Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1905-03-18
THE END OF 1T

NdHuy Ac StOUu NcIy Stlu ana
straight, with folded arms. Outlined
against the background Of dull sky
and gray water his figure seemed al
| most heroic. Despite his clothes of
conventional cut, there was something
suggestive of the. bronze age about
him-some hint Of rugged, primitive
strength. Miss Desboro realized sud.
denly that the mask Of conventional
| restraint had been thrown aside and
that there stood before her all of the
rugged, primitive man that lay beneath
that mask
A moment ago she had been inclined
to laugh. Now there was a strange
sensation Juggling at her heart, but
whether it was pity or fear she could
not tell. This was the stage of the
game she generally found most enjoya-
ble-this climax, where she always ex-
pressed her surprise and sorrow and
bound up the wounded heart with the
balm of good sisterly advice. She
had particularly enjoyed the anticipa-
ton of giving this sisterly advice to
Nandyne, but somehow the realization
babe fair to fall short of the anticipa-
ton. Vandyne's eyes seemed to search
the secret corners of her soul, and be-
meath that calm, stony scrutiny she
was stunned and helpless. She seemed
to feel rather than hear Vandynes
deep voice saying, with quiet bitter
ness:
Il congratulate you. Miss Desboro.
have seen the game before. but never
played like this. You have thoroughly
mastered all it's fine points,
She looked up with an appealing
glance. That same appealing glance
had saved the situation for her many
times before this But for once it failed.
The primitive man before her was I'M
moved by it's eloquence
''Do you think you are quite fair to
me?' she asked, with an attempt at
hauteur that fell pathetically fiat.
Vandyne smiled slowly. do you
think you have been fair to me?" he
said.
The girl pulled her gloves nervously
II don't know what you call fair"
she said. YOU grasp at straws. You
take possibilities for certainties'
Vandyne laughed harshly "In other
words, / have made the CHASTITY mis-
take of thinking you imbued with all
the qualities of the perfect woman,
when in reality you are heartless
trifier."
The girl sprang to her feet, her eyes
ablaze
You are going too far Mr. Vandyne!"
she said heatedly. You are saying
things quite beyond bounds of courtesy
or-or decency!
Vandyne was unmoved by the out
burst. He looked at her with calm
81 am not speaking with the inten-
ton Of being courteous or decent.
am simply stating the truth as l see it.
If it hurts, l am sorry, but you de-
serve it.
The girl flushed.
No man had ever before spoken to
her in this fashion, but beneath her an
ger was a wholesome respect for the
courage and candor of the man.
"Of course you have the right to
say all this" she said bitterly.
'You have given me the right" he
returned.
"Oh it's always the girls fault, of
course" she said "a man mistakes
her motives, and then she must suffer
for his mistakes"
Motives, j think you'll admit, are
rather hard to understand sometimes"
said he.
The girl turned from him. 81 am go
ing back to the house, she said. 81
had hoped we might be friends; but,
since we can't, perhaps it's b"st not to
try"
She started to walk away, but Van
dyne'S voice stopped her.
wait a moment" he said CURLY.
''You shall hear a few things l have
to say before you leave"
She turned. "Well?" she asked wea-
rily.
Il want to say that it is such women
as you that make misogynists-women
who lead men on to laugh at them and
make sport of them" He paused.
rs that all" she asked coldly.
Il have known little, very little, of
women in my life" he went on, "and
l have always placed them mentally in
a shrine as something holy and sacred.
Perhaps l should thank you for unde-
ceiving me-"
She turned away again. yandyne