Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1905-05-18
On an Inclined
Plane
By JOANNA SINGLE
Copyright. 1904. by t. g. Mcclure

Ing one. 1t drove the young lawyer in
to logged determination to get the
girl in spite of herself He had had q
year of the ups and downs of court
ship such as only Helen Benton could
have made so torturing, and yet sweet
ened by the hope of ultimate success.
The worst of 1t was that he really be.
lieved that she loved him, though he
had no proof beyond the fact that she
refused other men right and left, was
suspiciously sweet to the other girls to
whom he paid the least attention and
treated him in a cavalier fashion that
indicated that she considered him her
property.
When he asked as he did all too
often, Nell, do you love-at all?" she
would answer sweetly, do act as if
did,"
He was obliged to admit that she did
not. Then she continued to laugh at
his counting and to turn him down
whenever she so chose
One pleasant August afternoon he
sauntered to her home and invited her
to go golfng. She loved golhng. He
found her under the trees in ham,
mock in a dress of foamy blue ruffles,
with cool blue cushion under her
dark little head.
TOO hot" she answered, land I'm
too lazy. Besides, want to finish my
book" She picked up her novel, leav-
ing him to infer that he could take him
self off. He did-as far as the gate
then he turned and walked back to her
Helen" he said slowly, 'do you in
tend ever to marry me or not?' She
looked at him with apparent GOODNESS;
something flickered to her eyes, then
wavered away.
II intend not to-" she replied
do you love me2 Does my love mean
nothing to your"
make your own differences, Henry
Carroll. Tell me why 1 should marry
at all. 1 am happy as 1 am. Why
should I want a-man? Unless" she
spoke meaningly. 81 could find one who
could make me think wanted him"
Nell" he said sternly, do you realize
what you are throwing away?"
"a love"' she interrupted. "a chance
to wear the title of Mrs.; to live in
one place always; to say Yes, dear,
and No, dear to audit the household
bills; to make and receive calls; to-
ITO be loved and. protected always;
to be made happy, for can make you
happy. Now you are simply idle. Nell,
don't you ever look ahead to the time
when your parents may leave you,
when you-even you-will be no longer
young? Don't you see that you need
me almost as much as 1 need you F?
Aren't you afraid of old age, of not be-
ing loved? Aren't you afraid of-any-
thing, grip" She picked at her sleeve,
then lifted serious dark eyes to his own
blue ones.
II am afraid of one thing. r.
what is 1t, sweetheart?" She
sprang from the hammock and ran into
the hall; then she thrust out her head
and called. I'm awfully afraid of-the
dark And he heard the sound of re-
treating laughter.
Thereupon Henry Carroll betook him
self and his wrath to the links, where
he played very bad golf and f1irted ex-
cellently with pretty Polly Cummins.
Toward sunset, as lie was waiting to
put her into her dashing little trap, he
hnzarded question:
Miss Polly, if you were a man and
wanted girl, and she kept you dan
Cling, but wouldn't have you, what
would you do?' Poly's eyes danced.
She knew Nell Benton's ways.
Does she-care?"
Il think so, but she won't own up.
She only torments me. What would
you do?"
"1ou big, splendid, helpless thingw
she laughed. "Why, make her have
you! There's nothing women like ike
being made to do things-by the right
man. Get her where she can't helm
herself and make her promise to do as
you wish" Still laughing, the girl
drove away.
Carroll walked gloomily along the riv-
err road, turning over Polly's advice.
He looked up to see canoe coming
swiftly upstream. The girl handled
the paddle with easy skill. AS she
came closer he gasped with anger 1t
was Nell in her red waist-the one he
liked. 1t was too hot to golf with him,
but just right for laborious upstream
paddle by herself. He resolved to make
her sorry before she got home
Keeping carefully out of sight among
the trees and bushes. he followed the
rivers course till Nell landed, drawing
the canoe up on shore. Then she sat
down on the grass with her book. Aft
er what seemed an age she arose and
tried vainly to catch the lowest limb of
the tree above her Then she brought
up half dozen old boards lying near.
With more skill than Carroll thought
women possessed In matters mechan-
tcal she built rough sort Of incline
plane reaching halfway up the tree
trunk. Then she tried to climb up, but
her feet slipped. After a moment
hesitation she took off her little oxfords
and then her stockings, which she stuff
ed into the shoes. In her bare feet
L.,