Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1908-01-18

ty she had never dreamed Of risking
] nor had she the slightest idea whittier
| the current would carry her
They had stopped on the lawn, ankle
deep in wet grass, the stars overhead
sparkling magni6cently and In their
ears the outcrnsh of the sea.
you mean me-" he concluded.
"Do IL"
He looked up into the lovely facs
Her eyes were very sweet, very clear
clear with excitement, butvery friendly
LET us sit here on the steps n little
while, will your" she asked.
So he found a place beside her one
step lower, and she leaned forward,
elbows on knees. rounded white chin
in her palms. the starlight giving her
bare arms and shoulders Il marble lus-
ter and tinting her eyes . deeper
amethyst
And now, innocently untethered. mis-
sion and all, she laid her heart quits
| bnre-one chapter OF 1t. And, like 9th
| err women Grant who believe in the
influence of their sex individually and
collectively, she began wrong by tell
ing him of her engagement perhaps to
emphasize her pure Observation-Disclosures
in crusade for principle only.
SO 1t was when she was most elo-
| uuent. most earnestly insplred-nay.
in the very midst Of plea for sweet
ness and light and simple living-that
his reasonings found voice In the ma
terial comment
II never imagined you were en-
gagged"
"Of course you didn't. You'd known
me for about three hours--there on the
Cliff
"But-Quarrier''-
Over his youthful face a sullen shad-
ow had en-hickering, not yet set
tied. He would not for anything on
earth have talked freely to the woman
destined to be Quarters wife. He
had talked too much anyway. Some
thing in her. something about her. had
lOosened his tongue. He had made Il
plain ass Of himself. that was ala
garrulous ass. And truly 1t seemed
that the girl beside him, even in the
starlight, could follow and divine what
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 fierce little
voice, leaning toward him.
What do you meant" he asked,
taken aback.
you know! Don't! 1t Is unfair-it
! Isis faithless-to me. am your
friend. Why not? Does 1t make any
difference to you whom marry? II
such friendship as ours Is to become
worth anything to you-to newly
should it trouble you that l know and
am thinking Of things that concern
you? Is 1t because the confidence Is
one sided7 Is 1t because you have
given and l have listened and given
nothing in return to balance the nc
count? do give Interestingly inter
est, sympathy If you ask 1t; give
confidence in return If you desire it."
"What can girl like you need of
sympathy" he said, smiling.
"You don't know, you don't know!
II heredity is dark vista and il you
must stare through 1t all your life,
sword in hand, always on your guard.
do you think you are the only one?'
Are you-one?" he said tncredu-
lousy.
Yes" with an Involuntary shudder,
mot that way. 1t Is easier for me.
think it is. I know 1t 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 love!"
Eyes, thoroughly" she added. with
conviction, 1btt not riolently. r.
She hesitated, stopped short, leaning
forward, peering at him through the
dusk, and, "Mr. Stward, 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 sudden the storm broke,
and they were both laughing convul-
siyely. face to face, there under the
stars.
.N1r. siward," she breathed, II don't
know what am laughing at, do you
You-you infer that l am either not
In love or incapable Of it or too igno-
rant of it to know what I'm talking
about. That, Mr. Siward, is what you
have done to me tonigh'"
"I-I'm sorry
care you?"
| 81 ought to be anyway" he said.
1t was unfortunate. An utterly In
excusable laughter seemed to bewitch
them, lowering always close to his lips
and hers.
"How can you laugh" she said
"How dare you! l don't care for you
nearly as violently rs did, Mr.. 81
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 a.
iteration of his face, and, Have hurt
your" she asked penitently.
"No."
"Have I, Mr.. Siward? I 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 VIC