The Yale expositor., 1906-12-21


Never is a long time" replied l.
I'm old enough to be cynical about
prophecy"
Il shall never love you," she re-
peated. For many reasons you
wouldn't understand. For one you
will understand"
Il understand the many reasons
you say are beyond me-" said l. For,
dear young lady, under this coarse ex-
! terror | assure you there's hidden a
rather sharp outlook on human ma
ture-and-well, nerves that respond
to the faintest changes in you as do
mine can't be altogether without SEN
sitiveness. What's the other reason
the reason? That you think you love
some one else?"
Thank you for saying it for me-"
she replied.
You can't imagine how pleased
was at having earned her gratitude,
even in so little a matter. II have
thought of that" said /. 1T is of no
consequence"
But you don't understand" she
pleaded earnestly.
ION the contrary, | understand per-
| fectly," | assured her. And the rea-
son | am not disturbed is-you are
here, you are not with him."
She lowered her head so that | had
no view of her face.
"You and he do not marry" l 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-very family:
"No-not that"
Then it must be because he hasn't
as much money as he'd like. and must
find girl who'll bring him-wtat he
most wants"
She was silent.
THAT is, while he loves you dearly,
he loves money more. And he's Win
! ing to see you so TO another man, be
the wife of another man, be-every-
thing to another man" | laughed.
"I'll take my chances against love OF
that sort"
You don't understand" she muir
INJURED. You don't realiZe-there are
many things that mean nothing 20 you
and that mean-oh, so much to people
brought up as we are"
"Nonsense!" said |. 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. If you asd
he had cared for each other, you
wouldn' be here, apologizing for his
selfish vanity"
mo matter about him." she cried
impatiently, lifting her head haught-
lily. The point is, l love him-and
always shall. / warn you"
And take you at my own risk?"
Her look answered "Yes!"
"Well,"-I 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" | said gently. I'm
not so bad as all that. If you will be
as generous with me as l shall be
with you, neither of us will ever re-
gret this
There were tears on her cheeks as
l slowly released her hand.
Il shall ask nothing of you that you
are not ready freely to give" said.
Impulsively she stood and put out
her hand, and the eyes she lifted TO
mine were shining and friendly.
caught her in my arms and kissed her
not once but many times. And it
was not until the chill of her ice-like
face had cooled me that | released
her, drew back red and ashamed and
stammering apologies. But her inn
pulse of friendliness had been killed |;
she once more, as | saw only too plain
! ly, felt for me that sense of repulsion,
felt for herself that sense of self-deg-
radiation.
Il cannot marry you!" she NUT
tered.
you can-and willard must"
cried, infuriated by her look.
There was a long silence. l could
easily guess what was being fought
out in her mind. At last she slowly
drew herself up. 81 can not refuse"
she said, and her eyes sparkled with
defiance that had hate in it. You
! have the power to compel me. Use
it, like the brute you refuse to let me
forget that you are" She looked SO
young, so beautiful, so angry-and 80
! tempting.
so l shall!" / answered. Children
have to be taught what is good for
them. Call in your mother, and well
tell her the news"
Instead, she went into the next
room. l followed, saw Mrs. Ellersly
seated at the tea-table in the corner
farthest from the library where her
daughter and l had been negotiating.
Wont you give us tea. mother?"
said Anita, on her surface not a trace
of the cyclone that must still have