The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1904-01-29
quickly to 4 chair and sat down heay-

quickly to chair and sat down hear
lily. = &@ &E%g@ ,
II believe there Isl he said-he had
harsh, deep voice-"and what's more,
I believe it's the safest kind of love. "
He pulled at his gloves savagely.
"Oh, indeed" she said, hooking him
playfully. "since when did you come
to have an opinion as to loves safe
ness?"
"Since this long Time" he answered,
sharply. you yourself taught me.
Yous always said love brought suffer
ing-that it was thing to be avoid
ed" He rose and walked to the win
dow, then turned restlessly and strobe
up and down the room with hands
thrust deep in his pockets.
The woman watched him quietly.
He was in a mood and she would hu-
NOR It,.
"Look at this" she said, pulling a
volume from under a pile of papers.
Its the last Yellow Book, and there
is an appreciation Of Yvette Guilbert
in it that will delight YOU"
"Yvette Guilbert." He stopped his
quick walking and looked fixedly ct
her, "you are very like her-that tall,
slender thing all in white, with those
long. expressive, black-gloved arms
An ugly woman. Jolie laide, as they
say in Paris, but the sort of woman
who gets to mans head and intoxi-
Gates him. All, you women!" He
crossed to the chair again, sitting,
leaned his arms on the desk and his
head against them.
The woman moved to him softly. A
great light was in her eyes, mother
light, serene and holy. She laid a
gentle hand on his bright. thick hair.
DON'T" he cried, harshly. Then,
in half whisper, Help me, Marah."
The woman started back. Her face
grew gray with a sudden pallor, blush
shadows crept about her, lips. Help
you!" she cried, gaily, for his face was
hidden. How can help yOu?"
Help me to give you up."
A silence fell about the room. Down
in the street an organ was grinding
out paradise Alley" She wondered
why it brought her a memory Of a
crowded race-meet and a sweet girl
face framed in red hair that looked in
to hers, while voice sang to the
measure The flies buzzed heavily. A
spider dipped from the roof on his
slender thread, touched her hair, then
ran nimbiy up again.
Then the woman called Marah
spoke. Her voice was full of laugh
ter us that all?" she asked, gaily,
what a TODD about nothing! Why,
of course I'll help you. Are you going
to tell me such a light thing as this has
so completely upset you? You, a man
of iron?"
He lifted his face and looked at her.
The cynic's smile crept about his eyes.
The pallor had been swept from her
cheeks by vivid flush. Her eyes
burned.
eff thought you'd take it so light
ly," he said, grimly, 'I'd have spared
myself some suffering. Egad, one
never understands women. They are
about as constant as the winds" -
Maybe they are" she said, cheer
lily, as his head dropped upon his arms
again, land maybe that is one of our
compensations, for We have to suffer
much-but never. mind these things.
Tell me why you have come to this
mind. Have T." her voice broke for
the first time, "have I offended you in
any way by any solecism? know how
fastidious, how particular you are"
He shrank a little. knowing her for
the perfect gentlewoman she was; it
shamed him to be thought caddish and
unappreciative.
''Not that, not that at all" he said,
in muf11ed voice. "Oh, can't you
see? Didn't you see? Won't you help
me, Marah?""
l think it was then that her heart
broke Something surely snapped in
her being and went from her forever.
But still she smiled. 1t was stiff
smile, as if the muscles had set that
way and she could not change them.
She still spoke heartily. though her
voice took tenderer tones.
Didn't you know that only want
your happiness" she said, slowly and
gently, "and indeed" this quite stout
ly, Il was getting little tired myself?
There is so much work in the world
that there is not much time left for
love. shall write the article on
platonics from different and more
healthy point of view," she added, a
trifle bitterly.
He said not word.
In the silence another foot battered
along the passage. There came
knock on the glass door, and the wom-
an walked slowly to it. A boy stood
waiting.
'Any copy ready?" he asked, hur-
riedly. "Mr. Brock sent me for some.
Said you had an editorial or sumfin'."
''lt will be ready in an hour or so,
Jim," said the woman, speaking soft
ly. "Ill talk to Mr.. Brock down the
tube. Don't you come back, you'll
o~l,, ;,,torrnr,f mo Mr. Rrocl- ys,i11 oivo