70 hers and gTssp.ng IT.
she arose. with the full smile OF conscious
irresistab.lty. and extending both her
hands. bent forward with superb grace.
He understood her. She had refused him
because OF circumstances. but she had low
"a him, and she loved hin now. He for
gave her. But he dared not say 50 Every
fbre OF h.s body lsaped 20 her profered
embrace. his eyes blazed and his blood ran !
riot through his veins She took a step |
forward. Everything ne noted. the wisp
n golden hair waving in The night breeze.
he changed contour % Re- face. the heigh-