The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1907-08-31
lContinued from last issue.)
CHAPTER XII.
! =, ALL OVER.

!. =. ALL OVER.
! ,Js,a =. :l(=as.." -:-
! The next time he met Floss. which
was on his regular Sunday evening
visit, she was in something Of her in-
! dependent mood, and he was in an un-
compromising attitude with himself.
He did not know it, but he was in an
unforgiving humor and rather explo-
sively touchy.
! "You are rather in a hurry to go
| tonight. Why?" she asked in no meek
spirit He took it that her why"
had a fling Of accusation in it.
He had never protracted his even
ing calls beyond the reasonable hour
of 10 o'clock, and she had often and
Often in reflective moments, wondered
why. Some cursed busybody had told
her he spent the remainder Of the
evening in the company of other lady
friends. It was a hateful falsehood.
| Il always leave at this hour
| And why?"
| TN politeness to you," he answered
truthfully.
| rs that SOL" in the form of an ex-
clamatton with an insinuatiop con-
cealed within. -.
! Perhaps you don't want me to come
again?" feeling his way in the dark
ness and instantly regretting the re-
mark.
II don't care whether you come
again or not" She said coldly and in
dependently. 1t stung like the bite Of
a viper She was cruel, he conceived,
and a little too Independent for her
own good. 1t must be said that her
answer made him mad.
Floss looked upon him as tickle and
merely seeking this opportunity to
| throw her overheard, as she had heard
he had others. and if that was his
game she would anticipate him some
what. He should not go away feeling
comfortable, nor leave deceiving him.
self with the notion that she cared
| what he did or, for that matter, what
| became Of him. He should not smoothe
over his side of the case with nice
words and make her believe he had
no Interior motive but good in his
"quitting." He should know her stand
point as well as from his own selfish
one, what he was doing. He should
hear her side of the case, if he never
before had heard the girls side. II
other girls had toadied to him and
made him think he was an angel with
wings already sprouting, he should
now be undeceived. She would make
him feel he was to blame in this af-
fair. She would be match for him
for once in his tickle love-life, and
show him that all are not such weak
lings as to bow subInissively to his
DEGREES respecting heart associations
Her answer brought a. scrimson to
his face. -
IF you say So" -.t
Il don't minee my words. 1 talk
right out in meeting" she interrupted.
Then I shall only trouble you for
my hat"
At the door he babe her a soft,
broken good night, and she returned
it stiffly. He heard the door close
with a bang that shocked his oversen-
sitive heart
The conclusion Of his meditations, as
he slowly walked home, was that he
would never go back again-that it
was all over between thenarthat their
love was a thing Of the dead past.
And Floss considered 1t we'll she
I udu 1Oulbu 1111Il Oul UoIOtGHdH0, LOT
their marriage would certainly be in
compatible and therefore unhappy.
She was not in the least sorry for
what she had done. For one thing
she felt 1t was for the better for both
that it had happened before rather
than after marriage, when it would be
entirely too late.
Notwithstanding, he could not give
her up. He loved her, and he was
morally certain she loved him. Her
actions had fully verified her words
to that effect. He loved her better
than any girl he had ever met. De-
spite his resolution never tn see her
again in her homo he called at the
next regular time, and instead of the
matter being smoothed out the quarrel
was renewed with more intensity than
ever before. Then he vowed in his
heart Of hearts he would never see
her again, and that sooner than marry
her now after all this he would take
his life first, It had become impos-
sible for them to marry. T. would be
a crime against the happiness of
both. They would be mismated-but
married! No, it could never be. He
had forgiven her once and gone back
but now he' could not do so again. II
was all over
He spent many sleepless nights
over 1t, and as for Floss she was
sorry over 1t and sorry she had gone
so far as to name date when they
would marry. It was a botched love
AFFAIR and perpetual regret. No, she
o1d not care-except that they had
ever met. She had an idea he would
! try to patch it up, but she was re-
solved 1t should never be-.
fhe straw that broke the camel's
back with him occurred one day in ar
electric street car. When he entered
FLOSS was the only passenger and moi
knowing just how she would treat him
or Just what she expected, he re.
spectfully tipped his hat to her and