The Breckenridge news. (Cloverport, Ky.) 1876-1955, 1908-03-18
llso had suddenly become aware Of her

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also had suddenly become aware Of her
own limits In the same direction.
Forgive me, dear! meant no
mockery"
81 know. After awhile a man finds
laughter difficult"
"I was not laughing at-anything |
was only pretending to be happy"
"Your happiness is before you" he
said sullenly.
"My future, you mean. You know
am exchanging one for the other. And
some day you will awake to the in
fanny of It, You will comprehend the
depravity of the monstrOus trade
made And then - and then" - she
passed one slim hand over her face
"then you will shake yourself free
from this dream of me; then, awake,
my punishment at your hands will be-
gin. Dear, no man in his right senses
can continue to love a girl such as l
am"
After a long silence, do you think
before the year is out that you might
be granted enough cOurager he asked.
mo l shall not even pray for it.
want what is offered me. He might
have stopped me. He did not. And
now what is there on earth to halt
me? Love cannot. Common decency
and courage cannot. Fear of your I'M
happiness and mine cannot. No, even
the gertrude of your contempt some
day is powerless to halt me now. l
could not lOve-I am utterly incapable
Of loving-yOu enough to balance the
sacrifice. And that is final"
..
Grace Ferrall came into the room
and found a duel Of silence In prog
ress under the dull fire glow tinting
the ceiling
Another quarrel" she commented.
turning on the current Of the drop
light above the desk from which ST.
ward had risen at her entrance. You
quarrel enough to marry. Why don't
your
81 wish we could" said Sylvia sim
ply.
Grace laughed What a little foo
you arew she said tenderly, seati~C
herself in Siward's chair and dropphg
one hand over his where 1t rested on
the arm stephen, can't you maxi
her-a big, strong fellow like you? Oh,
well; on your heads be It! My con
science Is now clear for the first time.
and I'll never NEEDLE again" She
gave Siward's hand a perfunctory pat
and released him with a discreetly sti-
fed yawn. I'm disgracefully sleepy.
The wind blew like fury along the
coast Sylvia. have you had good
time at Shotover-the time Of your
lifeY"
Sylvia raised her eyes and encoun-
tered Slward's.
Il certainly have" she said family.
The dinner was very gay. The cere-
mony Of christening the Shotover cup.
which Quarter had won. proceed
with presentation speech and a speech
Of acceptance fautlessly common
place, during which Quarter wore his
smile-which was the only humorous
thing he contributed.
The cup vas full Siward eyed it.
perplexed, .eadly afraid. yet seeing no
avenue Of escape from what must ap-
pear a public exhibition Of contempt
for Quarter If he refused to taste its
contents. That meant Il bad night for
him. Yet he shrank more from the
certain misinterpretation Of a refusal
to drink from the huge loving cup.
with its heavy wreath Of scented or
chids, now already on its way toward
him. than he feared the waking strug-
gle 50 sure TO follow.
Marion received the cup, lifted 1t in
both hands and said distinctly. Good
hunting" as she drank to Quarter.
Her brother Gordon took il and drank
entirely too much. Then Sylvia lifted
it, her white hands half buried among
the orchids "To you" she murmured
for SiWard5 ear alone. then drank
gayly, miSchievouslv. "To the best shot
at Shotover" And Siward took the
cup. Il salute victory" he said, smil-
Ing always and everywhere. To him
who takes the fighting chance and
wins out To the best man, Health"
And ne drank as a gentleman drinks.
with "a gay bow TO Quarter and with
death in his heart
Later the irony Of It struck him so
grimly th1f he laughed. ana Sylvia.
beside him, looked rn, dismayed to see
the gray change iu lis face.
Later at c"r1s tle ar0matic odor Of