La Junta tribune., 1908-02-15
The Wall
Between.
sy TROY ALLISON.
copyrighted. i.a. BY E. c. PARCELS.


Her eyes diIaied. but she was quick
Of wit and action. and her reply came
without n moments bc-itation.
Indeed: Your attitude pre~uppose-
4hsi I would Accept yOU--if your sys-
4emaiic and well ordered mind had de-
esded upon the asking" Ironically.
Yes. ! think yon would be replied
yenectiveiy,
Angry spots biazed on Miss F~pton's
cheeks. This is-s little loo much--
from even you She Eripped the arm
Of her chair aud leaned forward. her
blazing eyes looking closely into his
81 have never feen sbIe TO derIde just
what manner Of man you are. Your
Ieticence. your phiegmatic tein,ers-
ment and your crndcness are 80 for.
eixn TO me that they are an nnreSda bic
text I've thought at times that they
might cloak either n vast snounf Of
Intelligence and capa biiiiy--or the lack
OF II. A large man ike you only ha.
10 be reticent to make the world think
hc is n force Ia be nsldered-if he
cared 10 exert himself I have won
dcred al times II your rciicence
masked lack-of original thought.
But under no circumstances had I'm
agiued II hld-colossai conccit.'
Gra hams powerful hands. without n
trace OF the nerve tension In her own.
took from her the Japanese fan that
she was uuconsciously tearing in
shrcds.
\ am not conceited. but l do think
that you would marry ine-if I could
ask you" this In the fashion OF a man
Of little worldly polish. He failed 10
soften and explain his statement by
adding that the desire OF his heart was
10 make her his wife.
She. Judging without this inner
knowledge. fought as roman will
fought TO keep IT from being known
that she had given her ioke unasked.
Il viii admit see no foundation for
your conceit." The ache. In her heart
goadcd her la mercIiess cruelty. How
or why should you think that n woman
Of the world like myself. who has been
accustomed 10 comfort. II not to lux
ury. should care to marry N young ply
sician without ms 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 Il.
counted assets. hut not sufficient To
balance the conccit that could imagine
] would h. content to wear homemade
gowns In order To admire them u life
time-i. who love pretty things. who
like everything us dainty as this" TAX
ing her chain OF pearl beads and hold
ing them before him. letting them slip
between he well mnnicured fingers
She lied bisyely. 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 te should ask her To be
his wife.
Graham, his face pale. spoke slowly.
"unlIke myself. You are never at loss
for words. but | think you have said
more than your world would consider
courteous" he said tersely
Her high strung temperament had
reached u point where she gave her
nerves free rein. AS for caring
she leaned back In her chair and laugh
Ell rcckiessiy-'of course your con
reit prevents your discovering that I
had been amusing myself The SUN
mer was long aud dull. You We're the
mast available man and Interesting be-
cause you were--iess readable than the
others. One looks with Interest at
IN unread book With such expiana-
tion hope your sorrow that YOU could
will not prove crushing She rose
mated that she WAS waltln. for him
10 say goodby,
abraham lowered above her as he rose.
Marion. I'm crude. as you say. and
] am going TO tell you that absolutely
dIsbclieve you. You care-as much as
] do. I'll admit that you started out
with the Intention of amusing Yourself
aud that met you halfway, thinking
that you might interest yourself and
me at the same time. had no idea
that either OF US would learn to care
But we have both Of us-~and yet
there IS n barrier preventing my ask
Ing you TO marry me-a wall between
and don't know that I'll ever lie
able 10 get over II"
She smiled whimsically with the
sudden change OF mood characteristic
OF her.
Tell me about 1t. I'm fun OF curios-
fty. Is 1t much OF wall. and what
kind.'
I'm not at liberty to tell. but it's
rather hard one TO scale
''Glass on top?" laughter coming
back TO her face.
"Figuratively speaking. lots of 1t.
Are you a child or q woman. Marion.
that you jump from one mood to an
other this way
More OF = barometer. l suppose.
But I'm Intensely interested in that
wall. 1t sounds medieval. Couldn't
you produce n rope ladder as a hitting
accompaniment. or are such heroic