The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1908-05-21
THE RUBICoN.

the words were spoken she caught hel
breath, dismayed by the boldness OF the
challenge she had flung nina challenge
that suggested an obvious answer. That
answer she awaited with quickened pulse
and suddenly redeemed cheeks. But, be il
from a distaste for the obvious, be II
from other motives, the reply that Har
| vey made was very far from the reply
she had provoked.
II can imagine nothing less desirable
he answered, in a tone of one advancing
an impersonal opinion upon the most
casual of topics. owe are probably much
better as we are. If we were brother
and sister our association would be for
tuitous instead of the outcome of volun-
tary selection that it is. Oh, we are
much better as we are-just friends"
"And do you think that we always
shall be?'
GAS long as it is your good pleasure y
said he "And that, hope, will be long
indeed"
"You may hope so-yes; but is it a
reasonable thing to expect? Surely, If
you reflect, you must see that some day
it must come to an end"
| w DN IL IL Ddo OCOl yOUA
boast that you will not marry. You pro-
TESS to ask for nothing better than such
! friendship with an intelligent fellow
! creature as is entertained by one man for
another You have done me the honor
to mistake me for the intelligent fellow
creature of your dreams. Since the gain
is mine, am content with the role. You
do not wish to tell me that your views
have changed?"
"To change is feminine she answered,
with assumed lightness. She was desper-
ate now Since he would not, she must.
| 1t would be mOnstrous to allow his alb
silrd pride to ruin both their lives. 81
! hope to be married soon," she told him
with a smile
II must congratulate you" he said
| quietly Il had no notion of it. Is he
is he abroad?"
HE? Oh, no. He is in England"
Harvey's eyebrows shot up in surprise.
"Odd that l should never have heard of
him. Do you realize that you have hard
| " treated me well ?" he complained, with
an assumed air of mock reproach. Il
think that you might have told me be-
FORE Do I know him?"
"How very dull you are!" she cried.
'His name is Harvey Stone" She ut
tered the words boldly and fearlessly;
so boldly and fearlessly that he could
have no notion of the perturbation be-
hind the eyes that so squarely met his
own.
| He shook his head slowly, and smile
| that was full of sadness invested the
eyes he turned upon her. When he spoke
his tone was almost gay, for all that it
had the steady ring that proclaims a
mind resolved.
''Do you know, Evelyn, that for mo-
ment | was almost Jealous" He sighed
and laughed at once. "You were right,
| Just now, when you expressed the wish
/ that [ was your brother, and I was
wrong to rejoice that it was otherwise. D
"But why? Why?"
Because if / were your brother it
would preclude the danger of my aspiring
to become anything else to you, and it
would dispense with the sad necessity
that now exists of putting an end to the
most charming friendship, the sweetest
comradeship of my life"
Harvey, you can't mean it !" she cried,
alarm-and shame even-ringing in her
voice He heard the one and the other,
and he answered both.
II should be poor sort if I meant
anything else Don't mistake me, dear"
His voice grew tender. "You know that
[ love you may as well own it now. I
| imagined that"
"But," she interrupted him, "since you
admit so much, what is there need stand
in our way?"
''There is your money and my beg
| oarV" he answered her.
"Then win my money at play" she
urged him feverishly. "Win my money
and me with it," Her eyes burned; her
cheeks were white; her lips parched, and
her whole being fevered by this battle
upon which she was engaged and which
at all costs she meant to win. Harvey
regarded her with the tolerant eye we
| bend upon an unreasonable child.
81 should ask nothing better had l
anything to set against your stakes.
You forget"
cit is you who forget-who overlook
something" she returned. Il am asking
you to set your will against mine, your
liberty against mine, and to play me
for the one against the other. Listen,
Harvey" she proceeded, in a low, con-
centrated voice; 'you are only consider
ing yourself when you persist in follow
ing your foolish scruples. Please remem-
Der that I count for something Consent
at least, to what am suggesting. Play
me rubber of bridge-or any game you
choose If l win, win you, and l shall
marry you. If I lose, I lose you; you
may retain the liberty you seem to treas
ure so highly, and I will even consent
that we see no more Of each other, II
| Won think that desirable"
He sought to dissuade her, to show hcl
the manifest folly, the utterly illogical
nature of her proposal. But she per
sisted in it to such good purpose that
in the end she almost convinced him
that it was the only fair thing to do
And what her words left unargued his
love completed for her, and laid him al
her mercy. In the end not only did he
consent, but, having consented, he was
eager for the trial-his pulses throbbed
and the old gambling fever that had once
been his undoing was firing him again
By an odd twist in his nature it seemed
to him that, did he win her in the man
ner she proposed, his self respect woulo
be safe He looked at the beautiful face
before him, and as his mind dwelt upol
the charm of her personality, he was