The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1908-06-05

l IL.
Ny husband was one man in a mil
lion-the soul of honor both in bust
ness and in private life. You've read
of his splendid civil war record. Then
he went into business as a contractor
and engineer and earned a fortune,
every dollar of which was honest.
That's something to be proud Of in
these money loving times"
what was the name of the financier
who ruined Mr.. Garrison?" asked Dal-
las, still haunted by the narrative she
had just heard.
mo one knows. 1t was suppressed
at the time. The facts in the written
confession left by Mr. Garrison be-
came public property; but, through po-
litical influence, the name of the man
responsible for the tragedy was sup
pressed. Here I sit chatting on dole
full topics, while those two young peo-
pie are running all over the place un-
chaperoned. Excuse me, won't you,
and I'll look them up?"
She smiled at Alwyn as she left the
room, and his answering smile showed
|
ciated her motive in leaving him alone
with Dallas Wainwright. Perhaps Dali
las, too understood, for she made as
though to follow Mrs. Bennett out into
the lawn. But Alwyn stepped between
her and the window.
Don't 60 just yet" he begged. "Tve
50 much to talk over with you. When
they came in we were speaking of that
paragraph about Gibbs and yourself.
You don't love him, do you, Dallas |?
Tell me you don't!'
what right have you to ask me such
a question:
"Only the right that my love for you
gives me, dear heart. You must have
known I loved you even though I've
never said it before. I love you, Dali
las, though till today, I think, I never
realized how much. Tell me it isn't
true that you're going to marry Gibbs"
Even if it weren't true I should not
marry you, Alwyn.'
"Ah!'
The exclamation was wrung uncOn-
sciously from his whitening lips. It
was as though a pang Of physical pain
had pierced him.
II wouldn't marry you," went on
Dallas, though more gently, "because
you don't really love me-
II do! I do! With my whole heart,
r.
"Oh, Alwynv' she exclaimed with al
most mother-ike tolerance, "what a
child you are! What a mere child!
Some one tries to take away from YOU
a plaything you've grown used to hav-
ing. You never cared especially about
the playthfng before; but, now that
you're in danger Of losing it, you cry
out: oh. I love it! I love itv You'll
soon find another toy that'u make you
forget
"Dallas, you are unfair! You have
no right to treat my love for you as
IT,
GAS if it were mere whim? Isn't
it? Now, don't say No. but look me
in the eyes and answer one question
If Scott Gibbs hadn't proposed to me-
if that paragraph had not appeared in
the paper-would you have come here
today and told me you loved me? No
you know you wouldn'tr
Don't talk like that dear" implored
Bennett 81 tell you l love you. More
than I ever dreamed woman could be
loved. l love you! r.
"There's an easy way to prove it
then"
"What way? Anything"-
by doing something to make me
feel proud Of you. don't feel so now
I could not marry man who loiters
his life away-a man who sits idle
while others are thronging past him in
the upward climb. You are rich
thanks to your fathers efforts. What
have you done with that wealth? II
you've done no harm with it you've al
least put it to no good use. You are
young, talented, highly educated
What have you done with your youth
your talents, your education? How
have you used them for your own bet
terment or for your fellow mems
What have you to offer me? Money
Social position? 1 have plenty Of both
What else can you offer me? Nothing
absolutely nothing"
my love, for one thing. can offe,
you that"
''In what is your love better thar
any other mans? Behind it is mo-
a record of hard work, of self sacrifice
Of achievement-of any of the things
that go toward making love strong an6
enduring and beautiful-to make it {
support that a woman can lean on fol
life? What have you to offer me o,
any other woman?"
There was silence. Yet when Ben
nett spoke there was a new note II
his voice-a ring Of awakening strength
that impressed Dallas in spite of her
self-that sent wholly strange thrill
through her and set her heart to beat
ing with unwonted quickness.
.,~# (To be continued) :,
CAS- ORIA
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