The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-09-26
call up the energy to protest. It was
sim Mar too IA FOIL har zF 80 5y&s

strength came back to me a little TO-
day the craving came back. I brought
q bottle Of the stuff with me. Oh, yes,
! told you I hadn t. 1 lied. All the
away to my cabin. I didn't care what
! said. Now I suppose you will want.
me to give you up the rest of it.. Well,
K can It. Now that I have taken it
again, find don't want anything
but that. It's no use you're thinking
a; can get better, or get oyer it. ! have
so, too @@v
For one moment Maud felt that he
spoke the truth-he was beyond power
of recall. But the next her whole soul
and strength was up in arms fighting
that thought, passionately reversing it.
There was nothing in the world so true
this Afternoon, land already she was let
ting error obscurezit: Vehemently, fu-
riously she fought it, and then sud
denly she wondered what she had been
fighting. For there was nothing there
her. blows were rained upon empti-
was, fighting. For there was nothing
to fight. And she spoke to Thurso as
She might have spoken to a child who
was afraid of the dark.
you silly boy!' she said "What
can you mean by such nonsense? How
can l give you up? How can give, up
my love for youe That is the one thing
frightened, you know. How can you be
4 frightened when there is nothing in
& the world TO brighten you? You said
this afternoon things that made me
unutterably happy, and now you come
and say, they were lies, that you didn It
mean them, I am sorry you didn It
haps you spoke the truth by accident.'
That somber smouldering Of despair
in his eyes faded.
Do you mean you can possibly
trust me now?' he said
Then he added quickly:
But / can't give up the bottle to
you." ~
Maud almost laughed.
said. 9tAnd now I'm going to see
you back to your cabin, and you re go
ing to bed. You have had a dreadful
evening, dear, over these nightmare
errors. I am SO sorry; oh, Thurso, I
am so sorry! And if you feel me in
the room again, you mustn't be fright
ened, or think there is anything
wrong
He said nothing to this, and they
went down the narrow passage to his
cabin in silence. - : -
"a And you We had dinner?'' she
asked. t'You won t be hungry before,
morning2 It's only just one, you know
L could get you something. !"
No, nothing. thanks,'' he said.
Then: his eye fell on the dispatch box
and he stood looking at it moment
Then he took bunch Of keys from his
pocket, detached one, and flung it on
the Ground. -5s'." =
'sThat's the key he said, "and it
is inside the despatch box. You NAV
take it if you like''
That radiance in the girls face that
had left her only for a moment glowed
and shone with a double light But she
made a no movement to pick up the key.
"Dear Thurso, where are your man
the proper way to give me key
won It give it to you in any
other" said he:
She longed to pick it up herself; she
could hardly restrain herself from do
ing SO; but she longed also that
strengthened by this first effort, he
T should make another, give her the key
% 90: Then t IN afraid it must stop where
1T s., she said. =. ood-night!'
IL He, turned with frown to her.
"Why don't you i take ' it while. I can can
just manage to give it you?"
Because you must give it to me like
a gentleman, of course she said.
All, how pleasant and human were
the dealings Of love! Half an hour ago
tragedy, sordid, bitter and heartbreak-
ing, had been hers, and now not only
was comedy here, but sheer farce
mirthful, productive of silly, childish
laughter. Thurso laughed, too, as he
bent down and picked up the key.
- You are an ohStlnatp woman - ha
said. - -: :
II know: Thank you, darling!''
) Is She undid the despatch box.
she said.
famed him again. .
. All, give it me back" he said; CT
can't let you have it. told you I
couldn It.
Maud was nearest the door, and she
simply ran out of the cabin with the
( bottle. She made not half "a dozen steps
of the stairs that led to the deck, and
hnf ha1f ~ u