Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1908-01-02
CHAPTER XIV.

The young man bent his head and look
ed on the ground He couldn't stand
chaf; but he had to make the best Of it
now-perhaps consoling himself with the
reflection that be would not stand il
after their marriage. l can imagine him
promising himself to break her in and
bring her to meek submission in the tu-
ture. Pity those poor souls who marry
bully they have teased beforehand
81 think this is scarcely a time for
badinage," said he, after pause, still
looking upon the ground and tracing the
pattern Of the carpet with the lash OF ms
whip. II know l am not perfect; but
you must admit that allowances should
be made for a fellow under the influence
of-of emotion"
II am willing to admit that a man
under that condition is not responsible
for his actions-is that enough!"
IF you admit that, what am to un-
derstand by your present attitudef You
seem to forget what took place before
went away"
But do not. You made me an offer
of marriage; but am l wrong in thinking
that you made that under the influence
of emotion? | absolve you from respon-
sibility for action under that condition.
May ! not suppose that you were beside
yourself when you made that proposal,
and overlook the mistake as readily as
that you have committed SINGER
1T was not a mistake, Gertrude
loved you then as / love you now; nave
come here this afternoon to ask you again
If you will have me, faulty as l am-yet
an honest fellow-and be my wife
Nurse Gertrude was not greatly moved
with this speech, which had very little
appearance OF depth and sincerity IN 1t,
despite the quavering of that manly voice.
May l ask why you have thought 1t
necessary to ask me a second timer she
asked, trying to fix his shit,y eyes, and
learn the truth from them.
well, your manner seems to imply
that you consider the engagement broken
Off"
Il did think it broken off. Had L not
reason to think SOP
"Oh, yes the way / spoke to you anu
little Laurie was objectionable"
He paused and looked down again TO
escape from her fathoming eyes. he had
probably thought that there would be lit
tie difficulty in his way, and that he could
just reconcile Gertrude, if she should re-
sent his silence, with a few words or
kiss or two, and without going into any
more vexatious explanation than a mere
avowal of manly weakness under trying
circumstances. DR.. Awdrey had told MIN
to confess the truth, and conceal nothln9'
adding that a woman would forgive the
man she loves anything except dupllclty.
But Lynn, in his own conceited, pig
headed way, had fully relied on his own
cleverness; his contempt for women IN
general disposed him to tell them no more
than was necessary. He would rather
have avoided an explanation when,
though it presented a certain attraction
in being untruthful, would require good
deal of bolstering up to support his as
sumption of honesty and generosity. How
ever, he had bungled so disastrously in
his own attempt, that he saw no escape
from his dilemma but by acting now on
Awdreys suggestion.
1.-THE fact is" said he, changing his
tone with slash at his leg, Il was pur-
posely brutal to little Laure and you
l wished you to take ofense and relieve
me from the engagement"
THAT is what | thought-it was the
only construction | could put upon your
behavior" said she.
Il dare say you wonder what my rea-
son was l will tell you. l can't conceal
the truth, and l know well enough that
there's nothing a loving woman will not
forgive, except duplicity.
A new warmth glowed in Gertrude's
heart. She liked those words; they were
good and true-it never struck her that
they might be DR., Awdrey's.
II knew that through Keene's delay |
was ruined-that had nothing whatever
to expect from my uncle's will. I knew
that | must no longer cherish the thought
of making you my wife, in debt and pen
niless as l was, and-but there, you can
imagine the rest"
You wanted to give me the opportu
nifty of breaking the engagement, before it
might appear that our separation was due
TO mercenary considerations on my part
oh, that was generous y exclaimed Nurse
Gertrude, carried away by her own impul-
sive and generous recognition of an I'M
selfish-nay, chivalrous motive on his
part. All my warning was forgotten in
an instant.
II did not want to tell you this" he
said, in a tone that seemed to disclaim
any merit to gratitude.
But YOU wronged me, Lynn" she said
gently-"you wronged me. to think
might wisheto break the engagement be-
cause YOU were less rich than YOU ex-
pected to be when you made me an offer"
She held out her hand to him frankly.
and he took it. If he had been wise
enough to tell her all that had passed be-
tween him and Audrey, she would have
been his without doubt. In return for an
omen avowal, she would have swept aside
nv warning and all prudential CON
siderations, put the best construction on
his motives, and Scorned to entertain any
suspicion of mercenary motives which
might be suggested by his conduct Now
was the time for him to spring up and
put his arms around her; but he hung
hack. the dolt With that perverse idea
OF a girls mental inferiority, he thought
he had told her enough. Possibly he was
annoyed in being forced to abandon his
own way of winning her, and act upon
Awdrey's more generous and manly adj
vice. Perhaps, believing that she was
anxious to get him, he thought he might
treat her with a little indifference as a
kind of punishment for her previous cool
ness. There is no knowing the extent of
pitiful meanness a heartlesS man is not
capable of Anyhow, he sat there in 81
lence. waiting for her to make a further
advance. And that, giving her time for
reflection, saved her.
Are you greatly in debt, Lynn" she
asked after a little consideration.
''Oh, not great deal" he replied care
lessly; "a few hundreds"
And how do you propose to pay your
debts?" she asked.
That viii be all right. The fellows
won't press for payment. They know
their only chance is to wait till get a
bit straight"
How do you mean to get straight, as
you call it," she asked, smiling.
Hang it all, Gertie. - he exclaimed pet
ulantly, lets drop this subject l came
to make love to you, not to talk about
money"
Yes: but the two subjects seem to