The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1904-12-10

In tnlS room Win ltS unnOmellke lur-
nishings, its air of emptiness.
| When he had finished she still kept
pressing him to take more. His hand
moved unthinkingly to his coat pocket,
and she said at once: Eyes, do smoke!
| l do wish you would"
| He lit his pipe.
"Do you live here all the year round?''
| he asked.
Eyes. Summer and winter"
mot alone?"
She flushed very slightly. my hus-
band Is away to-day. He is up in the
city. Generally he is at home. ! ex-
pect him back in little willie"
He looked round him again at the bare
room, indecent in its silent avowal, at
her sitting there with her restless face,
her hardened hands, and risked
all his psychological insight in one sim
pie cast.
why, dear girl. why did you do it,"
She laughed.
why? o, it's simple, isn't 1t? So you
know!" She leaned back, her fingers
gripping the chair edge cts all writ
ten out for you; you can just come right
In here and read it. l suppose l did
IL because was fool-a fool-a fool!
There! l guess you wonder at my sit
ing here saying 1t to you, but I've got
to just that point I'd say 1t 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.
sI buess l don't have to tell you any
thing, do L? l was young, and didn't
know anything, and 1t all sounded very
nice and beautiful. and l wanted to try
it. | thought it would work. A two
roomed cottage and some books and an
acre of ground. Well, I've found 1t
out. Isn't 1t funny, isn't 1t 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
pitch--I was nearly crazy. felt had
to have some one to speak to-some one
to talk to-just anyone at all, so long as
it was a stranger l could tell 1t all to,
and then have them go away and forget
every word. And If you hadn't come
in I'd have made you, il had to go down
on my knees to you! Isn't that shame
less! Don't you guess I'm crazy?"
She had spoken quickly, breathlessiy,
as though every moment were of value.
and she had to get 1t 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 you?" he said.
How old do you think?"
Thirty
She laughed again.
Eyes, L knew you'd guess that! I'm
Is. That's what it's done to me.
used to be pretty. You wouldn't guess
1t, 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;
l liked it. thought it would go always,
but it didn't. found it out. II any
one had told me that three years ago
I'd have laughed. l wouldn't have be-
lieved 1t. But I've found out Hehasn't;
he thinks it's all right; and he'll never
know-that's the funny part. care just
that much for him still-that I'd hate
to have him find 1t out, to know it was
all big, mad failure. So I've got to
stick to it; only sometimes-so
times"
She moved nearer to him across the
bare floor
"I'm so glad you came to-day" she
said. 'I'm so glad, because If you hadn't
I'd have gone crazy. would! want
ed some one to tell 1t all to. Do you
talked to the cabbages? Isn't that
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 1t. Don't think me mad Only
had to tell some one. Now I'll be all
right; I've had it all out and over, and
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.
"Yes, that was ito tell some one.
It just got on my nerves. Because
never see a soul here-never, never! I
get sick for strange face. Just this
half-hour-hasn't it changed me? o,
know 1t! Am l the same woman you
met at the gate?"
twas true; he had seen 1t. even while
she was talking. She led the way out
to the garden.
s'Look. at my marigolds-arent they
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" @~ft
He walked beside her, leading his BIZ
cycle. 1t was near shutdown, and the
level surrounding pasture land wasAood-
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.
II must leave you here" she said.
mo. it's all right. ! can manage. And
you'll keep straight on; don't think
- - c-v