Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1910-09-19

terests. Oh. L."
my interests are all herewith
you," he answered. ut is who am to
blame. l should have known what AL.
catrante would do"
"You couldn't know. There was no
way"
II sent you up here to wait for me.
Then, when he and I came in, turned
my back on him, like a blind fool"
mo, no." she protested.
after ALL" he said. lit was. per-
haps, something that neither you nor
could foresee. No one is to blame.
Isn't that the best view to take of II? 2"
Her cheek moved against his as she
Inclined her head.
ct may be selfish In me-" he went
on, "but can't feel unhappy-now."
Her sobs had ceased, and she buried
her face in his shoulder.
81 love you, Girl" he said. brokenly.
~ don't expect you to care so much
for me-yet. But must tell you what
feel. There isnt-there isn't any,
thing wouldn't do for you. Girl-and
be happy doing It,"
She did not speak, and for a long
time they sat in silence. Many emo
! lions were racing through him. His
| happiness was almost pain, for 1t
came to him in this extremity when
there was no hope ahead. She had
not yielded herself, but she had not re-
sisted his embrace; even now her head
was on his shoulder. Indeed, he had
given her no chance to confess what
she might feel for him.
! Nor would he give her that chance
No. it was better that her love for him
he knew now that in her heart she
must love hint was better that 1t
should not be crystallized by definite
expression. For he had thought of a
way by which she. at least might be
aved. With the faint possibility OF
| rescue for them both, he hesitated to
take the step. And yet every moment
be was using that much more OF the
air that might keep her alive through
the night
! It would be only right to wait until
he was reasonably sure that all the
clerks In the Office had gone. That
time could not be long now. But al
|
close; 1t was not SO easy to breathe as
1t had been.
Gently putting her from him, he
said: 1.-THE air will last longer II we lie
down. The heart does not need much
blood, then"
She did not answer. but moved from
her seat on his folded coat, and he
took it and arranged it as a pillow.
and, finding her hand, showed her
where 1t was. He heard the rustic of
her clothing as she adjusted herself on
the floor. She chung to his hand. while
he still sat beside her.
"Now," he said, cheerfully. II am
going to find out what time 1t is, by
breaking the crystal of my watch.
I've seen blind men tell the time by
feeling the dial"
His watch was an old hlnting-case
which had belonged to his father. He
opened 1t and cracked the crystal with
his pocketknife. AS nearly as he could
determine by the sense Of touch 1t was
seven o'clock. Bessie Wallingham
would be wondering by this time why
he had broken an engagement with her
for the second time that day
There is one thing more to do" he
said "It is seven o'clock; I don't know
how much longer we shall be able to
breathe easily. and am going to write
a note which will explain matters to
the persons who And us-if we should
/ not happen to be able to tell them"
I.aboriously he penciled on the back
of an old envelope the explanation OF
their presence there, making a com
plete and careful charge against Alca
trante. He laid the message on the
| floor.
On second thought. he picked 1t UP
again and put it in his pocket. for II
by any chance they should be rescued
he might forget it. In that event Its
posture of facts which the girl and her
father would not care to have dis
closed.
A faint whisper from the girl.
What is it?" he asked, bending
tenderly for her answer.
you must lie down, too"
He began to move. away. as II to
obey her
mo" she whispered-"here. want
you near me-"
Slowly he reclined and laid his head
on the coat Her warm breath was Oh
his face. He felt for her hand, and
found it held tightly to his.
His own mind was still torn with
doubts as to the best course. Should
he put himself out of the way that she
might live? The sacrifice might prove
unnecessary. Rescue might come when
1T was too late for him. yet not toe
late, IL he did not hurry his own end
And if she truly loved him and knew
that she loved him, such an act on his
part would leave her terrible grief
which time would harly cure.
He tried to analyze their situation
more clearly, to throw new light on his
duty. The clerks must all have gone
by now. There would be visit or tive
from a night Waterman, perhaps. but
there was scarcely one chance in a
hundred that he would unbolt the
door.
The air was vitiating rapidly: they
could not both live through the night
Buff she loved him as he loved her