The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1910-01-17


 obstacle in their headlong career, she could have shouted in exultation
 Give me those reinsi"
 She did not recognize the voice at all, so fercely resentful it, the angry eyes into which she looked. For an instant she had forgotten that she was not alone with the horse. The bay was still bounding and quiverng, but unmistakeab1y vanquish- ed, and Elizabeth handed the reins to Paul without word
 Indeed she could not think of word to say. If the affair had been complicated before, where were they now she asked herslf. Paul breathed heavily for time, evidently not trusting himself to speak Then he began severely, eff you-of course you don't realize what very, very foolish thing that was to do, but if you knew very little about horses you'd"
 Elizabeth fairly bounded in her seat! If knew little more about horses! When I know thou. sand times than"
 sudden realization that the incident meant more than dispute driving, came upon her startling ly It flashed through her mind that it meant every thing-meant that she physically couldn't keep 1t up; and that vision almost drove out of her memory the affair of the runaway All that she had been suppressng the last fortnight boiled in inco- herent words.
 "Oh, know it was awful manners but Pm not sor- ry-I can't bel It has saved melt has saved you It has opened my eyes I can't keep it up-nothing in the world is worth having to pretend all your life! I'm not helpless and dependent-I hate it.. I'd rather do anything than pretend to be-even to please you. If you can't like me the way I am-if men such"
 She excited that she did not know what Z she saying. The man cut her short with, "In Heavens name what are you talking about?" The anger in bis face was erased by blankness that amounted to stupefaction. Before this entirely i'm personal and stern visage Elizabeth was suddenly of the immense distance which separated them from the sentimental crisis of few moments ckroivo before in her life She began to cry very violently like frightened child.
 But even through her sobs she began braveIy to explain The big bay, tired and broken, had settled down to sleepy walk before she had fa1tered through her miserable and endless story. She did not spare herself, she did not try to appeal his pity and she ended, "Oh I've been horrible all through! I've deceived you with every word I've said till There isn't thing I've pretended I couldn't do and you've helped with. that can't do wel-vand like to, and like to-" Her last words were spoken defantly, and she faced him with a flash of spirit in her unhappy eyes.
 It the first time she had looked at him since she began to talk, and her heart sank to See how white and severe he looked. Good Heavens!" he exclaimed as she paused, and after moment, Good Heavens!" It seemed to her that he moved to an emotion she did not understand, as though her confession had had some singular effect him quite different from what she imagined.
 Well now at least you know the worst of mel" she said, desperately, to break tine silence.
 He reused himself from his stupor of amazement. "Yes, know the worst of you," he said uncomprom- isingly; but you don't begin to know the worst of me- what might have been the horrible worst of the whole thing. Lord Almighty! he fell again into ejaculations Lord Almighty! What an escape we've had! It makes sick to think of it! Look here it's the last thing would usually tell woman. and it's awfuly discreditabe to me-but you've been honest-we're striking bed rock--you ought to know. Just before the horse ran away-you remember, had said"
 He hesitated, flushed and ashamed.
 "Yes, I remember" the girl prompted him softly.
 'Well, the only possible excuse have is that I've been fighting with all my might to keep from falling in love with you-with the girl thought you were" He drew long breath and summoned all his resolu- tion to go on "Oh you cant understand what ter I've always had of losing my head over a brain less pretty childish, helpless girl and having her hang like mlstone me all my life. I've seen much of that sort of inferno in the life of my friends. We'll, I thought this time I had done it. couldn't stop myself before had said-but latter I'd said that much, felt it would mean lifelong mis- cry if I went on."
 Elizabeth heard loud roaring in her ears and looked blank that Paul hurried on to have the wretched thing over, 'I going to back out" He brought it out finally with the honest buntness of despair. "I going to sneak out by the low, meant pretext that hadn't really proposed. Can you respect man who had meant to do such a thing?"
 The two faced each other, tragic in the deathly seriousness with which youth takes itself
 The girl spoke first. "You say you don't like that
 
 Good Lord, no! No man does. What under the sun is there to like about having to prevent woman from making fool of herself every time she tries to do any"
 She 1ared up at him in unreasonable anger. Her heat showed the immensity of her relief Then. why in Heavens name did you pretend you did?"
 He answered quite simply Why because that the kind of girl you seemed to bel"
 Elizabeth cried out upon him, But I only trying to please you!"
 For a moment neither of them took in the extreme significance of these confessions. They looked speechless into each others bewndered eyes. Thea E "Oh, my dear cried the man. don't you see what has happened? It means we've fallen in love with each other as never two people before, that care for each other as really are, not, not as we've seemed" .
 'How do know what really are, if we've done nothing but lie to each otheri" asked the girl with an impatient selfscorn.
 He unshaken in his joyous and triumphant nterpretationof all "As if it made any difference what people dol It's what they are-underneath." I"
 "But you haven't any idea what am underneath She appealed desperately to be contradicted.