Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1906-12-21

existed between us. ny part was 10
be unobstrusive, friendly, neither in.
different nor eager. and held to Il
By taking care never to be left alone
with Anita; Alva's part was to be her
self-simple and natural and sensible,
full Of life and laughter, nocking at
those moods that betray us into the
absurdity Of taking ourselves too Sc
rously.
was getting ready q new house In
town as a surprise to Anita, and took
Alva into my plot. II wish Anita's
part Of the house to be exactly to her
liking" said |. Cant you set her
to dreaming aloud what kind % place
she would like to live In, what she
would like to open her eyes on in
the morning. what surroundings she'd
IKE to dress In and read In, and all
that!
Alvs had no difficulty in carrying
out the suggestions. And BY harass-
ing Vsstlate necessarily. ] succeeded
IN realizing her report d Anita's
dream TO the exact shade Ct the
lrapsries and the silk that covered the
walls. By pushing the work. / rot the
house done Just a. Alvs was warning
ne that she could not remain longer
Ut Dawn Hill, but must 60 home and
get ready for her Wedding, When II
went down to arrange with her the
last details Of the surprise. who should
meet me ct the station but Anita her
self! / took one glance at her serious
face and, much disQuieted, seated my.
self beside her In the little trap. In.
stead Of following the usual route to
the house she turned her horse into
the bayshore road.
Several days ago." she began, az
the bend hid the station, Il got a let.
ter from some lawyers, saying that
an uncle Of mine had given me q large
sum OF money-a very large sum. II
have been inQuiring about It, and fnd
It is mine absolutely"
braced myself for the worst. she
is about to tell me that she is leav.
ing" thought |. But l managed to
say: I'm glad to hear Of your luck"
though | fear my tone was not espe
cially joyous.
49," she went on, 81 am in a posi-
ton to pay back to you, think, what
my father and Sam took from you.
1t won't be enough, I'm afraid, to pay
what you lost indirectly. But | have
told the lawyers to make II all over
to you"
could have laughed aloud. It was
too ridiculous, this situation into
which l had got myself. did not
know what to say. / could hardly
keep out Of my face how foolish this
collapse Of my crafty conspiracy made
me feel. And then the fuli meaning
OF what she was doing came over me
the revelation Of her character. I
trusted myself to steal q glance at
her; and for the first time | didn't
see the thrilling azure sheen over her
smooth white skin, though all her
beauty was before me, as dazzling as
when 1t compelled me to resolve to
win her. No; saw her, herself-the
woman within. had known from the
outset that there was an altar of love
within my temple Of passion. think
that was my first real visit to It.
"Anita!" l said, unsteadily. "Anlta!"
The color famed In her cheeks; 70
we're silent for q long time.
"You-your people owe me moth.
Ing" | at length found voice to say.
Even If they did, l couldn't and
wouldn't take your money. But, be-
heve me, they owe me nothing"
You cannot mislead me-" she an.
swered. when they asked me to be-
come engaged to you they told me
about It."
l had forgotten. The whole repul-
sive, rotten business came back to me.
And. changed man that | had become
In the last six months, l saw myself
as | had been. | felt that she was
looking at me, was reading the de- !
grading confession In my telltale
features.
Il will tell you the whole truth"
said /. Il did use your fathers and |
your brothers debts to me as a means
OF getting to you. But, before God,
Anita, l swear was honest with you !
when | said to you l never hoped or /
wished to win you in that way!"
u believe you" she replied, and her
tone and expression made my heart
leap with indescribable Joy.
Love IL sometimes most unwise in
his use Of the reins he puts on pas
sion. Instead Of acting as impulse
commanded. said. clumsily: "And
am very different today from what
vas last spring." It never occurred
to me how she might interpret those
words.
Il know" she replied. She waited
several seconds before adding: Il, too,
have changed. l see that l was far
more guilty than you. There Is no
excuse for me. Twas badly brought
up, as you used TO say, but"
"No-no," / began to protest
She cut me short with Z sad: you
need not be polite and spare my feel.
ings Let's not talk Of It. Let us 20
back to the object I had In coming