The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1903-06-26

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Maisie looked at the wild, whirling
rush Of field battery going into ac-
ton under fire. Two artilIerymen stood
behind her in the crowd.
They've chucked off lead 'orse." said
Dne to the other. "'E's tore up awful,
but they're making good time with the
others. That lead driver drives better
nor you, Tom. See cow cunning 'e's
nursing is 'orse."
mo. III be off the timber next jolt"
was the answer.
'No, e won't. See 'ow lis foot's
braced against the iron. 'E's all right"
| Dick watched Maisies face and
swelled with joy-fne, rank, vulgar
triumph. She was more interested in
the little crowd than in the picture.
That was something that she could I'M
derstand.
"And | wanted it so! oh, did want
it sou she said at last under her
breath.
"Me-all mel" said Dick placidly.
Look at their faces. 1t hits 'em.
They don't know what makes their
eyes and mouths open, but 1 know,
and know my works right"
"Yes, l see. Oh, what thing to
have come to onev'
"Colne to one, indeed! I had to go
| out and look for it. What do you
Think"
81 call 1t success. Tell me how you
got it"
They returned to the park, and Dick
delivered himself of the Saga of his
| own doings with all the arrogance of
| young man speaking to a woman.
From the beginning he told the tale, the
I, l, Is flashing through the records as
telegraph poles fly past the traveller.
tIaisie listened and nodded her head.
The histories of strife and privation
did not move her a hairs breadth. At
the end of each canto he would con-
clude, land that gave me some notion
of handling color" or light or whatever
1t might be that he had set out to pur
sue and understand.
He led her, breathless, across half the
world, speaking as he had never spo-
ken in his life before, and in the flood
tide of his eXaltation there came upon
him great desire to pick up this maid
en- who nodded her head and said: 81
understand. Go Onto pick her up and
carry her away with him because she
was A1aisie, and because she under
stood, and because she was his right,
and a woman to be desired above all
women.
Then he checked himself abruptly
"And so took all wanted" he said,
land had to fight for it. Now you
tell"
Maisie'S tale was almost as gray as
her dress. 1t covered years Of patient
toll backed by savage pride that would
not be broken though dealers laughed,
and fogs delayed work, and Kami was
unkind and even sarcastic, and girls in
other studios were painfully polite. 1t
had few bright spots pictures ac-
copied at provincial eXhibitions-but it
wound up with the oft repeated wall,
Sand so you see, Dick, had no sue
cess, though l worked so hard"
Then pity filed Dick. Even thus
had Maisie spoken when she could not
hit the breakwater, half an hour before
she had kissed him. And that had hap
pened yesterday.
"Never mind" said he; "I'll tell you
something if you'll believe it, The
words were shaping themselves Of their
own accord. "The whole thing-loek,
stock and barrel-isn't worth one big
yellow sea poppy below Fort Keeling"
Maisie flushed little. "It's all very
we'll for you to talk. but you've had the
success, and haven't"
LET me talk, then. I know you'll
understand, Maisie dear. 1t sounds bit
absurd. but those ten years never ex-
listed. and I've come back again. It
really is just the same. Can't you see?
What's the use or worrying! Come to
me instead, darling"
Maize poked the gravel with her
parasol. They were sitting on bench.
81 understand" she said slowly. "But
I've got my work to do, and must do
It"
do it with me. then, dear. I won't
interrupt"
mo. couldn't. It's my work-mine
-mine-mine! I've been alone all my
life in myself, and I'm not going to be-
long to anybody except myself. I re-
member things as well as you do, but
that doesn't count. We were babies
then, and we didn't know what was
before us. Dick, don't be selfish.
think l see my way to little success
next year. Don't take it away from
me-
81 beg your pardon darling. 1t is my
fault for speaking idiotically. / can't
expect you to throw up all your life
just because I'm back. I'll go to my
own place and wait a little"
But, Dick, l don't want you togo
out of-my life, now that you've just
come back"
"Im at your orders. Forgive me-"
Dick devoured the troubled little face
with his eyes. There was triumph in
them, because he could not conceive
how Maisie could refuse sooner or later
to love him, since he loved her.
"It's wrong Of me-" said Maisie, more
slowly than before. 'It's wrong and
selfish. butch, I've been so lonely!
No, you misunderstood. Now I've seen
you again-it's absurd, but l want to
keep you in my life"
Naturally. We belong"
"We don't, but you always under
stood me, and there is so much in my
work that you could help me in. You
know things, and the ways of doing
things. You must"