The Southern herald., 1910-12-02
Mans Equal
ByLOUISE OLNEY
COpyrishs. IsIO By Associated Liisrag Press


very sweet. She would have leaped
to his arms, but she knew that once
in the dear, old shelter she could
never let him go. She drew back
Jerry" she said. while wonder
ment and alarm grew in his gaze.
''you-we-have made mistake. l
am going to give you your freedom
cannOt-marry you. | think we
were-you were-too young. Our
lives have grown apart My thoughts
are not your thoughts, and you've
would not be happy" She was We
hement in her speech, utterly un-
like the gentle Elaine. She looked at
him a moment, then turned and al
most ran from him.
Don't you-dare come after me"
she said breathlessly. "I-could not
bear II"
He stood looking after her, and just
as she turned the corner a young fell
low in white fannels and straw hat
Joined her II was Ed Stanton.
So Anne had been right She had
written him that Elaine seemed to be
interested in Stanton. Jerry threw
himself, face downward on the grass
and tried to think It out, tried to
make himself believe the girl was
not in earnest Evidently she was,
and it was unbelievably cruel not to
have given him a hint in her letters,
to have feigned the same unchanged
love for him that she had showed for
years!
Presently he arose and went home.
He had not seen Anne yet, and she
welcomed him royalty, surrounding
him with home attentions And after
dinner when twilight was falling. she
asked him:
And your-marriage, Jerry?"
He answered shortly. There will
be none-Elaine has Just broken the
engagement" He glanced quickly up
and caught something like triumph in
his sisters face. Il suppose, Anne.
that you were right about Stanton,
| have neglected her-and lost her.
1t is my own fault could not ex-
pect a girl like her, infinitely above
me"
The sister interrupted Indignantly:
"She was never your equal, Jerry.
The world knows you could have
married Alma Terriss any day. You
can now. What surprises me is that
Elaine should have the sense to see
things as they are and set you free.
Well, perhaps helped her see it
hope | did"
Her brother stiffened to instant at
tention. Tell me Just what you
mean. Anna" he said with a strange
quiet.
We'll, at the circle this afternoon
somebody brought up the subject Of
college men coming back to home
girls. We spoke of Mary Stevens and
Don, and the failure of their mar
riage. He married her because he
had promised to, and because she had
his freedom and to give 1t to him.
When | began did not think Of
Elaine, and then It was too late to
stop-it would have been worse than
going on. | said that any man who
has lived four years among thinking
college women rarely comes back to
the girl at home unless he is promise
bound that she has nothing but mere
youth and dog-like faith to give
him, whereas he needs the mental COM
panionship and real help in his
career. | could see by her face that
the thought had not occurred to her,
though she had been with Stanton SO
much lately. | daresay 1t made her
| think"
But her brother had snatched his
hat Il dare say It did make her
think" he remarked as he hurried
out of the room and went down the
street as If time itself were at his
| heels
Ten minutes later he painted into
the Waite grounds, through the
pretty rose garden and up to the front
door. Mrs. Waite welcomed him like
the son she had long considered him.
Evidently the good lady had, as yet,
heard of no change in the situation.
Where's Elaine? want to see
her Immediately
She went out into the garden
awhile ago-you will probably find
her"
Without a word he strobe out. She
sat on the rustic bench in the rose
arbor, her arms over the back, her
pretty head bent down upon them.
At his step she jumped up and faced
him in the gloom.
Elaine, you dismissed me, but YOU
did not say 1t was because you no
longer love me. Tell me, truthfully,
that you do not love me, and | will
go, but until then | never will.
love you as l always have loved you,
only a thousand times more. You
are tearing my heart out of me. girl.
lid l neglect you, until you have
fallen back for love on-Stanton?"
That brought her, with a little cry.
to her dear old place in his arms
where she could tell him all about It.
1t took long time and there were
many Interruptions.
Finally he laughed. But I don't