The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1906-11-01

NO; that is only part of 1.-THE
smallest part"
Il hoped so; IL you have too ll'tle.
have a good bit too much. But that
corners it in a way to make me sorry.
am not keeping my promise to win
what you weren't able to give me at
first"
please don't put IL that way. II
there be any fault, IL is mine You
have left nothing undcne"
The man OF expedients ran over his
cards refectively and decided that the
moment for playing his long suit was
full come.
Your goodness OF heart excuses me
where | am to blame" he qualified.
Il am coming to believe that | have
defeated my own cause"
BY being too good to me?' she sug-
gesied
mo; by running where should have
been content to walk; by Stacking
you with a promise. and so in certain
sense becoming your Jailer. That is
putting it rather clumsily. but isn't
1t truo?"
II had never thought OF IL in that
light" she said, unresponsively.
"You wouldn't. naturally. But the
fact remains. II has wrenched your
point Of view hopelessly aside, don't
you think? I have seen 1t and felt II
all along, but | haven't had the courage
of my convictions
an what way" she asked.
"In the only way the thing can be
stood squarely upon its feet. It's
hard-desperately hard; and hardest
Of all for man of my peculiar build.
am no longer what you would call
young man, Elinor, and | have never
learned to turn back and begin all over
again with any show OF heartiness.
They used to say OF me in the Yacht
club that II gained a helf-length in
a race, I'd hold & II IL took the sticks
out Of my boat"
Il know" she asscnted, absently.
We'll, it's the same way now. But
for your sake-or rather for the sake
of my love-I am going to turn back
for once. You are free again, Elinor.
All / ask is that you will let me begin
where l left off somewhere on the
road between here and Boston last
fall"
She sat with clasped hands looking
steadily at the darkened windows of
the opposite house, and he let her take
her own time. When she spoke there
was a thrill in her voice that he had
never heard before
Il don't deserve it-so much consid-
Grafton. l mean" she said; and he
made haste to spare her.
Yes. you do; you deserve anything
the best man in the world could do
for you, and I'm a good bit short Of
that"
But II don't want you 10 so back ?"
He had gained something-much
more than he knew; and for a trem-
ulous instant he was near 10 losing Il
again by a passionate retraction of all
he had been saying. But the cool pur-
pose came to his rescue in time.
Il should still inoist on doing g.
You gave me what you could, but
want more. and / am willing to do
what is necessary to win Il"
Again she said: You are too good
to me-" and again he contradicted her
mo; it is hardly a question OF good
ness; indeed. I am not sure that IL es-
capes being selfish. But | am very
much In earnest, and | am going 20
prove IL. Three years ago you met a
man whom you thought you could
love-don't interrupt me, please. He
was like some other man we know;
he didn't have the courage OF his con-
yictions, lacking the few dollars which
might have made things more nearly
equal. May | go on?"
IL suppose you have earned the right
to say what you please" was the i'm
passive reply.
II was the old struggle in which
they were so evenly MATCHBOX the
woman to preserve her poise; Of the
man TO break II down. Another lover
might have given up In despair. but
Ormsby's strength lay in holding on in
the face OF all discouragements.
Il believe, as much as believe any
thing in this world, that you were mis-
taken in regard to your feeling for the
other man." he went on. calmly. but
want you to be sure Of that for your
self. and you can't be sure unless you
are free to choose between u.s."
ooh, don't.-you shouldn't say such
things to me" she broke out; and then
he knew he was gaining ground.
Yes, must. We have been STUN
bling around in the dark all these
months. and mean to be the lantern
bearer for once in a way. You know,
and I know. and Kent is coming to
know. That man Is going 20 be a
success. Elinor; he has II in him, and
he sha'n't lack the money backing he,
may need. When he arrives"
She turned on him quickly, and the
bluegray eyes were suspciously
bright.
please don't bury me alive" she
begged
He saw what he had done: that the
nicely calculated purpose had carried
straight and true to its mark; and
for a moment the mixed motives.
which are at the bottom of most hui
man sayings and doings. surged in him
like the sea at the vexed tide-line Of
an iron-bound coast. But II was the