The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1909-09-03
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The Reason


"You needn't read any longer, Mar
garet," said Benson. Somehow I'm
not in the mood for it..
The girl closed the book very soft
ly and turned slowly TO look at the
white face on the couch
you are tired, Ted?" she asked
mo said he with a dry smile,
"not tired, but querulous and rather
peevish, I'm afraid | used to think,
at the first Of it, that ! had some
pluck; but I'm rapidly being disi-
lusioned. l haven't the nerve of
chicken"
"Oh, haven't you, you splendid
boy?" she said. - would like to
know who but you would have laid
here as bravely and uncomplainingly
and faced the things you have the
past year,"
There are thousands Of people
who would have done it much better
than ], said he gloomily. "The thing
Is getting on my nerve. Good Lord,
Idll Slduu IL Ntl l. tdu u
She moved her chair closer to the
couch. Her face suddenly paled with
tenderness and pity. Ted, hush"
she said soothingly. "You mustn't
talk like that that. Think Of your
splendid courage all these long, long
months since the accident. And
every month puts you so much nearer
recovery"
His eyes were turned away. She
saw his fingers working nervously.
That's the rub" he confessed.
What is?" she asked quickly.
4 "The chance of getting better-the
Shance of ever being of any use in
the world again." said he. Gordon
told me this morning very frankly
that 1t was question whether or not
] would ever walk again ! wish he
had told me that in the first place
INSTEAD of carrying me along like this
with his ill-conceived kindness of
Salse hopes"
The girls face grew paler. He
told you that" she asked.
Eyes. He said / had the right to
know. He was perfectly correct
There, too. Only, as I say, he should
have told me in the first place, If he
bad any doubts about it,"
"Why?" said she.
He moved uneasily. ooh, for many
reasons," said he. Things would
have been utterly different. / could
have stood it better, believe, if
bad known it then"
"But it isn't at all certain you are
going to be helpless permanently. ="
che declared. Gordon is simply tell
tng you that TO warn you in case the
worst happens-and the worst is not
going to happen" she ended cheer
fully.
''As to that we can only make sur
mises," said he. Time alone will
settle the question, and from what
Gordon said, and the way he said It.
p am rather inclined to the opinion
that it won't do to have too many
hopes"
The girl said nothing. She was
nooking out the window at the first
green leaves on the street, and her
Ieyes were dim with tears. Benson.
Noo, was looking at the leaves. His
face was stern and set, and about
his mouth were hard lines Of stubborn
determination.
And So" said he, quite as II their
talk had not been broken by the little
period Of silence, Il want to be very
frank with you, Margaret. Let's not
nave any foolishness or any quixotic
business about this affair. | was
thrown from the horse and very ap-
parently / am in this fix for the rest
OF my life. We'll, very good was
very childish just now to cry out SC
against 1t. What is done is done. and
cannot be helped now. But thai
needn't necessarily upset the Who'll,
universe.
She looked at him questioningly
lShe had never heard him talk lik,
this before. His had always been
cheerful, hopeful nature, even afte
the bitter accident had left him [,
spend his tedious, endless days on tn
couch.
First" said he, give me the ring
kpIease."
The girl merely looked at him Il
nnAaiiof