Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1904-11-24

1 Ohg pO AOhOiyt EhSuNJ ~ sNASsS
you can't know" and she drew my
hand up to her face and leaned her
lips upon It
Poor heart" l said, and bent and
laid gentle kiss on her forehead. She
turned her pale, luminous face UP to
me, wistfully, like a child, and |
kissed her warm, red mouth. Then my
heart began humping like hydraulic
ram and my hands trembled strange
ly. l tried to steady them. She would
be so angry II she thought that l
dared. l had kissed Katherine num-
berless times, as man may kiss his
sister, lovingly, tenderly, but abso-
lutely without thrill. They had
never been like this. | was at a loss.
I had never dreamed Of Katherine ex-
cept as my dear old friend-my man
hood chum, and as for her-my heart
sank, for knew she had been utterly
devoted to old Landry and mourned
passionately for him. At least l
thought so. If she knew what | was
thinking she would hate me-loathe
me, forever. II she knew-ah, If she
knew. She sat there dreaming, her
eyes, as thought, on memory's dis
tant mountain peaks; her dear, warm.
brown eyes that l loved.
She turned to me with little laugh.
cts SO nice to be loved little"
she said, as she nestled against my
coat, as If she belonged there. fought
with myself moment. She must
have felt my heart beating. was
horribly ashamed. Then I suddenly
lost my self-control, and STOPPING to-
ward her, took her in my arms and
kissed her passionately, many, many
times, passionately, eagerly, as I had
never kissed anyone in my life-as l
had never wanted to kiss anyone be-
fore. After time lifted my head
and waited for the storm. knew it
must come. felt like whipped cur,
though every pulse in my body
throbbed with delight and Joy. What
ever came, knew now. was blind
no longer. They talk of love being
blind. / say it's the other way about;
it's love that clears our sight-so we
can really see where we have always
before being cropping in dim half
light.
She nestled closer in my arms and
laughed little, low laugh of content
ment.
"Oh, Freddy, boy" she said, II
thought you would never wake up.
I've been such long, long time watt
ing to come home"
1 started back and faced her in
"And-and Landry?" I faltered.
"Oh, my dear, never loved Lam
Try" (Ah, SO l knew now why he
vas glad to go, poor duffer, poor, UNI
'elfish, loving old duffer.)
"He knew l didn't, but he-he-
jared, and he knew loved you, SO he
Helped me. He told me you loved me.
,nly you were asleep, and I've waited
10 long-so long for this" she sighed,
lappily.
looked in her eyes incredulously.
Exit, why in the name of common
ense didn't you tell me?"
"Tell you? Freddy, how could I?
wasn't sure you-you cared and
ometimes was sure you didn't. 1t
yas only because Landry was so posi-.
i've that dared to hope. could only
Iit in silence, and since Lam
ry died it has been SO lonely, so
rearily lonely:
Poor old GIRL" I said in her hair.
poor darling old girl"
you've lost a whole year." she
lied. "a whole year"
"Then you knew year ago"
Eyes; it's funny, Freddy, but
,uldn't imagine why no man ever
owed me the least tiny bit. When
andry told me he cared, tried to
link I loved him, but he said then
lat didn't, and afterward, he knew
was you. He watched my eyes. he
i'd, when you were about, and when
, told me that, I was as astonished
you were when I told you.
when your horse threw you that
ne. then knew beyond doubt, for
suffered agonies thinking what
light have happened. You were 90
astly that l was horribly frightened.
felt sure that you were at least
aimed for life."
And then, she brought me the letter
Landry's letter, that was not to be
livered until / had found my own.
|, that letter. II had only seen 1t
len Landry died. Kit would not have
own pale waiting for what was al
Iys hers.
You COMPOUNDED blind old bat" he
ote, what in the name Of all that's
ly, do you stay around here for? II
vas such an egregrious donkey az
., are I'd go of and die, but I've got
be the one instead-and I've got
IS to see. That's ever the way in
8 vale of tears.
Well, you must know some time. Il
1 come to you all at once, as the
1wledge Of 1t came to me-then, old
:, | wouldn't mind being in your