Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1909-03-11

don began whispering joyous words Of
love to Jane. His eyes were bright
with the gladness that his pain had
brought. She checked his weak out
bursts at first, but before many days
had passed she was obliged to resort
to a firlnness that shocked him into q
resentful silence. She was even harsh
in her command. 1t cut her to the
quick to hurt him, but she was steel
Ing herself against the future.
When he was able to walk out In the
grounds she withdrew farther into the
background Of their daily life. He
hungered for her, but she began to
avoid him with a strange aloofness that
brought starvation to his heart While
she was ever attentive to his wants,
her smile lacked the tenderness be had
known in the days Of danger. and her
face was strangely somber and white.
Jane" he said to her one day as he
came in from his walk and laid down
his crutches, this can't go on any
longer. What is the matter? Don't
you love me-not at allT
She stood straight and serious be-
fore him, white to the lips, her heart
as cold as ice.
81 love you, Graydon, with all my
soul. l shall always love you. Please,
please, don't ask any more of me.
You understand, don't you? We can
not be as we once were-never. That
is ended. But you-you must know
that love you"
&c, che
take that attitude. What else In the
world matters so long as we love one
another? l felt at first that / could
not ask you to be my wife after what
my father did that night That was
as silly of me as this is Of you. l
did not contend long against my love.
You have never been out Of my mind
night or day. l was tempted more
than once to desert, but that was i'm
possible, you know. 1t was the ter
rible eagerness to go back to you and
compel you to be mine My father did
you grave wrong. He
But my father did me a graver
wrong, Graydon. l have thought 1t
all out"
Nonsense, dearest. You have saved
my life. You must save my love.
These last few weeks have knit our
lives together SO completely that nei-
Their Of us has the right to change
Gods evident purpose. l love you for
yourself, Jane. That is enough
There has not been an instant in
which / have felt that any circum-
stance could alter my hope to marry
you You say you have no name.
You forget that you may have mine,
dearest, and it is not much to be
proud of, l fear, in the light of GER
tain things You must be my wife,
Jane"
81 cannot, Graydon. That is Anal
Don't-don't plead. dear. 1t will not
avail. Look into my eyes. Don't you
see that / mean 1t, Graydon"
"By heaven, Jane, your eyes are
lying to me! You can't mean what Is
back Of them. It's cruel; it's wrong
flush! You must not become ex
cited. You are far from strong, and
am still your nurse. Be-
"You are my life; you are every
thing. can't give you up. It's ridicu
lous to take this stand. Be sensible
Look at it from my point Of view"
There is only one point of view, and
love has nothing to do with 1t. Come
let us talk Of something else. Have
you heard from your-your father
Does he know you've been injuredr'
He looked long into her tense face
and then muttered, with the sullen de-
spair of the sick: IT don't know. I've
had no word from any one"
The dispatches have doubtless given
your name. One Of the Chicago CORE
spoudents was talking about you re
Gently. Your father will surely write
to you now"
Are you eager to have him do so7
should think you'd hate his name.
can't help caring for dad, Jane. tried
to curse him, but he really has been
good to me- I don't see how he can
have done the things they say he's
done"
There may be mistake"
That's good of VOC, dear, but you
forget your mothers statements and
all that Rigby says-all that On, I've
gone over all of II, and am convinced.
wonder what has become Of him. He
was afraid -'-of-well. there was talk
of an arrest before I left have not
looked at n newspaper since l saw the
headlines that awful morning. God.
how they must have hurt you"
II. too. have not looked at a news
paper since then, Graydon," she said
simply. He smiled weAnly. and there
was response in her eyes.
He took her hand In his, and they
sat silently side by side on the bench
for half an hour. their thoughts far
away. but Of one another
"Grsydon," she said at last, "are you
going TO remain In the armyr'
mo: am through with It. Ny dis
charge is to be recommended I'm dis
abled"
You will be a. strong ~ ever, dear"
do you want me to stick to the
army! l am only private
"You can do greater thinU out In the
world. know. You wifi BE- 4 srsat
man II you don't lose heart. 0raydoa."
n can't be . soldier. dear. and sup
port q wife on the pay gs&" - said
with 4 SMILE.