The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-02-07

loved you even when you doubted me And
you were so unreasonable You would not
let me explain"-
She glanced at him critically he thought
coldIy.
You have survived the episode excellently.
You are looking very wel''
There was just a suggestion of sob in
her voice. People had said that Helen had
fallen off considerably in the last few months
Eyes, have honestly tried to forget INV
disappointment. | have worked hard The
god mammon has rewarded me better than
did the little fellow to whom formerly paid
my devotions
II thought we-you-were very happy
while it lasted -
Happy and yet miserable. Helen. can't
you see that your lack of faith your feeling
that did not prove my devotion to you
were torture to me? You could not or would
not understand my temperament. Because I
oid not tell you every time we met that you
were the most adorable woman God had ever
made that | could not live without you. and
all the rest of the childish, pretty complf-
ments men pay TO certain sort of woman
you said did not love you and yet in a hun
dred ways / showed you that you were the
one women in the world to me- I never called
on any other girl-no, DEAR not even since
you broke our engagement. l haunted your
home until was ashamed to look your father
in the face / tried to show you that needed
you every hour of my life / gave up my
pipe because you did not like it, l cut the
Athletic Club because you objected to that
gang of fellows But because l did not an
| nounce my reasons from the housetops you
did not understand that it for YOU all
| for you
| They had reached the lake in the park
| Helen sank mechanically the frozen bank
| and with the old childish gesture handed him
her skates. He fastened them with hands
! that trembled .-- -r.
| Cant you understand Helen?''
| Still she sat staring dumbly across the gilt
tering expanse of ice to the woodland with its
! glstening, ghostly trees. Never; had he
! talked like this before. and the scales had
| fallen from her eyes with suddenness that
| left her fairly dazzled No: she had. never
understood him. He had seemed to take their
engagement so lightly. He had hurt her
| again and again with his perpetual joking
1t had all been SO serious a matter with her,
and she had thought he placed too light an
| estimate on her love because-because-we
no sane man should treat lightly SO serious
| an affection as a retrousse nose.
She rose and poised gracefully on her
skates Ludlow stretched out his hands, and
| her own cuddled into his confdingly. Across
the lake they sped, looking straight into each
| others eyes. g
"You understand me better now. Helen
| he pleaded. Tell me- dear, that you believe
! 7 loved you always
| She really wanted to reply in the Yes he
! longed to hear, but it was novel experience
to see him SO deadly in earnest. She shook
! her head slightly.
ooh, Lester, you've not been practicing law
| in vain! AS pleader you re improving.
] A panied look came into his honest face.
| His clasp on her hands loosened, and with
| a coquettish glance she shot away from him.
| She shouted something over her shoulder, but
| he lost the words in sharp, ominQus crackle
| Of weak ice. There shrill scream; and
| a second later ne circlng round a black
| hole where a crimson Tam Shanter had dis
| appeared.
| They sat by the park keepers fire, wrapped
| in strange, unsightly garments. Their host
! had hustled out into his bachelor kitchen to
| brew hot drink.
Helen faced Ludlow abruptly. There were
| dark circles under her eyes and her chin
!, auivered pathetcally as she said:
| Lester, dear. did you hear what l called
to you just before
| "No'' he said moodily. "A man drenched
to the skin is not susceptible to coquetry.
She continued bravely:
| Il said that I knew you loved me always
| better than deserved. Yes, said that, dear
est, before you jumped in after, me. You be-
| Iieve me, don't you?" e@s-
| He looked into her eyes. They glowed soft
| ly tenderly. He took her in his arms.
God bless you, grille, and those skat esq