The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1907-11-05
The Wall
Between.
n, rnON asu.cnn
By TROY ALLISON.


from even you" She gripped the arm
of her chair and leaned forward, her
blazing eyes looking closely into his.
81 have never been able to decide just
what manner of man you are. Your
reticence, your phlegmatic tempera-
ment and your crudeness are so for
eign to me that they are an unreliable
text. I've thought at times that they
might cloak either a vast amount Of
intelligence and capability-or the lack
Of 1t. A large man like you only has
to be reticent to make the world think
he Is force to be considerable he
cared to exert himself / have won
dered at times If your reticence
masked a lack-of original thought
But under no circumstances had l i'm
agined It hid-colossal conceit-"
Graham's powerful hands, without a
trace of the nerve tension in her own,
took from her the japanese fan that
she was nnconsciously tearing In
shreds.
II am not colceited, but do think
that you would marry me-if could
ask you," this In the fashion of a man
Of little worldly polish He failed to
soften and explain his statement by
adding that the desire of his heart was
to make her his wife.
She, judging without this inner
knowledge, fought as a woman will
fought to keep it from being known
that she had given her love unasked.
II will admit see no foundation for
your conceit." The ache in her heart
goaded her to merciless cruelty. How
or why should you think that a woman
of the world like myself, who has been
accustomed to comfort, IL not to lux
ury, should care to marry young ply
stefan without as yet practice? Per-
haps, my friend, you took stock Of
your attractions. They are impressive,
I'll admit. Your broad shoulders and
physique in general might also be
counted assets, but not sufficient to
balance the conceit that could imagine
/ would be content to wear homemade
gowns in order to admire them life
time-I, who love pretty things, who
like everything as dainty as this" TAX
ing her chain of pearl beads and hold
ing them before him, letting them slip
between her well manicured fingers.
She lied bravely, sitting the memory
of the little joyful plans that had for
several weeks fitted through her mind
plans for making home on his small
income when he should ask her to be
his wife.
Graham, his face pale, spoke slowly.
'Unlike myself, you are never at loss
for words, but I think you have said
more than your world would consider
courteous" he said tersely.
Her high strung temperament had
reached a point where she gave her
nerves free rein. "As for caring
she leaned back In her chair and laugh
ed recklessly-"of course your con-
ceit prevents your discovering that l
had been amusing myself The sum
mer was long and dull. You were the
most available man and interesting be-
cause you were-less readable than the
others. One looks with interest at
an unread book. With such explana-
ton hope your sorrow that you could
not decide to ask me to marry you
will not prove crushing" She rose.
with a little ironical smile that init
mated that she was waiting for him
to say goodby.
Graham lowered above her as he roSe
Marion, I'm crude, as you say, and
am going to tell you that absolutely
disbelieye you. You care-as much as
do. I'll admit that you started out
with the intention of amusing yourself
and that met you halfway, thinking
that you might interest yourself and
me at the same time. 1 had no idea
that either of us would learn to care.
But we have-both of us-and yet
there is a barrier preventing my ask
ing you to marry me-a wall between
and don't know that I'll ever be
able to get over it."
She smiled whimsically with the
sudden change of mood characteristic
of her.
"Tell me about it. Pm full of curios-
ity. Is it much of a wall, and what
kindT
I'm not at liberty to tell. but it's a
rather hard one to scale"
"Glass on top" laughter coming
back to her face.
"Figuratively speaking, lots Of it.
Are you a child or a woman, Marion,
that you jump from one mood to an
other this wayY
more of barometer, l suppose.
But I'm intensely interested in that
wall. 1t sounds medieval. Couldn't
you produce a rope ladder as fitting
accompaniment, or are such heroic
measures for scaling obstacles only
seen on the stage? never saw one In
real life"
"Girl, there Is a serious side to you
somewhere, but it's very elusive. It's
the serious side / want to talk to now.
l don't know that / can ever even
make an attempt to scale that wall. If
! felt could do so honorably I would
try 1t with my bare hands," His face
lit with an emotion she had never be-
fore seen In it. you will call it con
ceit. but II is-that / care so much that
don't want you to wait for me II
never get the chance to try to clint
the wall to reach you"
She put her hand on his impulsively
"But you want to conner she asked
more than anything on EARTH" ht
said, and his face grew whittier.
Considering the WALL think you
had better go now" She followed hin
to the door and held out her hand. -
am glad you care" she said simply
When she heard the hall door clos
behind him she sat down on the coucf
and stared absently at the torn far
lying on the chair near. She picked 4
up and tore it slowly and systematic
ally into strips.
II am glad-he-cares," she said me
chemically.
In the two years that passed sh,
saw Graham occasionally on the stree
and nodded TO him In passing. Thetl
few mutual friends seldom mentioned
him, and she heard only enough II
know that he was rapidly succeeding
In his profession.
When the servant brought her hi
card one afternoon she waited unit
the girl had left the room, then reat
1t over and over. Suddenly she threw
1t on her dressing table, drew a lont
breath and went downstairs compos
eddy.
You are quite novelty" she sait
when he rose to meet her.
''I've climbed that WALL" he SAID
hlunflv without any nrnlIdo