Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1902-06-28
BT-H.S. CANFEELD.


details Of this. l have wished often
since that they had kept mum about it.
but / am glad now that l was made az
quainted with the facts. 1t has enabled
me TO do You Il service I know that you
acquit me Of any selfish motive. In fact
with a wide smile, Il asked You to marry
me before | told you and was rejected
with scorn"
Lois put out her hand and took his.
She held it closely while looking into his
frank eyes. There was u dash of mois-
ture in her own and her voice was low
and controlled with an effort as she said:
You are my brother, Mr.. Allyn-in
this wide country my nearest of kin For
what you have done for me God will re
ward You some day, l know, with good
Woman'S love. You have done by me as
you would wish your sister, so placed, to
be done by. shall never forget it. 1
don't know that / would have accepted
last nights offer-I don't think that l
would-but the service rendered has been
great. nevertheless. | shall write him
his answer this afternoon No hint Of
the things you have told me shall appear
! in il. lie shall not know that l have
/ been warned. -
By love, yes" said Allyn. DO YOU
know what would happen if my share in
his rejection were known to him?'
NO; WHAT Lois had grown some
what pale.
Think Of his life in Sahara; think
what he must have seen, what he must
have done, what he must have been. /
should be dead in a week; that's all. y
more desperate or more cruel man does
not live. | don't think that | fear him,
or any one especially. but / feel sure
that he would Stay an enemy as he would
Stay wild animal, without giving him
even the wild animals chance Of fight
Fair fight is one thing and assassination
is another"
He shall not know was the steady
answer: mo one shall ever know. | will
show you my answer to him if you wish. ;!
Allyn's fair face flushed bright red t.
the roots of his hair.
Really, Miss English-Miss Lois
Lois" he stammered, I'm not that knd
of fellow, You know. IL don't want m
see your correspondence. I'm respGnsi-
BILE for the poor devils being sirged
but L don't care to watch the iron Which
burns him. l have done what I have
done from sense of duty and from liking
for you. The matter is now whallv in
your hands. But I'm willing to avow nv
share in it if it becomes necessary"
He had risen and his slende. fcure
was erect. Lois saw that she Ia ii made
mistake. She was not sufficiently IA
miliar with young men of the ALVIN class
to know how intensely one of tham would
resent n suspicion of his courage. any in
timation that he was hiding behind net
ticoat. Again she laid her hand ON his
and spoke soothingly
Don't be foolish, Mr.. Allyn know
you. To-day you have shown Yourself 10
me brave man, one of the brayest Of
the brave. II will kiss Sou. If you
like"
His boyish, ringing laugh sounded
through the wide room.
We'll" he said, that's more than any
of the other fellows have aad offered
them. I'm lucky, after all, even If my
addresses We're refused"
He passed his arm about her waist
kissed her lightly on the check and was
gone. swinging his sombrer0. Lois rub
bed the spot with her handkerchief, look
ed at it thoughtfully as if she expected
some of the lip-pressure to come off, peep
ed into mirror, saw that her brow and
throat were scarlet, smiled brightly and
said in a half whisper: He is my broth
er. after all"
That afternoon as Russell Maude.
white with dust, swung himself from the
saddle in front of the bachelors quarters
one Of the maids gave him a sealed note
He glanced at the superscription tossed
reins to Il Mexican hostler and walked
into his room, closing and locking the
door after him. Throwing himself into n
chair. he tore open the enyeope feyerish
~ and read:
My Dear Mr.. Maude-I have thought
the matter over in all its bearings and
this is the answer for which YOU have
asked: | cannot be your wife. | value
the compliment YOU have paid me and
know your sincerity, but | do not love
you and / do not think that could learn
to love you. do not think that I shall
ever marry. but IL l do my heart must
20 with my hand. Please regard this as
final. / wish You contentment. if not
happiness. Sincerely
lois ENGLISH"
For long the ex-soldier sat-sat until
'HS 9"'it "uHh N"il't 1hiouSD the WlndOW,
the letter clenched in his hand. Then he
rose tore it TO bits and set his heel ON
the bits His face was drawn and bag
gard. his sharp. white teeth had gnawed
his underlip until the blood spurted and
there were dried drops Of II on his breast
Who shall say what wasted years. what
eXceSses, what crimes had nsssed in re-
view before him? He staggered slightly
as he walked across the room and looked
into a glass. An evil light burned in his
small, dark eyes. He uttered but one
word--a word with which he had been ia
miliar on African sands, which had chung
TO him, in which he Believed utterly
Kitmet,'
That night at dinner he turned to the
company the same stern. impassiye face.
He was once more repressed. self-censer-
ed, immovable. He had bowed gravely
to Lois, conveying subt4y his acceptance
of her decision, but that night in the
drawing room he said to her:
1T is an episode that is ended. Miss
English. You need NOT fear pursuit from
me, but know that Our fates are blend