Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1907-03-06

be friendly as she said: Well
have crossed the Rubicon. And don't
regret. 1t was silly of me to cry. L
thought had been through SO much
that waS beyond such weakness. But
you viii find me calm from now on
and reasonable"
Not too reasonable. please said
l, with an attempt at her lightness.
"A 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 WEI"
We are going to be what we are
going to be-" said l. We'll have to
take life as 1t comes"
That clumsy reminder set her to
thinking, stirred her vague uneasiness
in those strange circumstances to &C.
tive alarm. For presently she said,
IN tone that was not so matter-of-
course as she had tried to make it:
We'll go now to my Uncle Franks.
He's a brother of my fathers. l al
ways used to like him best-and still
do. But he married a woman mamma
IL,
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, lis 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" persisted. 1--WE must
be married tonight No more uncer-
tainty and indecision and weakness.
Let us begin bravely, Anita
Tomorrow" she said But not to-
night. 1 must think it over"
Tonight" I repeated. Tomorrow
will be full of it's 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
conventionality. mo, not tonight"
This in her tone for finality.
TO argue with any woman in such
circumstances would be dangerous; to
argue with her would have been fatal
TO reason with woman is to fiatter
her into suspecting you of weakness
| and herself of strength. 1 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." 1 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. II thought until a few min
| utes ago that l really intended to
marry you. Now l see that didn't.
Another reason why we're not going
to your uncle's," said l.
She leaned forward so that l 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 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 50
| and refuses to marry you?" She had
tried to concentrate enough scorn into
her voice to hide her fear.
Il would" said I. And l shall. I'll
not desert you, Anita, when your cour-
age and strength shall fail. l will
carry you on to safety
Il tell you can not marry you"
she cried, between appeal and com.
mand. There are reasons may
not tell you. But if 1 might, you
l can not marry you!"
That is what conventionality bids
you say now" 1 replied. And then 1
gathered myself together and in a
tone that made me hate myself IS l
heard it, added slowly, each word
sharp and distinct: But what will
conventionality bid you say tomorrow
morning, as we drive down crowded
Fifth avenue, after a night in this
brougham?"
could not see her, for she fell back
into the darkness as sharply as If I
had struck her with all my force full
in the face. But l could feel the ef.
feet OF my words upon her
Full fifteen minutes of that fright
full silence before she said: II VIII
go where you wish" And she said IL
in q tone that makes me vince as
recall it.
called my partners address up
through the tube. Again that fright.
full silence, then she was trying to
choke back the sobs. A few words I
caught: "They have broken my will
they have broken my will"
My partner lived in a big. gray
stone mouse that stood apart and COM