Shoshone journal. [volume] (Shoshone, Idaho) 1884-1931, 1907-08-02


you will find me calm from now on
and reasonable
Not too reasonable. please" said
], 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 we?"
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 brother of ny f@tSsr'A al
ways used to like min best-and still
do. But ne married a woman mamma
thought-queer. They hadn't much,
so he lives away up on the West Side
One Hundred and Twenty-seventh
street.
AuC WioC pldHs tlic OuiN WISE pldus
said l. not so calm as she must have
thought me, lis to go to my partners
house and send for 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" I persisted. I'VE must
be married tonight. No more uncer.
tainty and indecision and weakness.
Let us begin bravely, Anita"
Tomorrow" she said. But not to-
night l 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 tiatter
her into suspecting you of weakness
and herself of strength. I 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
of her secure confidence in my obed
fence. and exclaimed: This is not
the wayi" 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, it's 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 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 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 so
and refuses to marry your" She had
tried to concentrate enough scorn into
her voice to hide her fear.
Il would" said 1. "And I 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 l can not marry you"
she cried. between appeal and COM
mand. There are reasons-I may
not tell you. But if | might, you
would-would take me to my uncle's.
can not marry you'll"
THAT is what conventionality bids
you say now" I replied. And then l
gathered myself together and in a
tone that made me hate myself as l
heard it, added slowly, each word
sharp and distinct: But what will |
bid you say tomorrow
morning, do VIC uiIFc uOWu ClOWucu /
Fifth avenue, after night in this
l could not see her, for she fell back
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: Il will
go where you wish" And she said it
in tone that makes me vince as 1
recall it.
l 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
caught: They have broken my will
they have broken my Will"
My partner lived in a big. gray.
stone housA that stood apart and COM
manded a noble view of the Hudson
and the Palisades. 1t was, in the
main, a reproduction of French cha
teau. and such changes as the archt.