The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1908-04-17

honest with you, want to give you my
confidence and my-but I can't. l.
can't tell you anything. You must
wait"
LISTEN" he commanded, again
leaning toward her. There is some
thing which makes me think you love
me. l shall ask nothing o of your
father, or Of your plans, because l
want to make you see the position"
He frowned at the waiter, who came
toward them and then retreated.
Norm" he went on, there is to be
war. Your country is unprepared. It
will be overrun by an enemy that Is
ruthless and that will come to con-
quer. The end may not be defeat;
but as certain as death this country
will writhe and suffer before it can
regain the ground 1t will lose in the
outset. Cant you see that? Can't
you understand what it will be for
you and your father here under such
conditions? Don't you know that for
your very safety you must leave? AS
my wife, or even my b%etrothed, I can
make the way so much easier for
you! Give me the right, dear, give me
the right"
ut is impossible" she replied, turn
ing toward him again; and he looked
hurt. 1T is the very danger of wal
that makes it so. You don't know
how much 1 wish I could say yes to
you; but it's impossible. I must be
with my father. I owe it to him. He
can't 90 away, nor a l leave him.
So until the way is clear we can be
friends only, and no more"
He sat stunned for a moment, vain
ly striving to understand a circum-
stance or combination of conditions
which could have dictated such an
answer. Then the thought came that
perhaps the girl before him was ma
king a sacrifice to some awful men
ace, and it could be only one thing
the threatened insanity of her father.
But what had the war to do with that?
Perhaps she would never be more to
him if her father went insane, because
then she would say no because of her
very love for him, and the fear for pos
terity. Their happiness, then, was to
depend upon the condition of an old
mans mind.
Norm" he asked, softly, "is it in
sanity?"
She turned toward him in amaze
ment, not fathoming his line of reason
ing. II can tell you nothing more"
She spoke as one under stress and
suppression. "You must ask nothing
more. You must take my love on
faith or not at all until you know it is
time for you to tell me again that I
am necessary to you"
He felt that it was a crisis with
them, and slowly thought of what he
might say to break away this barrier
or induce her to remove the embargo.
They sat looking into the distance;
but before he could formulate an ar
gument the sound of a horses hoofs
madly Gathering owe the pavements
caught their attention. 1t ame near
er and nearer, and then past them on
the street below a man in soldiers I'M
form flashed by. They looked at each
other wonderingly, half starting to
their feet, and as they looked a sudden
pandemonium broke forth.
From an alleyway nearby burst an
army of newsboys, the streets sudden
ly became alive with pedestrians
belched forth from cafes and hotels,
and above all other sounds came the
cries of "Extry! Extry! Wa broken
out! War!<' War! 'War!". @
She turned away from him as If in
those cries were an irrevccable SEN
tence of misery. parted the vines and
stood silently looking out into the
night; and he knew without seeing
that in her eyes were tears.