The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1910-10-06

0 choose nice words"
They were seated in the library.
where for two hours they had remain
ID undisturbed, Emerson talking rap
idiy, almost incoherently
And you did all that for me-" she
unused. Il wonder if any other man
| know would take those risks just for
me-"
'Of course Why. the risk. I mean
the physical peril and hardship and
discomfort, don't amount to-that." He
snapped his fingers. 1T was only the
unending desolation that hurt; 1t was
the separation from you that punished
me-the thought that some luckier fel-
low might
dignant. Il told you to fix your own
time. and l promised to wait Even if
had nct-cared for you 1 would have
kept my word. That is Wayland
principle. AS it is, it was-compara-
lively easy"
Then you do love me. my lady?"
He leaned eagerly toward her.
do you need to ask:" she whisper
ed from the shelter of his arms. 1T
is the same old fascination Of our girl
and boy days. Do you remember how
completely lost my head about you?"
She laughed softly. 81 used to think
you wore q football suit better than
anybody in the world! Sometimes /
suspect that it is merely that same
girlish hero worship and can't last.
But it has lasted-so far. Three years
is long time for a girl like me to
wait, isn't itT'
Il know, I knew!' he returned jeai-
ously.
"But legions of men are counting you.
Oh, 1 know. Haven't 1 devoured So
ciety columns by the yard? The pa
pers were six months old, to be sure,
when I got them, but every mention
Of you was Just like knife stab to
me. used to torture my lonely soul
with pictures Of you. You were never
out Of mind for an hour. My days
were given to you. and l used to pray
that my dreams might hold nothing
but you. You have been my fetish
from the first day met you. and my
worship has grown binder every hour.
Mildred. Oh. my lady, how beautiful
you arer'
And indeed she was. for her face, or
dinarily so imperious. was now softly
alight; her eyes, which other men
found cold. were kindled with a rare
warmth Of understanding; her smile
was almost wistfully sweet
He recalled how excited he had been
in that faraway time when he had
first learned her identity, for the name
of Wayland was spoken soundingly in
the middle west In the early stages
Of their acquaintance he had looked
upon her aloofness as an affectation.
but close intimacy had compelled
recognition Of it as something wholly
natural. He found her as truly pa
trician as Wayne Wayland. her father.
could wish. The old mans domain was
greater than that of many princes, and
his power more absolute. His only
daughter he spoiled as thoroughly as
he ruled his part of the financial world.
and willful Mildred, once she had taken
an interest in the young college man SO
CN1OCulIS ICdOS " OC uuldOCA Su AkhShS
her lovers. did not pause half way,
but made her preference patent to all
and opened to him a realm of dazzling
possibilities.
And when he had graduated how
proud Of her he had been. How little
he had realized the gulf that separated
them. and how quick had been his
awakening.
1t was Wayne Wayland who had
shown him his folly. He had talked
to the young engineer kindly. if firmly.
! being too shrewd an old diplomat to
fan the fame of headstrong love
with vigorous opposition.
/ mildred is a rich girl" the old
fnancier had told Boyd. "a very rich
girl, one of the richest girls in this
part Of the world, while you. my boy
what have you to offer?"
Nothing! But you were not always
what you are now" Emerson had re-
piled. Every man has to make
start When you married you were
as poor as am
'Granted. But I married a poor
girl from my own station in life. For
tunately she had the latent power To
/ develop with Inc as l grew. SO that we
kept even and | never outdistanced
her. But Mildred is spoiled to begin
! with. | spoiled her purposely 10 pre-
vent just this sort of thing She is
I bred TO luxury. her friends are rich
and she doesn't know any other kind
Of life"
And SO it was that Boyd Emerson
had gone to Alaska. to the klondike.
to win Il fortune and thus to win the
girl he loved. He fixed his own time
for returning. and SO it was that Mil
dred Wayland had awaited him.
If today. after three years CT depri-
walton. she seemed to him more beau
tiful than ever-the interval having
served merely to enhance her charm
and strengthen the yearning Of his
:: heart-sIie seemed in the same view
still further removed from his sphere
! His story finished. Boyd went on to