The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1907-11-26
cuAprER XXX.-contlnued.

h,t energetic bitterness. beslues
Uus hesitated an instant before going |
s acladys deserves her fate. She
~ ,ao.rr really care for him She's
W. W., Jealous of him. She never did
love him.
How do you know" said sharp
10 irving to persuade myself 1t was
not an ugly suspicion in me that
nttod its head and shot out that ques-
& ton.
ronlied The feeling a woman has
Gov a man or a man for a woman,
without any response, isn't love, isn't
worthy the name of love. It's a sort
F. of hatfield covetousness. Love means
generosity, not greediness." Then
'rWhy do you not ask me whether
what she said is true?"
The change in her tone with the
last sentence, the strange, ominous
note in it, startled me.
Because" replied /, AS | said to
her to ask my wife such a question
would be to insult her. If you were
riding with him, it was an accident
AS if my rude repulse of her over
lures and my keeping away from her
ever since would not have justified her
a in almost anything.
She flushed the dark red of shame,
but her gaze held steady and unfiinch-
ing upon mine. at was not altogether
by accident" she said. And | think
= In, Cd 10 ri
When a man admits and respects
a woman's rights where he is him
self concerned, he either is no longer
interested in her or has begun to love
her so well that he can control the
savage and selfish instincts of pas
sion. If Mowbray Langdon had been
there might have killed them both;
but he was not there, and she. facing
me without fear, was not the woman
to be suspected of the stealthy and
traitorous.
1T was he that you meant when
you warned me you cared for another
man?' said I, so quietly that l won
dered at myself; wondered what had
become of the BLACK Matt" who had
used his fists almost as much as his
brains in fighting his way up.
Yes" she said, her head down
now
A long pause.
You wish to be free?" l asked, and
my tone must have been gentle.
Il wish to free you" she replied
slowly and deliberately.
There was long silence. Then
l said: Il must think it all out.
once told you how | felt about these
matters. I've greatly changed my
mind since our talk that night in the
Willoughby; but my prejudices are
still with me. Perhaps you will not
be surprised at that-you whose pre-
JUDGES have cost me so dear"
l thought she was going to speak
instead she turned away, so that
could no longer see her face.
Our marriage was a miserable
mistake | went on. struggling to be
Just and judicial, and to seem calm.
l admit it now. Fortunately. we are
Doth still young-you very young
mistakes in youth are never fatal
But, Anita, do not blunder out of one
MISTAKE into another. You are nc
longer child, as you were when
married you. You will be careful NOT
10 let Judgments formed of him LONG
aso decide you for him as they de
V'aed you against me-"
wish to be Free" she said. each
"ord coming with an effort. las much
VI your account as on my own.
men and it seemed to me merely a
uuiy feminine attempt to shirk re.
sponsibility, she added. II am glad
10y gong viii be relief to YOU"
to les II will be a relief" con.
iu osseu' Our situation has become
90 ieraoie' had reached my limit
se.-control. put out my hand
Good-by" said.
II she had wept it might have modi.
my conviction that everything
d,a =. an end between us. But she
no' weep. Can you ever forgive
lne she asked.
Let not talk of forgiveness said
"nu lear my voice and manner
S %ere gruff, as strove not to break
t tUml' Let's try to forget" And
'O wI her hand and fastened away
m, "neh two human beings set out to
annlssunderstand each other how fast
sr anu lar they go! How shut-in we
n n,e from each other, with only hating
d reans OF communication that break
NO"n under the slightest strain!
ms As was leaving the house next
her: e'e sanders this note for
tovn nave gone to live at the Down.
VIII. motel. When you have decided
NV course to take, let me know. If
tbev tishts ever had any substance,
tb,nnl nave starved away to such weak
n as that they collapse even as | try
win mem up. hope your freedom
peace" happiness ana me
You are i'll, STRIP asked NV old
note ''ienu' as ne TOOK the
say with her, Sanders. as long as