The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1907-09-24

- Weo hA4A9 Vi hit ~ NI1. 4 |
thought had been thro' ssn so much |
that was beyond such weakness. But
you will find me calm from now or
and reasonable"
Not too reasonable, please" said
J. with an attempt AZ her lightuess.
reasonable woman is as trying as
an unreasonable man"
But we are going TO be sensible
with each other" she urged. like two
friends Aren't wee"
we are going to be what we are
going to be-" said l. Wen have to
take life as it comes"
That clumsy reminder set her to
thinking, stirred her vague uneasiness
IN those strange circumstances to ac-
tive alarm. For presently she said,
In tone that was not so matter-of-
course as she had tried to make it:
Wen go now to my Uncle Franks
He's a brother of ny fstSera al
ways used to like min best-and still
do. But he married woman mamma
thought-queer. They hadn't much,
so he lives away up on the West Side
One Hundred and Twenty-seventh
street
THE wise plan, the only wise PLAN"
said ], not so calm as she must have
thought me, is to go to my partners
house and send for a minister"
Not tonight" she replied nervous
ly. Take me to Uncle Franks, and
| tomorrow we can discuss what to DO
and how to do it.
Tonight" l persisted. 1--WE must
be married tonight. No more uncer.
tainty and indecision and weakness.
Let US begin brayely, Anita"
Tomorrow" she said But not to
night. | must think it over"
Tonight, l repeated. Tomorrow
will be full of its own problems. This
is to-night's"
She shook her head, and | saw that
the struggle between us had begun
the struggle against her timidity and
conyentionality. No, not tonight"
This in her tone for fnality.
To argue with any woman in such
circumstances would be dangerous; to
argue with her would have been fatal.
To reason with a woman is to fiatter
her into suspecting you of weakness
and herself of strength. l told the
chauffeur to turn about and go slowly
up town. She settled back into her
corner of the brougham. Neither of
us spoke until we were passing
Grants tomb. Then she started out
of her secure confidence in my obed-
fence. and exclaimed: This is not
the way" And her voice had in it
the hasty call-to-arms.
No" l replied, determined to push
the panic into a rout las l told you,
our future shall be settled tonight. "
That in my tone for finality.
A pause, then: 1T has been set
tied, she said, like a child that feels,
yet denies. its impotence as it strug-
giles in the compelling arms of its
father Il thought until a few min.
utes ago that / really intended to
marry you. Now see that didn't"
Another reason why we're not going
to your uncle's,' said l.
She leaned forward so that could
see her face. Il can not marry YOU
she said Il feel humble toward you
for having misled you. But it is bet
ter that you-and I-should have
found out now than too late"
1T is too late-too late to go back.
Would you wish to marry woman
who does not love you, who loves
some one else, and who tells you sc
and refuses to marry you?" She ha6
tried to concentrate enough scorn into
her voice to hide her fear.
q would" said l. "And l shall. III
not desert you, Anita, when your cour
age and strength shall fail. l viii
carry you on to safety"
81 tell you can not marry you,'
she cried, between appeal and com
mand. There are reasonsI may
not tell you. But if l might, yo1
would-would take me to my uncle's
1 can not marry you!"
THAT is what conventionality bids
you say now" 1 replied. And then
gathered myself together and in
tone that made me hate myself as
heard it, i added slowly, each wore
sharp and distinct: But what viii
conyentionality bid you say tomorrow
morning. as we drive down crowded
Fifth avenue. after night in thi.
brougham?"
l could not see her. for she fell bacl
into the darkness as. sharply as if
had struck her with all my force full
in the face. But l could feel the eff
feet Of my words upon her.
Full fifteen minutes of that fright
full silence before she said: II viii
so where you wish" And she said il
in a tone that makes me vince as
recall it.
called my partners address VI
through the tube. Again that fright
full silence, then she was trying tC
choke back the sobs. few words
caught: They have broken my will
they have broken my will"
My partner lived in big, gray
stone hous that stood apart and com
manded noble view of the Hudson
and the Palisades. 1t was, in the