The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1904-12-15
"Yes. Summer and winter"

ooho 40 away So-oaS. LAG 40 ny - ~AS
city. Generally he is at home. / ex-
pect him back in little while"
He looked round him again at the bare
room, indecent in its silent aVoWal, at
her sitting there with her restless face,
her work-hardened hands, and rlsked
all his psychological insight n one SIM
pie cast.
Why, dear girl. why did you do it,"
She laughed.
why? o, it's simple, isn't it? So you
know!" She leaned back, her fingers
gripping the chair edge. "It's all writ
ten out for you; you can just come right
in here and read it. / suppose l did
it. because l was fool-a fool-a fool!
There! I guess you wonder at my SIT
ing here saying it to you, but I've got
to Just that point I'd say it to anyone
just anyone at all that came along!
The childishness went from her face.
She rose, pushing her chair aside, and
walked about the room.
81 buess don't have to tell you any
thing, do I? was young. and didn't
know anything, and it all sounded very
it. l thought it would work. A two
roomed cottage and some books and an
acre of ground. Well, I've found 1t
out. Isn't it funny, isn't it humorous,
the sort of thing you read about in
books! My God! Do you know when
you came along to-day I'd got to such
a pitch-I was nearly crazy. Ifelt had
to have some one to speak to-some one
to talk to-just anyone at all, so long as
it was a stranger I could tell it all to-,
and then have them go away and forget
every word. And if you hadn't come
in I'd have made you, if l had to 60 down
on my knees to you! Isn't that shame
less! Don't you guess I'm crazy?"
She had spoken quickly, breathlessly.
as though every moment were of value.
and she had to get it all out before he
should go his travellers way and leave
her. Now, as she stopped short her fin
gers went out to the chair-back and
chung to it, working nervously.
How old are your" he said.
"How old do you Think"
Thirty"
She laughed again.
Eyes, 1 knew you'd guess that! I'm
rs. That's what it's done to me.
used to be pretty. You wouldn't guess
it, would you? Look at my hands, aren't
they lovely? And I've had four years Of
| it-four years! 1t was all right at first;
1 liked it. thought it would go always,
but it didn't. found it out. If any
one had told me that three years ago
I'd have laughed. wouldn't have be-
lieved it. But I've found out. Hehasn't;
he thinks it's all right; and he'll never
know-that's the funny part. I care just
that much for him still-that I'd hate
to have him find it out, to know 1t was
all big, mad failure. So I've got to
stick to it; only sometimes-some-
| times"
She moved nearer to him across the
bare floor.
I'm so glad you came to-day" she
said. "Im so glad, because if you hadn't
I'd have gone crazy. would! want
| ed some one to tell it all to. Do you
know, I've gone out sometimes and
talked to the cabbages? Isn't that a
symptom of insanity? Well, I've done
that before now! And you're stranger;
we've never met before, and we never
will again, and you can go right off and
forget it. Don't think me mad. Only
right; I've had it all out and over, and
l can go on for another four years."
you poor little SOUL" he said. you
poor little SOUL" He held out his hand,
| and for moment she chung to it.
Eyes, that was ito tell some one.
1t just got on my nerves. Because
never. see a soul here-never, never! l
get sick for strange face. Just this
half-hour-hasn't it changed me? o, l
know it! Am l the same woman you
met at the gate?"
1t was true; he had seen it, even while
she was talking. She led the way out
to the garden.
dears? They grow better than anything
else here. That's the Allentown road,
but I'll walk little way with you. I've
got to fetch the COW in before supper
| time"
He walked beside her, leading his BIZ
cycle. 1t was near shutdown, and the
level surrounding pasture land was flood
ed with golden-green haze Some pop
lars stood up fiat against the skyline,
and the road stretched like gray, empty
scroll.
They walked very slowly, and In
silence. The cow was tethered to a
bush near the roadside.
81 must leave you here" she said.
"No, it's all right. can manage. And
you'll keep straight on; I don't think
there are any turnings."
They shook hands again. And then it
was that the real secret of the strange
household, the one thing that she hadn't
told him, rose pitifully and spoke.
81 shall never see you again." she
said.
When he looked back, after riding a
little distance, he could see her still. a
lonely blur of pink among the green
bushes. Behind her the cottage, small
and square, caught the light on its shin
gled roof and whitewashed walls, like
a monument set in the Wilderness
Black and White.
CLEAN CLOTHES IN BATTLE