La Junta tribune., 1906-12-15

Fou.- she sali- Ana ft.eu quickly. her
eyes eaull.s. They actually eaae
here. ttsree Of them. % tell ne about
yuur pasr--
They Hay PHYS volre was deadly
gui~t- And yaaT-
/ saia IL id not Interest ne -
En9F ab9ut 4; al was e3aoaraed with
Was yDur future Edith answered her
v5iee tr-ahIins a Eftie. altA0ugh her
eyes were brave
fslliy gof ug and stretched himself.
That settles g." ~ slid Name TIE
cag, right OF. - I can - order ves-
ding cards.
Edith did name tie day. but not Until
she had stood out against him week-
she might 20, have given In even then
but for the ordeal at church. Not only
was she cut right and ieft-the minister
preached at her-not by name. OF
course. but In a fashion more than IN
mistakable
Billy vas there. Across the aisle.
giun and furious After service be
half led her out. and walked away
with her his bead high. But even that
did Bot hurt like the furtivs yet swas
gerins airs of the three men who
called IN TIE evening There was fur
ther soDethins Of patronage about
them
: Altogether they made Edith hate
them. but pot az she hated herself. She
vas full Of quick kindness and had
nR meant hurt or afrront 10 anybody
ls-aa af t~. Ts.trl
she wondered why her townsfoIk would
not understand she had come back TO
them because her Interest lay among
them and had been eager to help In all
good works II only she had been per.
mitfed Z
But she held up her head aud laughed
and 3ested oil ebs latest of hef callers
eook himself away. Then siiestiy shs
~ cut bes hand to BiIiy. He under.
stood and announced an ssriy We'd,
dsnT Day [.
II vss . church wedding. VIII ths
house jammsd 10 the last inch After n
H. newly married s~ttied hsck into
thsir old wayx. going . pace that kept
them the talk OF the town
They were very gay and desperately
unhappy. Edith could not get away
from sense that Billy had married
her wholly out OF chivairy. Bngi Billy
was old enough 70 know better. but he
was proving the adsge that love. which
uay make q fc2l wise man. may like
wiz make wise man q faol: lie tor
p,e pted himself with the thought that
be had taken advantage OF Edlth's ex
trcmity. She must know hs had loved
her from their very first meeting. but
she was shy and proud and high with
him, Notwithstanding ste was bis duti-
ful wife.
lie left her much to hsT.rif and tnok
pains to make her know that she vas
rs free ~ ever. Edith resented the
freedom. Billy ought TO understand
that she wanted to o.ssy him-make
him at least that poor ssotnpcnse fos
his sacrifice.
Thus they aee out their lnarts In
cnuss purposes cro~s misoxnprehrn-
siogss. until Ashbei Glare cnme to visit
them. Ashbel was reputed 4 danger
Gus rerson-tall and .iight and hand
sous, with deep seeing eyes A glamour
OF romance hung about hirn- After the
first day Buiy wondered. with catching
breath. n be had h.en quite wise TO
ding man Ike Ashh-sl across Diith's
path
She was c1sArfy fascinated by him.
They ver. forever walking about the
big. scrubby garden or along the strip
Of lawn IN full sight OF passcrsby and
all the while absorbed IA talk. Edith
was brighter. too-quife her old. win
some SELF. Ashbel seemed equally cap
tivatci. He reused himself as Bils
had pot '--,n him sinsc they S>sre lads
together.
SO the Gays went by. mounting Into
weeks, at last into q month, and Billy
was IN torment. He had made grim
and manDcriy third for the most part
OF the time. stiil be was sure the two
had some secret understandable. He
had made mp his mind 10 endure to the
end There wns no danger OF dis'lonor
DIsboaor and Edith could not come to
rcfher In his mind. But whcn h. was
quite sure-if be were quito sure-he
would nnd way out OF u. His IA
cacr had died OF heart disease. The-c
were ways Of ending yourself without
ii4N4-i- " h4'4...- SO f'N -N "
end OF himself GLADLY II ouly that way
lay Eiith's happiness
The first thing WIS ~ make his VIII
Ashbel Clare surprised him al H. Billy
was glad lie wanted Ashbei 10 know.
10 understand how entireiy he had
trusted his wife and his friend So be
thrust the paper into Carc's hand. say
Ing grufiiy:
Read that. You -ee I've some do
cent instincts IL am half a savage.~
Il see. Everything. great or small.
to your wife, Ashtei said. then. with
whimsical. half dreamy smile DO
you know that she's the most fascinat-
~ .rx-xst,-x,