The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1909-09-22

Il
repeated sternly
| Slowly she drew the diamond from
her finger and laid 1t in his out
stretched hand. He put 1t in the
pocket of his smoking coat and the
lines about his mouth grew more
| tense.
| Now" said he, "you are free.
! This matter of woman tying herself
to a crippled man has been tried be-
/ fore! 1t is all nonsense. 1t doesn't
! work-except in theories and senti-
/ mental fiction. You are not to come
here again-not while things are as
uncertain as they are at present, at
any rate. You are to forget me
forget me, do you understand"
The girl pressed her hand to her
white cheeks. Ted" she said in
credulously, what are you saying?
What does all this mean? Are you
| trying to test me? If you are, it is
| most ill-timed. You-know very well
| would never break it OFF, no matter
what had happened. You are SLAM
dering me--insulting me-"
His face twisted for moment.
Then he smiled grimly.
Il am doing nothing of the Sort"
he declared. II am simply talking
good, cold, common, everyday horse
sense. 1t is better so. Can't you un-
derstand me?"
mo, can't" she said brokenly.
"Then let me make 1t palmer"
said he. 81 wish it. l suppose l am
not very noble about it-but man
in my condition isn't supposed to be
noble, or If he is expected to be he
falls far short of the mark. l wish
it. Do you realize all that means?"
ut means" he went on, that we
are not suited to each other-not
now. In the old days it was different,
but we have to face new conditions,
now. | am eXacting, peevish, broken.
| shall probably be so for the rest of
my life. have got to face the fu-
ture coldly, calmly. In that future
you won't fit You are too sympa-
thetic, too solicitous, too sensitive.
You make me aware every hour of
the day that I am a crippled wreck,
and if | am never better it will be
like that through all the future-a
! future, frankly, / don't dare face
with you. Have l made it all plain,
now?"
The girls face was buried in her
hands. She was shaken with sobs.
She could not see the worn, pitiful
expression on Benson's own face.
"Of course, all this is very hard for
you to listen to, and very hard for
me to say. Still, think it is far bet
ter to say it now than to 80 on ma
king some horrible mistake and find
ing it out when it is too late to rem
edy it."
There was long silence, broken
only by the girls sobs. Benson's face
was turned TO the wall. He did not
dare to look at her.
You will forget me in time" he
said You will marry some other
and better man, and l shall. mayhap.
marry some woman who is fitted to
my peculiar position in life. There
are such woman l thoroughly be-
! lieve."
Again the silence. At last the girl
slowly rose. Her eyes were red and
her shoulders shook convulsively.
''If you wish it, of course" she
coid and turned avov
Benson bit his lips. His face was
gray and drawn.
Goodbye" ne said shortly.
The gir, was looking at him close
ly. Suddenly she dropped on her
knees beside the couch, and burying
her face on his shoulder, wept with
out restraint.
Ted" she cried in choking voice,
you were lying. lying. Tell me it is
so. Tell me that you were lying
for my sake. | can't bear it,"
She felt his hand on her shoulder.
Then she heard his voice, strangely
shaken.
"Yes, It was lie, Margaret" he
was saying, "a CHASTITY lie. l thought
was strong enough to carry it
through for your sake. But I'm not.
Here is the ring. Put it on again,
dearie. New Orleans Picayune.