The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1910-12-16

late his letters had been brief, full OF
the homely, simple past, with very
little of life now, his thoughts now,
Had he tired of her? II she tried to
break the engagement would he let
her? Would she have the courage to
try? She could not imagine Jerry
taking dismissal from his meek
Elaine! Then. with sudden decision.
her pride arose In arms. She would
do 1t If it killed her he would have
the chance OF freedom. She would go
straight up to him the minute she
saw him and say
A sound made her turn, and Jerry
stood beside her, reaching out both
hands. He was thin and wan and
worried-looking, but his smile was
very sweet. She would have leaped
to his arms, but she knew that once
In the dear, old shelter she could
never let him 60. She drew back.
Jerry" she said, while wonder
ment and alarm grew in his gaze,
you've made a mistake.
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-we--
would not be happy" She was ve-
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 it."
He stood looking after her, and just
as she turned the corner a young fell
low in white flannels and straw hat
joined her. 1t 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 1t was unbelievably cruel not to
have given him 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.
l 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 yLu 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 l helped her see it
hope l did
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.
where's Elaine? want to see
her Immediately"
She went out into the garden
awhile ago-you will probably find
her"
Without 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
lOu6cI 1--WE luc. 1cl1 Y.
that you do not love me. and will
go, but until then l never will.
love you as 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 a long time and there were
many Interruptions.
Finally he laughed. But I don't
want to marry my equal want an
angel. my superior in every way!
want you! l want real woman who
loves me-not somebody who loves
her work first, herself second, and
her husband third. I'm not third
place man, Elaine-I want every.
thing. Do you see?" It was very
dark in the summer house, but light
dawned on Elaine