Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1909-07-09
CHAUTER Vln.-Continued.

it off Good heavens, do you think l
am going to lose you now?" His voice
had risen harshly, but he checked him
self. Forgive NE, dearest-Pm talking
roughly, but you've given me about as
puch as 1 can bear already. Of course
you will break it off? You mean that
you will?"
NO. l cannot!" She wrung her hands
together "Oh, you don't understand!
He has cared for me so long. He has
waited so patiently. He has worked so
hard to be able to ask me to marry him.
l can't break my word and betray him
So Not even for you. / dare not! I
l will notl"
She let her face fall upon her hands
upon the mantel- board. wondering vague
" how much more she would endure
without shrieking, fainting, losing her
senses. When he spoke his voice was
quiet, ominOusly quiet. She could
picture his darkened face, the steely,
rueful glitter of his eyes, but she did not
stir.
"You mean this, Verona2"
"Yes!"
You'll marry this man-that it is a
crime against him, yourself, doesn't mat
ter? You will marry him?'
Il must!" Her voice was nearly in
audible.
"You understand that if go now-if
you send mel shall never come back.
DO you send me away? Yes or no2"
She made gesture. Her tongue would
obey her no more, and she dared not
look at him. Dizzy, cold, shuddering, she
stood and listened, and presently heard
the clash of the garden gate The sound
might have been a stab in her heart;
she put her hands over her lips to stife
scream, and dropped almost fainting
into the chair. Then she slipped to the
floor and lay there, thankful that utter
exhaustion of mind and body for a time
dulled her pain.
She was sitting 1T her desk on the af-
ternoon of the uext day, not writing,
although the uen was in her hand. She
had taken Roberts ring out of the
drawer and put it on her finger; her
heavy eyes were absently fixed upon
the glitter of the stones when a sound
made her look up to see the tall dog cart
and the black mare standing just beyond
her garden wall, and Robert himself
opening the gate.
She stood up mechanically as he came
unto the room, saying something quite as
mechanical by way of salutation. 1t
gave her surprise to find that she need
not have shrunk from his greeting kiss,
as she had instinctively done; he made
no attempt to offer it, and he had hardly
taken her hand. Looking at him she saw
that his usually rudy face was pale, and
that he was regarding her in an odd way,
half defiant, half apologize.
What is it, Robert?" she asked, her
tone vaguely wondering "Is there any
thing the matter?''
YES" Robert said. He squared his
broad shoulders, and seemed to plant
himself more firmly upon his feet. "There
is, Verona. don't know what you'll say
to me, but I've come to tell you because
there's nothing else to be done" He
stopped. "Do you remember-it's not so
dong ago-the day l asked you to marry
me"
Yes she said.
"Of course you remember said Robert.
81 didn't mean that so much as what
you said to me-" He looked at her with
q resolute setting of his face. "You said,
you know, that if | hadn't asked you
you would have had nothing to complain
of-that you wouldn't have felt that I'd
behaved shabbily. And / said what was
true enough, that l had always meant
to ask you as soon as l could, and that
I'D never so much as thought of another
woman. That was true enough, too; |
never had thought of another-then!"
"ThenY'' Verona repeated She half
rose-in a flash she understood. Nelly"
she said
Yes Robert answered stolidly.
There was a silence. Roberts pale face
had flushed ruddily and grown white
again before he spoke.
Il don't know what you'll say to me,
Verona; but-well, so it is. He stopped.
''She had letter last night saying that
she must 60 home, and she began to cry.
Il don't know how it happened-I
don't know how it happened-I don't
know what I said. I'd never thought
about her earing-the little thing. And
i swear to you that I'd never known be-
fore how man can care for woman
how he ought to care-the only way that
Is worth anything"
He stopped again.
Woman for woman, l suppose she
can't tie your shoe strings-I know she
can't for that matter. But it isn't that
once more; his pauses were more elo-
NAAAAA his SPCCSh' "idS . AOAS 40
done. / can't 60 back from tip
No; you can't go back from it," We
ront repeated quietly. 1t is very simple,
Robert, and quite understand. You love
Nelly, and you never loved me. 1t
doesn't matter-not in the least. My
dear, don't love you'll"
You don't?" Robert cried. At
another time she might have laughed
at his face of rauturous relief. "You don't
Verona? Do you mean it 2"
Yes, ! mean it?' We were very
foolish to fancy that we were meant for
anything more than friends, you and l.
We have both found it out, and l was
even quicker at doing so than you" She
gave him her hand with a smile ''You
are quite free, Robert, and quite right"
She sat for long time motionless
after he had left her taking with him
the ring, which must, she told him, be
finger.