Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1908-02-01

/ starlight. could follow and divine wha
he had scarcely expressed to himself.
or her instincts had taken a shorter
cut to forestall his own conclusion.
Don't think the things you are
thinking" she said in a fierce little
voice, leaning toward him.
what do you mean?' he asked,
| taken aback.
"You know! Don't! 1t is unfair-it
| Isis faithleSs-to me. | am your
friend. Why not? Does it make any
! difference to you whom l marry? II
such a friendship as ours is to become
worth anything to you-to newly
should it trouble you that know and
am thinking of things that concern
you? Is it because the confidence is
one sided? Is it because you have
given and / have listened and given
nothing in return to balance the ac-
count? | do give interest-deep inter
est, sympathy if you ask it; l give
confidence in return if you desire it,
"What can a girl like you need Of
sympathy?" he said, smiling.
"You don't know, you don't know!
If heredity is dark vista and if you
must stare through it all your life,
sword in hand, always on your guard,
do you think you are the only oneY'
care you-one" he said incredu-
lousy.
"Yes," with an involuntary shudder,
mot that way. 1t is easier for me.
think it is. l know it is. But there
are things to combat-impulses. a
recklessness, perhaps something al
most ruthless. What else | do not
know, for l have never experienced
violent emotions of any sort-never
even deep emotion"
"You are in lover
eyes, thoroughly" she added, with
conviction, "but not violently. r.
She hesitated, stopped short, leaning
forward, peering at him through the
dusk, and, "Mr. Siward, are you
laughing?" She rose, and he stood up
instantly.
There was lightning in her dark eyes
now; in his something that glimmered
and danced. She watched it, fascinat-
ed. Then of a sudden the storm broke,
and they were both laughing convul-
sively, face to face, there under the
stars.
'Mr. Siward," she breathed, 81 don
know what | am laughing at, do you?
You-you infer that / am either not
in love or incapable of it or too igno-
rant of it to know what I'm talking
ri ;c,x y1of
have done to me tonight"
"T-I'm sorry
"Are you"
81 ought to be anyway" he said.
It was unfortunate An utterly in
excusable laughter seemed to bewitch
them, lowering always close to his lips
! and hers.
"How can you laughr' she said.
"How dare you! I don't care for you
nearly as violently as l did, Mr.. ST.
ward. A friendship between us would
not be at all good for me. Things pass
too swiftly-too intimately. There is
too much mockery in YOU She ceas-
ed suddenly, watching the somber al
teration of his face, and, "Have hurt
your she asked penitently.
"No."
"Have l, Mr. Siward? 1 did not
mean it," The attitude. the words,
slackening to trailing sweetness. and
then the moments silence stirred him.
'I'm rather ignorant myself of vio-
lent emotion. l suspect normal people
are. As for our friendship. We'll do
the best we can for it, no matter what
occurs,' he added, thinking. of Quar-
rier. and, thinking of him. glanced up
to see him within earshot and moving
straight toward them from the veran-
ola above.
There was a short silence, tenta-
tive civil word from Siward, then
| Miss Lands took command of some
thing that had a grotesque resem-
blance to situation. A few minutes
later they returned slowly to the
house, the girl walking serenely be-
tween Siward and her preoccupied af1-
anced.
eff your shoes are as wet as my
skirts and slippers you had better
| change, Mr.. Siward." she said, paus-
ing at the foot of the staircase.
| SO he took his congee, leaving her
standing there with Quarter and
mounted TO his room.
In the corridor he passed Ferrall,
who had finished his business CORE
spondence and was returning to the
| cardroOm.
Here's a letter that Grace wants
you to see," he said. Read it before
! you turn in, Stephen"
Call right. but III be down later"
replied Siward, passing on, the letter
in his hand. Entering his room, he
kicked off his wet pumps and found
dry ones; then moved about, whistling
a gay air from some recent vaudeville.
busy with rough towels and silken
footgear, until, reshod and dry, he was
ready to descend once more.
The encounter, the suddenly inform
al acquaintance with this young girl,
had stirred him agreeably, leaving a