The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1897-08-07
Stories of inland State.

Two days after the birth Of Nell Everett's
love, she saw Mrs. Reuter- and that anna
bic person, with her chubby fore-fngeI
against her lips. soon discovered herself in
most miserable and isolated position.
Miss Everett by most stubborn display
of silence would not touch upon Joey, his
affairs or her affairs or their affairs, and
Mrs. Reuter-, feeling the exclusion, keenly
! regretted it. Her foreknowledge of the
| laudible plan to combine the firm of Ev-
erett and the House of Reuter- & Son GER
tainly entitled her to confidence as to its
progress.
Throwing out successive hooks of delicate
! inquiries. and making no Judgment, she
grew irritable at last and put the question
| bluntly:
| well, Nellie" she said Does he love
| your
How should know. Mrs. Reuter-" Nell
answered with a question, and blushing
| deeply.
Mrs. Reuter- noted the blush, the parrying
| Interrogation of the reply. and a victim
of mental complexity for q moment, found
! Ii necessity 10 study the young woman
! closely to satisfy herself OF the identity of
( this child whom she thought she knew so
well, but whom she now believed she did
not know at ALL Perhaps she was a little
rough in her Indifference to the possible
dominating existence of affection in her
young friend. but her absorption in the
commercial advantages of the prospective
union were so great that ii blinded her.
quiet, to affections right to refuse to share
longer this opinion with her. which made
Mrs. Reuter- pause again when she would
have spoken, and merely continue to study
the beautiful face before her.
At last, however, she said lowering her
chubby finger from her lips:
you don't know, Nellie? Do you love
him?''
Yes she said lowly, and blushng again
Mrs. Reuter- pursued that blush clo7ely
with quick glance She saw IT spread
over the delicate white skin and up where
her golden hair lifted in magnificent abund-
ance from her queenly poised head, and as
Mrs Reuter- had come to look upon human
nature in her advanced years, she could
not understand the blush fathom the
thought that gave it origin or come at its
occasion.
So she turned the talk to other subjects,
and found her youthful friend as mentally
competent as she had ever been.
In the evening Nell Everett was still there
and when Joey came, Mrs. Reuter- with
drew TO an advantageous point of audience
and left them together.
The guilt Of former craft was on her
soul and showed itself in an unwonted coy
ness of manner, and when he had passed a
few formal phrases TO her, she, despa;r.ng
OF his advancing, rebellious in the absence
of further deception and conscious of q
newborn modesty against advancing her
self, advanced to him and put her arms
about his neck, and chung to him without a
word.
He placed his arms about her with reluc-
lance and with delight and Joined in her
silence.
And Mrs. Reuter-, after several moments
OF intense strain, calculated to herself:
Like a pair Of deaf mutes. What ais |
them wonder?''
1t was Nell who spoke first, lowly and |
with passion:
II could not deceive you if would" she |
said. You must know that. I love you you |
know. No establishment of words could |
tell you that I love you more than I love !
YOU I had long waited for my Joseph |
Reuter-, who was in Germany, they said. |
Him 1 intended to love without knowing
love The son Of rich house was 10
love for commercial conlbirat:on with
house of which was heir. love you now
without thought Of either son or daughter,
house, or mercenary advantage. Joey, I /
love you-so much. There was deceit in
me before. There is none row. May I
ask you to believe me? Can you believe
me free from guilt, now when I confess
my guilt of little time ago. Is It in your
heart that my falsity confesses itself TO
decoy suspicion and throttle accusation? (
Do you still believe me false? I have been
guilty of craft before, and successfully de-
ceived. Now when the impulses of my ma
ture bid me confess and speak the truth,
shall you disbelieve me? Will you believe
me when I lie and disbelieve me when I
tell the truth? Do you know I love you
for yourself alone, now and forever? Can
you believe t?'
Yes came the answer.
Nell Everett" said Mrs. Reuter- to her
self in her hiding place, has changed.
Those are not the words of business, but
Of foolish sentimental love. And he says
nothing but yes"
There is a punishment for my past con-
ceit,' Nell Everett continued. 1T waits
for me and I must endure II. There Is
some check on you and your sincerity.
which I have guessed, I think, and which
viii not benefit either of US in concealing
[ have rival-a woman &c whom you are
pledged"