The Bellefontaine Republican. [volume] (Bellefontaine, Logan County, Ohio) 1855-1905, 1904-12-13

one thing and another Gradually GhAro
grew up Tor him In her face, Aa1 mnnr
oer. somsthing quantity ch12d1ah. 1A1n-
ltely pitiful. All the lonslinsO a AAe
life spoke to him wistfully. tsntnx1vo1Us
In this room with its unhomell1s TN
aishings. its air Of emptines.
I When he had finished she SIN hsUe
pressing him to take more. His hand
moved unthinkingly to his coat pookst
and she said at once: "Yes. do smoksI.
do wish you would"
He Lit his pipe.
do you live here all the year rounAr
he asked.
Eyes. Summer and winter"
Not alone?"
She flushed very slightly. NY hns-
band is away to-day. He is up In eAe
city. Generally he Is at home. ! ~
pect him back In little while"
He looked round him again at the bazo
room, indecent in its silent avowal. at
her sitting there with her restless fAcos
her work-hardened hands. and rtnko0
Ill his psychological insight in one s1n-
pie cast
why, dear girl, why did you do III"
| She laughed
why? o, it's simple. isn't It? soyoa
know!" She leaned back. her hne4n
/ gripping the chair edge IT'S all VIM
ten out for you; you can just come NIT
in here and read it l suppose id
it because I was fool-a fool-e tool!
Therei guess you wonder 1t my sft-
ing here saying 1t to you, but I've ~
to just that point I'd say 1t to anyoao-
Just anyone at all that came alongl
The childishness went from her fou4
She rose, pushing her chair aside. 80
walked about the room
'T buess don't have to tell you any-
thing. do I? I was young. and d1d1't
know anything, and 1t all sounded vHy
nice and beautiful, and wanted to t1y
1t. I thought It would work A two
roomed cottage and some books and -
acre Of ground. Well, Pve found 4
out. Isn't 1t funny, isn't It humorous
the sort of thing you read about n
books! Ny Godi Do you know Wa
you came along to-day I'd got to sueA
pitch| was nearly crazy. I felt I had
to have some one to speak to-soms one
| to talk to-just anyone 1t al. 70 long -
1t was . stranger could tell It III %,
and then have them go away and forBst
i every word And IL you hadn't eoGs
In I'd have made you. II had to % down
on my knees to you! Isn't that shaMe-
less! Don't you guess I'm crazy?
She had spoken quickly, breathleasly,
- though every moment were Of value.
and she had to get it al out before he
II eh hrsxlS q L.
her. Now, ~ she stopped short her m
gers went out to the chair-back end
clung to 1t, working nervously.
'.How old are your he said.
"How old do you thinkf"
Thirty"
She laughed again. /
"Yes. l knew you'd guess thatl I'm
rs. That's what it's done to me-. I
used to be pretty. You wouldn't guess
1t, would your Look at my hands. aren't
they lovely? And I've had four years of
it-four years! 1t was all right ct nrst;
liked It. thought 1t would 90 always,
but 1t didn't. l found It out II any
one had told me that three years ego
I'd have laughed. wouldn't have be-
!. heved It But I've found out. Hehasn't:
he thinks it's all right; and he'll never
know-that's the funny part Icars Just
that much for him stfll-that I'd hate
to have him ind 1t out, to know II uss
Al . big, mad failure. 90 I've got to
stick to It: only somscmes-soms-
times"
She moved nearer to him across the
bare floor
- - 49,
said. I'm so glad, because II you hadn't
I'd have gone crazy. I would want
ed some one to tell II al to. Do you
know. I've gone out somstimeG anh
talked to the cabbages? Isn't that Z
symptom of insanityf Wsi4 rvs dons
that before now! And you're . stranger;
we've never met before, and We nsvor
will again. and you can 90 right on and
/ forget It. Don't think me mad On1y
. had to tell some one. Nov III b III
right; I've had 1t all ont and over, ana
can 90 on for another four years!"
You poor little soul!" he said "You
poor little soul!" He held ont his hand,
] and for . moment she clung to It
"Yes. that was ito tell some ooa.
II Just got on my nerves. Becauso I
never see q soul here-never, never! I
get sick for a strange face. Just this
half-hour-hasn't 1t changed me? q. ]
know It! Am the same woman you
: met at the gate?"
It was true; he had seen It. even while
she was talking. She led the way out
to the garden.
Look at my marigolds- thar
dears? They grow better than anything
else here. That's the Allentown road,
but I'll walk little way with you I've
q got to fetch the COW in before supper
} time"
He walked beside her, leading his NJ
q cycle. 1t was near sundown, and the
level surrounding pasture land wasn flood
ed with golden-green haze. Some POD
/ lars stood up fat against the skyline
and the road stretched like gray, empty
Z scroll.
, They walked very slowly. and b
: silence. Tho COW was tethered to q
bush near the roadside.
4 Il must leave you here" she said
mo. it's all right. l can manage. And
q you'll keep straight on: I don't thinl
& there are any turnings."
|. They shook hands again And then 4
s was that the real secret Of the strane1
"a household, the one thing that she hadn,
Il told him, rose pitifully and spoke.
Il 81 shall never see you again." sha
ls said.
a When he looked back, after rSdine
II little distance. he could see her stu. Z