Heppner gazette. [volume] (Heppner, Morrow County, Or.) 1892-1912, 1906-02-01
CHAPTER XVII

Jack.
There are two questions, and they
require two answers" she replied, In
low, steady voice. II do not love you
still-not as l did then. And, in my
opinion, nothing could repair your past
folly. Weakness and faithlessness are
just the two failings I could never ex-
cuse in a man. They are so supremely
femininer
II have been misled," he said. shortly.
Not by me, directly or indirectly"
WAS it not in Difference to your wisn
that Sir Godfrey invited me to Mailing
ford?"
Certainly. But may not a young
woman wish to see a young man in
whom she takes very warm friendly
interest without the young man repay1ng
her by an offer of marriage? Come-let
us be friends. You are not madly in
love with me, you know. 1t was as
much pity for my supposed love-lorn
state as anything that led you to make
this declaration. Now that you see am
not love-lorn, and you have done your
duty by me in giving me the chance you
thought was pining for, there is an end
of it,"
81 don't understand you one Bit
"Of course not. We women pride our
selves on not being understood. 1t is the
only defense we have, the power of hid
ing our feelings. Come-let us find papa.
and we will forget all about this foolish
talk. and be just as comfortable togeth-
er as we were before"
Jack obeyed rather surlily. 1t was
change for him to be treated in this light,
off-hand way by Ethel. after he had been
taught to believe that it was his bounden
duty to rescue her from the slough of
sighted affections. But, though he was
really very fond of her, and would doubt
less have made her an excellent husband,
his pride was more deeply touched than
plenty of room for hope that he would
quickly recover from the blow.
Polling looked at them when they at
last met, guessed that something had
taken place. He could see their evident
furry, but he could not tell how matters
had Jared with Jack. He believed them
to be favorable. If it should prove so.
his task would be finished; he would
have reunited Ethel to the only man she
could ever care for, and he would drown
his own heart griefs in the excitement
of foreign travel.
The men fingered longer than usual In
the dining room that evening, and Ethel
found the time hang heavily on her
hands. Presently she heard the footsteps
of the three cross the hall In the direc-
ton of the billiard room, and she was
surprised that they had not asked her
to mark for them. She felt nervous and
anxious, and was tired Of being alone.
With this feeling upon her, she decided
to get a book and for time at least
forget the thoughts which oppressed her.
She went to the library and wheeled
the steps to certain shelf that held
the works of her favorite authors There
was only one lamp in the large room,
but there was fire burning in the crate.
She was wearing ruby-colored velvet
dress, buttoned up to the throat with
large cut steel buttons that gimmered
and sparkled coldly from their warm
setting. 1t was made, in defiance of
fashions stern rule, without frll of
putting and fell gracefully and softly
about her shapely figure When she had
reached the top Of the library steps, the
room door opened and Captain Polling
entered. He began to pace In decided
agitation up and down the dimly lighted
room. Ethel turning round hastily and
seeing who it was, uttered little ex-
clama ton of dismay.
Miss Ethel. l did not see you. Look
ing for book? Aren't you afraid Of
falling? Come down and let me get it
for you" He was at the foot of the
steps, his hand outstretched to help her.
I'm not at all afraid, thank you; and
I have not decided on a book yet"
won't you do without your novel
reading tonight and let me tell you a
tale insteadT
Her heart went out to him as she de-
tected a quiver Of painful anxiety in his
voice.
"If it is nice tale and ends happily"
she answered. IL like all tales to end
happily. Does yours"
1T depends on what you consider hap
piness; what TO you may seem happi-
ness may to me be the depth of despair.
Will you come down and listen?'
Ethel descended from her perch and
took the chair he had set for her, he
seating himself opposite.
1T is a very short story" he began.
as he turned up the lamp and stirred the
fire. Then he went on: "Once on time
two men loved one woman. They both
loved her dearly, but. Of course, they
could not both marry her. Now it hap
pened that the one she loved offended
her very grievously, and the one she did
not love tried to ingratiate himself
through the favored ones offense. But
the cause of offense was suddenly remov-
ed, and then the unloved one said to
himself, Her heart Is bound up In this
man; she will never know happiness. but
as his wife; she does not love me. l will
devote my life to making her happy by
bringing them together Well, he did.
He helped the favored man to make him
more worthy of her. 1t was the one
dream, the one ambition of his life, to
see them united OF course there were
times when he felt still that he could
never know happiness without her him
self. He was a selfish beggar at the
best: but he really did do ali he could
for the man she loved. Imagine then
his astonishment when the man whom
he had thought she loved came to him
one day and said, 1t has been all
mistake on your part; she does not care
for me at ALL Think what a disappoint-
ment it was to the poor wretch who had
been working to bring them together at
the sacrifice Of his own feeling! When