Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1906-12-20

i'ut what l now see makeS what j
thought n folly OF mine look more like
wisdom"
II must warn you" she said. and now
she Was looking Directly al me, II shall
never love YOU"
Never is IA long time" replied |. I'm
old enough to be cynical about prop
ilccy."
II shall never owe you," she repeated.
For many reasons You wouldn't un-
derstani. For one you vii! under
stand"
II understand tho many reasons you
say ar" beyond me" said l.. For dear
Young lady, under this coarse exterior
| assure you there's hidden II rather
sharp outlook on human naturc-and
veil. nerves that respond to the faint
est changes in YOU as 10 mine can't
be altogether without Scnsitiveness.
What's the other ~reason-the reason?
That YOU think YOU love ON one
else"
THANK you for saying it for me-"
she replied.
You CANT imagine how pleased l was
at having earned her gratitude, even in
so little a matter. Il have thought of
that said l.. 1T is of no consequence"
"Eut you don't understand" she
pleaded earnestly.
% the contrary, | understand per-
fectly.' l assured her. And the g
son | am not disturbed is-you are here,
and you are not With him."
She lowered her head SO that | had
no view of her face.
You and he do not marry" went
on. because you are both poor?"
No. she replied.
Because he does not care for you?"
"No-not that she said.
Because You thought he hadn't
enough for two
a long pause, then-vcry family:
'No-ilot that"
hasn't as much money as he'd like. and
must find n girl who'll bring him
what he most wants."
She was silent.
Tina is. while he loves you dearly.
he loves money more. And he's willing
to see you go to another man. be the
wife of another man. be-everything to
another man" 1 laughed. I'm take
my chance against love of thai sort"
You don't understand" she MUIR
murured. You don't realize-there are
many things thai mean nothing to YOU
n that mean-oh. so much to people
brought up as we are
Nonsense" said I. What do you
mean by we? Nature has been bring
ing us up for a thousand thousand
years. A few years of silly false train
ing doesn't undo her work. II you and
he had cared for each other, you
wouldn't be here. apologizing for his
selfish vanity
NO matter o him." she cried i'm
patiently. lifting her head haughtily.
The point is, I love him-and always
shall. / warn YOU
And 1 take you at my own risk ,"
Her look answered Yes"
overland | took her hand-"then,
we are engaged"
Her whole body grew tense. and her
hand chilled as it lay in mine. Don't
please don't" I said gently. I'm not
as a as all that. If you will. be as
generous with me as l shall be with
you. neither of us will ever regret this"
There We're tears on her cheeks as
L slowly released her hand.
L snail ask nothing of you thai YOU
are not ready freely to give" 1 said.
lmpulsively she stood and put out
her hand, and the eyes she lifted 70
mlne were shining n friendly. |
hot once but many times. And n was
NOT until the chill OF her ice like face
had cooled me 0hat / released her
drew back rcd n ashamed and stan,.
merins apologies. But her impulse Of
friendliness had been killed: she once
more. as saw only too plainly. felt
for me that sense of repulsion gei+ far
us VI cClI Oc2Ta04ft0n
4 can not MARI you." she mnt.
tered. HUI
You can-and willard m,,s." 7
cried. Infatuated by her look.
mere was a long silence. I could
easily guess was being fought ONT
IN her mind. At last h slowly drew.
herself up. Il can not refuse" she said
and her eyes sparkled with defiance
That had hate in it. You have the nov
err 10 omp me. Use it, like the brute
refuse to let me forget that Won
are. n looked so young. so heaI,ti-
full. SO ~angry-and SO tempting
so SHALT" 1 answered. "Children
have to be taught what is good ror
them. Call in your mother, n we'll
tell her the news"
instead. she went into the next room
1 followed. saw Mrs. Ellersly seated nj
the tea table in the corner farthest
from the library where her dauehter
and had been negotiating. She was
reading a letter. holding her iorenon
up to her painted eyes.
Won't o give US tea, -.
SAID Anita. on her surface not a frac.
of the cyclone that must still hive haes
raging in her. ~se"
Congratulate me. Mrs. Eller,ly." sa,d
marry me-" 70
Instead Of speaking. Mrs. E,,er.,v
negan to cry-reai tears. And for a
moment I thought there wa a reai
heart inside Of her somewhere R,,t
e she spoke. that delusion van,shad
You must forgive me, Mr.. RlacI.
lock- she said in her hard. smootE
polite voice. 1T In the shock ~ ~
aiizing I'm about to lose my dauxhter"
Ana l Knew that her tears were from
Joy n relief-Anita had come nm
TO .ne scratch" the hideous menace Of
. I'm I'D poverty. mad been averted.
Her cold. sarcastic tone cut INV ner,.s.
and her mothers like a razor blade :
looked sharply at her, and vonds..1
whether I was not making = hars.sr
vastly. different from that nv nas.;"n
was picturing. '~ssaon