Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1908-02-17


Changed
mot in that wayw he said in a slow
voice.
"U-how, them" she stammered, all
a-thrill.
Nerve gone almost. Going to get
1t back again, of course. Feel mil
lion times better already for talking
with you"
"Do-does it really help?"
Its the only panacea for me-" he
said. too quickly to consider his
words
"rhc only one?" she faltered DO
you mean to say that your trouble
illness anything to do with
mo, mol l only
HAS 1t, Stephen"
"Now
because If thought
Sylvia, I'm not that sort. You
mustn't talk to me that way There's
nothing to be sorry for about me. Any
man may lose his nerve and, If he Is
a man. go after it and get 1t back
again Every man has a fighting
chance. You said it yourself once
that a man mustn't ask for fighting
chance; he must take it. And Pm go
ing to take 1t and win out one way
or another"
what do you mean by another
Stephen"
IL Nothing It's phrase
what do you mean? Answer me?'
Its phrase" he said again: mo
meaning. you know
stephen. Mr.. Plank says that you
are lame
What did he say that for?" demand
cd Siward wrathfully.
II asked him. Kemp saw you on
/ crutches ut your window, so asked
Mr.. Plank, and he said you had dis
/ carded your crutches too soon and had
fallen and famed yourself again. Are
you able to walk yet?'
Yes, of course"
| "Outdoors?"
"A-no, not just yet"
| "In other words, you are practically
bedridden."
| NO, no. 1 can get about the room
very WELL"
"You couldn't go downstairs for an
hours drive, could you?"
Cant manage that for awhile he
said hastily.
"Oh. the vanity of you, Stephen ST.
/ ward! The vanity! Ashamed to let
me see You when you are not your
complete and magnifcently attractive
self! Silly, shall see you! shall
drive down on the first sunny morn
| ing and sit outside in my victoria I'M
til you can't stand the temptation an
other instant. I'm going to do 1t. You
cannot stop me. Nobody car stop me.
l desire to do 1t, and that is sufficient,
| l think, for every body concerned. II
the sun is out tomorrow l shall be out
too. | am so tired Of not seeing you!
Let central listen! don't care. don't
care what am saying. I've endured 1t
/ so long-I- There's no use! l am too
| tired Of 1t, and l want to see you.
| Can't we see each other without-with-
thinking about things that are
settled once and for all?'
II can't" he said.
"Then you'd better learn to! The
idea Of you telling me you had lost
your nerve! You've got to get it back
and help me find mine! Yes, it's
gone, gone, gone! 1 lost it in the rain
somewhere today. Does the scent OF
the rain come in at your window? Do
you remember There, can't say it!
Goodby, goodby! You must get well,
and must too. Goodby"
The fruit Of her imprudence was
happiness-an excited happiness, which
lasted for day. The rain lasted, too,
for another day, then turned to snow,
choking the city with such fall as
had not been seen since the great biz
Zard.
Sylvia, at her escritoire, chin Graded
in her followed hand, sat listlessly In
speeding her mail.
She turned her head, looking YEARLY
across the room at the brightly burn
ing fire beside which Mrs. Ferrall sat,
nibbling mint paste, very serious over
one of those books that every body
was reading"
What is the matter?' demanded
Mrs. Ferrall, withdrawing her finger
from the pages and pumping the
closed book down on her knee.
81 have been imprudent" said Syl-
via in low voice.
"You mean''-NIrs. Ferrall looked at
her keenly-"that he has been here!
mo. l telephoned him, and asked
him to drive with me-"
"Oh, Sylvia, what nonsense! Why
on earth do you stir yourself up by
that sort of Stiffness at this late date?
What use is it? Can't you let him
alone? Are you Stephen Siward'
keeper?'
81 felt as though 1 were for awhile
He Is ill.,
"With an illness that, thank God,
you are not going to nurse through
life. Don't look at me that way, dear
I'm obliged to speak harshly; I'm
obliged to harden my heart to such
a monstrous idea"
"Grace, l cannot endure
"You must! Are you trying to drug
your silly self with romance SO you