The San Francisco call., 1906-04-08

ments?
"ShalI call for help? Can l do any
thing to relieve your she inquired with
prettily feigned solicitude Please, SIT
do not distress yourself because l aoso-
lutely refuse to be responsible for the
final result if the mere beginning is SO
painful"
Jacks collar, he managed to articu-
late. ''I sacrificed comfort ana 1reeoom
of speech for an unsullied piece OF inen.
1 was fearful that even though you Were
inclined to accept the man the coiiar
might hang him.
..And so you preferred choking to tax
ing any chances?'
Times over
Poor man. Now that you have proved
the sacrifice of which You are capapie
you may remove your collar II you nAe'
or l will get the scissors and ampueate
it, because whatever, / do l shall not ac-
cept the collar.
rs 1t so difficult to believe that ne
can possess deep and abiding loye-a
love as deep and wide and strong as ms
big awkward self?" he continued, resum-
ing the thread of his declaration ana
possession of the little hands. do you
fear to trust your happiness-your lie
to his keeping? Do you know MIN 100
little-is it too much to ask?
"Oh, no, no. Not that! I trust you
in everything! 1 would believe any
thing you told me- I would go with
you anywhere. believe would make
any sacrifice for you--only-
"Only what?" he gently asked. smiling
at her confusion. "Only what. dear!
only it is all so very sudden, and
there, 1 have said 1t after all! L nave
vowed and declared come what might,
1 should never be guilty of stereotyping
myself into that form. But you have
never by word or look given me any
idea that you cared for me, which, of
course, makes it all very sudden.
Il plead guilty to the charge, dear
you are eXonerated."
II could not understand you. You al
most never said nice things to me, and
when l made pretty speeches to you
they just seemed to strike a brick wall
and bound back to me. You never
seemed to hear, or to care, or to under-
stand, ands sometimes l wondered II
you were actually stupid in some re-
spects, or just an animated piece of ice.
And N.Y. but you were bold at times.
Why did you treat me SO badly If you
really cared for me?'
Il will tell you why, dear" drawing
her nearer to him, but you must not
be angry. To be perfectly plain
And brutal.' she interjected- Go
on!"
And brutal" he acquiesced. Il early
convinced the idea that the much ma
ligned Wizard and his mistress pos
sessed several characteristics in COM
mon OF course l had not at that time
made the acquaintance of the noble ami
mal-this is merely an impromptu
simile inspired by after events. l was
also warned to beware of you, as you
will perhaps remember
Remember! That wretch of Jack!
she Indignantly exclaimed. u should
say did, And yet, on the whole,
think / shall have to forgive Jack-s 1
fancy / am under obligations to the
rascali But just the same, he needn't
have given one something with a string
attached, and then attempt to- snatch it
away-need he? Go on-you were warned
against me-
mo, dear, Jack did very wrong very
wrong indeed l believe should pen
sion the rascal for his misdemeanor.
However, his timely warning agreed
with his own ideas perfectly / was
convinced that ordinary methods would
never avail with this particular young
woman, and hers was a case requiring
heroic treatment. l Immediately de-
cided, all or nothing, and If nothing, at
least the satisfaction of being worsted
in a sharp encounter rather than to
suffer the suspense of long campaign
and possible defeat in the end
And so you just pulled my head
arr md lr
she quickly responded, emphasizing the
summary treatment he had applied to
the unruly Wizard. And then trotted
along very meekly-didnt L? Oh, yes
you did-and yes 1 did! l can see 1T
all now--I saw it even then. And yet
] think 1 rather liked it, at least did
not seem to mind so very much, did l.
Mister Bill?" glancing UP at him with
pretty consciousness, as she voiced a
name to which. she had never before
given expression. "And when did you
first begin to really care whether be-
haved well, or-balked?"
"Ah, dear, as 1 look back I think you
have never been long absent from my
thoughts since first we met that night
in the mountains. You had hardly gone
your way before 1 realized such sense
of loneliness as | had never known be-
fore. Your sweet face was ever before
me and your voice seemed repeating over
and over again the words you spoke to
me. Even the moon seemed to hold your
likeness, and many long. weary hours
have you been my companion on lonesome
rides and midnight watches. And sleep
many times brought sweet dreams of your
companionship; and sometimes-Ah, yes.
sometimesI-I wished life might be the
one long, sweet dream of happiness that
came to me when my own consciousness
took Wings and another sweeter and dear
er came in it's stead
And you really thought Of me so much
and you knew me SO little?"
"Out in that lonesome country one Is
permitted SO much time for thought
thinking, thinking, ever thinking.
Thoughts are companions, and one
chooses as he will"
And SO you chose me for your COM
panion?'
Yes, dear, l chose you-every fiber of
my being chose you. You have been
more to me than you can ever know. You
have been the sweet inspiration OF my
better self-a self never knew until you
made me conscious of the wonderful
wealth of my possessions"
ssAnd GO did raoepero ta Won after all -