Camas Prairie chronicle. [volume] (Cottonwood, Idaho) 1901-1917, 1908-08-28
CHAPTER XIV.

AuO yOuuS uoA OenL Lis hotu aAN ROON
cd on the ground. He couldn't stand
chat; but he had to make the best OF 1t
now-perhaps consoling himself with the
reflection that he would not stand
after their marriage. l can imagine him
promising himself to break her in and
bring her to meek submission in the fu-
ture. Pity those poor souls who marry
q bully they have teased beforehand
II think this is scarcely a time for
badinage," said he, after q pause, still
looking upon the ground and tracing the
pattern Of the carpet with the lash OF his
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"
IL am willing to admit that man
under that condition is not responsible
for his actions-is that enoughT
'If you admit that, what am l to IN
derstand by your present attitudeT 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 emotion2 I absolve you from respon-
sibiIity for action under that condition.
May I not suppose that you were beside
yourself when you made that proposal,
and overlook the mistake as readily as
that you have committed since"
at was not a mistake, Gertrude
loved you then as love you now; have
come here this afternoon to ask you again
If you will have me, faulty as l am-yet
IN honest feIlow-and be my wife,"
Nurse Gertrude was not greatly moved
with this speech, which had very little
appearance of depth and sincerity in it,
despite the quavering of that manly voice.
MAY ask why you have thought it
necessary to ask me a second timer" she
asked. trying to Ak his shifty eyes, and
learn the truth from them.
'Well, your manner seems to imply
that you consider the engagement broken
or"
II did think 1t broken off. Had 1 not
reason to think SOP
"Oh, yes; the way l spoke to you and
little Laure 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 mere
avowal OF manly weakness under trying
circumstances. DIR. Awdrey had told him
to confess the truth, and conceal nothing,
adding that a woman would forgive the
man she loves anything except duphcity.
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 which,
though II presented a certain attraction
In being untruthful, would require a good
deal Of bolstering up to support his as
sumption Of honesty and generosity. How
ever, he had bunglsd 80 disastrously In
his own attempt, that he saw no escape
from his dilemma but By acting now on
Awdrey'S suggestion.
1.-THE fact IT," said he. changing his
tone with q slash at his leg, II was pur-
posely brutal to little Laure and you.
I wfzAsa you 10 take Ofenss and relieve
me from the engagement"
only Construction could put upon your
behAXior," said she.
az dare say you wonder what my rea-
son was. will tell you. can't conceal
the truth, and know well enough that
there's nothing q loving woman will not
forgive. except duplicity."
A new warmth glowed in Gertrude's
heart. She liked those words: they were
goOA and true-it never struck her that
they might be DIR. Awdrey's.
II knew that through Keene's delay
was ruihed-that had nothing whatever
to expect from my uncle's will. knew
that must no longer cherish the thought
Of making you my wife, in debt and pen
niless a. was, and-but there, you can
imagine the rest"
"You wanted to give me the opportu-
nifty Of breaking the engagement, before 1t
might appear that our separation was due
to mercenary considerations on my part.
Oh, that was generOusl |" exclaimed Nurse
Gertrude. carried away BY her own impul-
sivO and generous recognition Of an un-
selash-nGy, q chlvalrOus motive on his
part. All my warning was forgotten in
an instant.
II did net want to tell you this" he
said, In a tome that seemed to disclaim
any merit to gratitude.
"But you wrOnged me, Lynn" she said
gently-''you wronged me, to think I
might wish to break the engagement BE-
cause you were less rich than you ex-
pected to be when you made me an oaer."
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 Awdrey, she would have
been his without doubt. In return for an
open avowal, she would have swept aside
my warning and all prudential con-
Giderations, 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 tho time for him to spring I'd and
put his arms around her; but he hung
back, 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 ad.
vice. Perhaps, believing that she was
anxious to get him, he thought he might
treat her with little Indifference as 8
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