Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1907-08-15
Is. 1oe95.MBazL OvxplIy1

ing down os a heavy burden. THANK
you" was all she said, but she put a
world of meaning into the words.
She took the first homeward turning.
We we're nearly at the house before
| found words that would pave the
way toward expressing my thoughts
my longings and hopes.
You say you have forgiven me-"
said l. Then we can be-friends?"
She was silent, and l took her SOM
Der expression to mean that she
feared l was hiding some %subtlety.
81 mean just what l say, Anita" l
fastened to explain. "Friends-sim-
ply friends" And my manner fitted
my words.
She looked strangely at me. "You
would be content with that?" she
asked.
| answered what l thought would
please her. Let us make the best of
our bad bargain" said l. You can
trust me now, don't you think you
can%
She nodded without speaking; we
were at the door, and the servants
were fastening out to receive us.
| Always the servants between us.
Servants indoors, servants outdoors;
morning, Zoe and night, from waking
to sleeping, these servants to whom
we are slaves. AS those interrupting
servants sent us each a separate way,
her to her maid, me to my valet, I was
depressed with the chill that the OPP
portunity that has not been seen
leaves behind it as 1t departs.
Well" said l to myself by way of
consolation, as I was dressing for
dinner, she is certainly softening to-
ward you, and when she sees the new
house you will be still better friends"
But, when the great day came, l was
not so sure. Alva went for a private
view" with young Thornley,; out of
her enthusiasm she 'telephoned me
from the very midst of the surround
ings she found so wonderful and so
beautiful"-thus she assured me, and
her voice made it impossible to doubt.
! Anu, Jlt GNCulu5 DClOlC IlS SlSoG uoy ,
l going for a final look round, could
find no flaw serious enough to justify
the sinking feeling that came over me
every time | thought of what Anita
would think when she saw my efforts
to realize her dream. l set out for
home half a dozen times at least,
that afternoon, before | pulled myself
together, called myself an ass, and,
with a pause at Delmonico's for a
drink, which | ordered and then re-
jected, finally pushed myself in at the
door. What a state my nerves were
in!
Alva had departed: Anita was wait
ing for me in her sitting-room. When
she heard me in the hall, just outside,
she stood in the doorway. Come in"
she said to me, who did not dare so
much as glance at her.
/ entered. | must have looked as /
felt-like a boy, summoned before the
teacher to be whipped in presence Of
the entire school. Then | was con-
scious that she had my hand-how
she had got it, l don't know-and that
she was murmuring, with tears of
happiness in her voice: ooh, l can't
say it,"
Glad you like your own TASTE" said
/ a~wkwardly. "You know, Alva told
me-
but it's one thing to dream, and a
very different thing to do" she an
swered. Then, with smiling r~eproach:
And I've been thinking all summer
that you were ruined! I've been ex.
pecting to hear every day that you
had had to give up the fight"
"Oh-that passed long ago." said |.
But you never told me-" she re-
minded me. "And Pm glad you didn't"
she added. mot knowing saved me
from doing something very foolish"
She Redeemed a little, smiled a great
deal, dazzlingly, was altogether diff
ferent from the ice-locked Anita of q
short time before, different as June
from January. And her hand-so in
tensely alive-seemed extremely COM
Portable in mine.
Even as my blood responded to
that touch, | had a twinge of cynical
bitterness. Yes, apparently l was at
last getting what l had SO long. SO
vainly, and, latterly, SO hopelessly
craved. But-why was she giving it?
Why had she withheld herself until
this moment Of material happiness?
Il have to pay the rich mans price,"
thought |, with a sigh.
1t was in reaching out for some
sweetness to take away this bitter
taste in my honey that said to her,
When you gave me that money from
your uncle, you did it to help me out?"
She colored deeply. How silly you
must have thought mel" she an
swered.
took her other hand. AS | was
drawing her toward me, the sudden
pallor of her face and chill of her
hands halted me once more, brought
sickeningly before me the early days
Of my courtship when she had infuri-
ated my pride by trying to be sub
missiye." l looked round the room
that room into which l had put so
much thought--and money. Money!
"The rich mans price!" those deli
cately brocaded walls shimmered
m%ockingly at me.
Anita" said I. do you care for
me?"
She murmured inaudibly. Evasion!
thought I, and suspicion sprang on
guard, bristling.
Anita" | repeated sternly, do you