Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1903-10-10
A HALT UNDER FIRE.

IA II AZ III S%1AA \ 49,
Il want to be perfectly honest with
you" said Miss Frayne. IF ! marry you
it will be frankly for your position AMI
for your money. Everyone will accuse
me Of it, and ! might as well acknowl-
edge ii to you, as have to myself" She
leaned over the rail of the veranda, her
eyes following the wake OF the moonlight
upon the water.
You've :,a;G mat pelorc-tOo many
tines said the man at her side. But
can't believe it. If it were true, you
would never say it. There is something
else. There must be something else
There is nothing else" she said, 'un-
less it is that ! am tired. | want to feel
settled and at rest emotionally. l don't
want to think-in that way~-any more.
If | married yon, it would he wrong to
you, and ! wouldn't do it. | should b.
gin all over again new. And then"
That's very different thing" he re-
piled. You We played fairly. | knew
when you first answered me that you
didn't love me, but | can't bear to have
you speak of your motives in that cold
blooded way. 1t isn't quite fair to you"
Il want to put it as brutally as l can,
she insisted. Il want you to know the
worst that is in me, so that you can never
reproach me"
Bertha" he cried, wincing at the sug-
gestiOn.
oh, yes. know you think you would
never do that, but know that one
changes in time. and that perhaps after
a while, when you had got used to my
being near you, and hadn't made me care
in the way that you hope to, then you
might forget what | had said. and think
that you had been cheated. | want the
bargain well understood. You don't seem
to believe that | have no heart left. l
don't want you TO cherish any false
ho.eS."
She moved her head so that she could
look out over the vague, wide waters OF
the bay Her eyes were strained, her
features motionleSs. The faint lap. lap
of the little waves on the shore seemed
to annoy her.
You said you were sure we could al
ways be friends, at least he broke in.
half pleadingly, half in argument
'Oh, yes, of course. You'll not bore
me. | suppose / shall even grow fond
OF you. You have tact and patience and
sympathy She spoke listleSSly, and
these faint compliments had some of the
quality Of contempt. Then she rose. and
said, Please move my chair around. /
cant bear the sight of that water
The Honorable Charles Braxton rear
ranged her chair, changed his own posi-
ton. and went on with his customary
persistent patience. Il have told you that
want you more than | ever wanted
anything, Bertha, and the more / see of
you. the stronger that need grows. |
want you 50 much that | must have you.
I'm willing to take all the chances. if
you are. ! think | can make YOU love
me It's a trite enough thing TO say, but
I'm so sure of myself and so much in
earnest that ! can't bear to have you ac-
cusc yourself so and insist upon your lack
OF any feeling"
Its not an accusation it is the state
ment of fact. ! am making IL deliber-
ate compromise. | couldn't have what |
most wanted. and I'm taking half Il loaf
ms isn't fiattering TO you, but / can't
help il. l can give you only my bare
acceptance. If you want me that much
/ am. yours. | know SO we'll what the
real thing is. | had touched it, and felt
it, and known the life and JOY of it for
one little while, and then the big house
of joy tumblcd, and was left out in the
darkness. After that you came. | told
you | din't care, that l never could; but
yOu will never believe me. Now I'm
simply tired of resisting you. and I'm at
Il halt, ready 10 be captured without
much fight. There's no hope of rein
My romance is quite over"
Ones first love affair always seems
more romantic, l suppose. You thought
you were in love, but | think one can
never judge at the time. One is never
sure until long afterward.'
Miss Frayne rose suddenly. No, one
doesn't always know at the time" she
said. but one does know afterward
Look at that water. Must tell you
that now. here. the moonlight on those
waves makes me almost i'll with AN agita-
ton | cant control! 1t is heartrending!
Moonlight always is, anyway, to any one
who has Imagination 1t is the typical
thing for happy memories grown sad. It's
almost theatrical-it's the subject of a
hundred cheap Autographs | can't
bear IT, My nerves tingle with il. for
II means only one thing for income
night, We We're on the water in boat
alone, and of somewhere in the darkness
woman III summer cottage was sing
ing Robin Adair The song is a part
OF it all. and | can't bear 10 hear that.
either, II is one of the tricks our mem
CRY plays us when il Sc,eCts something
absolutely insignificant aud passes over
50 many obviously important events But
the song and the moonlight on the waves
stand out iii my past with the viVidness
Of 'aSh-hght photograph. and they
mean only one thing him."
lie did not reply 10 this for some time
but at last he cautiouSl. advanced. But
Your engagement was broken. Doesn't
that prove that your love was not per
fectF"
NO, She said; II shall never acknowl.
edge that. Every great love must bee a
tragedy. ii seems 10 me. II is 81 in poe
Try: IA the drama, in all art and so ii is
IN llfe ! think. That is why. if ynu in
SIst | shall marry you. don't want
70 think of it any more want to feel
inst warm and quiet"
The Hon. Charles BraNton remained
silent.
They'll say married Won fro,n
piq0c. Sh" said. as il to draw his frc.
And that will be true. too:" he asked.
No: l couldn't feel that way. The
story Us cioScd-torevvr closed To- me- II
tnded tonight, when got my letters
lon put me in hard position" hn
sud. II low Nnn n,,A l =. -. ~