Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1906-12-21
bring no maid. / will not have female
servants about. Yours truly,
HOWARD FORESTER"

bring no maid. will not have female
servants about. Yours truly,
HOWARD FORESTER"
"'You will consent now, will you
not!" she asked. as | lifted my eyes
from this characteristic note.
I saw that her peace Of mind was
at stake. "Yes-I consent"
She gave a great sigh as at the lay
Ing down Of heavy burden. Thank
you" was all she said, hut she put q
world Of meaning into the words.
She took the first homeward turning.
We were nearly at the house before
l found words that would pave the
way toward expressing my thoughts
my longings and hopes.
you say you have forgiven me-"
said |. Then we can be-friends?"
She was silent, and took her SOM
Der expression to mean that she
feared was hiding some subtlety.
Il mean Just what say. Anita. I
fastened to explain. 'Friends-sim-
ply friends" And nv manner fitted
my words.
She looked strangely at me. you
would b content with that!" she
asked.
/ answered what | thought would
please her. Let us make the best OF
our bad bargain" said l. you can
trust me now. don't you think you
canr
She nodded without speaking; We
we're at the door, and the servants
we're Fastening cut to receive us.
Always the servants between us.
Servants indoors, servants outdoors;
morning, noon and night, from waking
to sleeping, these servants to whom
We are slaves. AS those interrupting
servants sent us each q separate way,
her to her maid, me to my valet, I was
depressed with the chill that the op-
portunity that has not been seen
leaves behind It as 1t departs.
We'll" said l to myself by way Of
consolation, as l was dressing for
dinner. "she is certainly softening to-
ward you, and when she sees the new
house you will be still better friends"
But when the great day came, was
not so sure. Alva went for a private
view" with young Thornley,; out Of
her enthusiasm she telephoned me
from the very midst Of the surround
ings she found so wonderful and so
beautiful"-thus she assured me, and
her voice made 1t impossible to doubt.
And, the evening before the great day,
| going for q final look round, could
find no faw serious enough to justify
the sinking feeling that came over me
every time | thought Of what Anita
would think when she saw my efforts
to realize her dream. / set out for
home" half q dozen times at least,
that afternoon, before / pulled myself
together, called myself an ass, and,
with q pause at Delmonico's for Q
drink, which ordered and then re-
jected, finally pushed myself in at the
door. What state my nerves were
I'M
Alya had departed; Anita was wait
ing for me In her sitting-room. When
she heard me In the hall, Just outside,
she stood In the doorway. Come in"
she said to me, who did not dare so
much as glance at her.
entered. must have looked as
felt-llke q boy, summoned before the
teacher to be whipped In presence Of
the entire school. Then / was con.
scious that she had my hand-how
she had got 1t, l don't know-and that
she was murmuring, with tears Of
happiness in her voice: "Oh, can't
say IT,"
Glad you Ike your own TASTE" said
| awkwardly. You know, Alva told
me-"
But it's one thing to dream, and Z
very different thing to do" she an
swered. Then, with smiling reproach:
And I've been thinking all summer
that you were ruined! I've been e1-
pecting to hear every day that you
had had to give up the fight"
"oh-that passed long ago." said I.
But you never told me-" she re-
minded me. "And I'm glad you didn't"
she added. Not knowing saved me
from doing something very foolish"
She REDEEMED . little. smiled a great
deal, dazzlingly, was altogether diff.
ferent from the ice-locked Anita Of a
short time before, different al lima