Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1907-12-26
TIE LESSON OF LOVING.
Ev Anucla MORAN.


Copyright. 1907. by w. IL. Hearst.
They had warned him against her re-
;leat"dlN. using cvrry argument to con-
vince him of her heartlcssncss. her trinInc
treatment, Of the most serious attention
man can offer woman.
she is a coductto,' hey told him.
keep away from her"
Eut Justin Howe only laughed AT them
AS the one maii mos favored by Alta Gil
iesple Mt the time. he fell chat his advan.
ta2c gave him the right 20 seonf at warn
ings so absurd.
Alta shallow-hea"icd? Alta faithlessc
An, hey did nor know her as he did. All
mat talk about her having Tilted u X
AVcry-weil, what IL she had, That was
her privilege certainly. Dick was a worth.
less chap. Better 10 have discovered II be.
fore marriage than after.
Ihey We're .icalous-all of Them, Jealous
because She loved hinges. loved him
even as he loved. her. Sure of it? Sure
as he WAS of life Itself.
FRESH IN his memory was the vivid
sweetness of hat wonderful moncn. when
he FIRST saw the leapins response in lo,
eyes. He had caught her wrists fr,nl,..
IN Il grip that was almost cruel. while his
merclt"ss gaze searched her glowing face
y sudden recollection had rushed back
something said by the warning ones
Her eyes can ,ell the same story tn -
Va liCIl
"Alta." lie had cried. You mean ,bisg
I love YOU. 1 wan You for my wife-m.ne
always. DO You love M enoush for that's
Are YOU ~sure-sure2'
VERY, very SURE she had answered
Il love you. Justin
And so he could laugh at tie others ana
snap MS fingers at their doubts. The I'm.
iaio",ioi' swept him on in an ever Deepen
ing current. There was something so now
erfnl. so compelling about it. someth;n. co
iheNpi'cabie. that at times he felt 81 swift
terror lest some day this mighty happiness
silouid be snaicled from him. And vet
me very strength of the attachment
proved II to be destiny. Ala was his. or
no one'si
1T was three weeks later that his sister
approached him on the subject. in , snirit
OF desperate bravery.
she Is playing with yol,. Justin, Don't
you know II: q. | can't see Won on ON
pilndiy this way. DO you think she in
.chos tNihs herself to one man so soon,
MOI "mle there are others 10 charm and
"Hav done with this nonsense, ON,
would ihink, to hear you women talk ,ba,
Alta Gillespie was some tcod inc,rn.to
some niack-hearted creature with dcvilish
Intent "A
Not ,l1as. Justin, It's just her vanity.
hsr sen love: her craving FOR the adrnjra-
-'i VI Iliti1--
You wonnen seem to understand each
'.hc', nc ai!cercd. "Yoa are Jealous. all
~ you. 1t is thai ana nothing else which
hurts you So '
Afterwatd he felt II vague recret for HE
Morus. a disturbing question prici,ed.him
oiiaer the Influence OF q truly great love
would such ridencss toward his sister
nave been possible?
Iha' very night he went 10 Alta and
ISt Il ueflll'n 10 r., q ~ A.. ..a
seemed startled. dismayed. at his mood
Walt-wait Just a wlittle.' she begged.
l must V time to think and plan"
Anu IL was always so. whenever he
preached the subject. Finally she grew
Iesei1tiul of his anxiety. Her manner
toward him changed.
Justin Howe tried to pers,,,do biuso,e
that the change was only n his ina .inn-
.'oh' nut the hateful truth was eating
oeeper INTO his heart each day.
Alta. he cried at last, resolved to face
Whatever should come. II must know
"nat you mean. dear. You have changed
somehow. Am l to blame for this? 2"
no. she said. in Il colorless voice.
You still care for me?'
Yes But the word did not vibrate.
fou love me as much as ever?'
Sne was silent. He looked upon her as
she sat by the window, her head slightly
bent. the late afternoon sunlight slantinp
oI uGI udIT.
The silence heightened. deepened, Wild
ened, until it seemed 10 drown him In a
black surge of agony. Across this vast
and awful gulf her voice came to him at
last, sounding very small and far away.
Justin. think we nave made a mis-
take you and l. Better to know It now
n afterward. Indeed, l am very, very
sorry"
He sat and stared upon her. voiceless,
m~otionless. Every little detail of her
looks, her dress. stood out distinctly.
burned forever into his memory.
There was a narrow scarlet ribbon about
her throat. showing velvet red against It's
paipitating whiteness. Upon this thread
OF scarlet his fascinated gaze fixed itself
all at once.
TO his excited vision 1t seemed a circlet
OF blood. Had, indeed, the murderous
thought That was i'll him taken shape and
hung itself al her throat?
AS he looked the circlet seemed to widen.
A sufocating horror seized him-a horror
OF himself. of the fierce thought that came
to him.
Without a word he turned and rushed
from her presence. out into the street.