Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1910-12-21

Don't De sorry Tor what l told
you"
I'm not" he said His voice sound
ed mufHed. He did not look at her.
only held out his arm in a mute sign
! to her to come. She felt II around her.
but il was a mere symbol of protec-
ton. 1t lay limp on her shoulder.
and he continued 10 stare through the
window at the street. I'm not sorry
for what you said.' he repeated slow
ly. I'm glad; but. child. l wish it
wasn't true"
Don't. DON'T" she besought him.
"for don't"
He gave her look. That's beau
tiful of you, but'-and he turned to
the window again and spoke to him
self-"it puts an awful face on my
business. All along you've made me
think for you, and of you. more than
you deserve, more than | can afford"
The stare she gave this forced out of
him a reluctant smile, Why. didn't
you know it? Do you think couldn't
have had the sapphire that first
night l saw it on your hand. if fl
hadn't been-well. for the way
thought of you? ] fancied you knew
! that then" He made a restless move
ment. His arm fell from her shout
! der. There's been only one thing
to do from the first" he said, "and l
don't see my way to it,"
"oh. don't take it, Leave it, she
pleaded. Leave it with me. What
does it matter so much? A Jewel! If
only you would leave it and 20 away
| from mel"
He whirled on her. I'm heavens
name, a fine piece of logic, Leave the
sapphire to people who can make no
better use of it than /? Leave you to
go on with this business and marry
this Cressy? Even suppose you gave
me the sapphire. couldn't let you
do thatl"
If gave you the sapphire" Flora
said "oh, he wouldn't marry me
them" She couldn't tell how this had
come to her, but all at once it was
clear, like a sign of her complete
failure: but Kerr only wondered at
her distress.
We'll, If you don't want to marry
him. what do you care?'
"Oh, don't. don't care for that"
She sank back listlessly in her chair
again. She couldn't explain. but in
her own mind she knew that IL she
lost the sapphire she would so lose in
her own esteem; so fail at every point
that counted, that she would never be
able TO see or be seen in the world
again as the same creature. Even to
Kerr-even to him to whom she would
have yielded she would have become
a different thing She realized now
she had staked everything on the
premise she wouldn't have to
! yield; and now it began to APP
pear to her that she would. His
weakness was appearing now as
terrible strength. strength
that seemed on the point Of crushing
her but it could never convince her
That strength of his had brought her
here Was it to happen here, that
strange thing size had foreseen, the
end of her? Was it here she was to
lose the sapphire. and him?
She looked vaguely around the
room, at the most impassive aspect
of the place, as at place she never
expected to leave; the darkening win
dows, the fast-shut door, the child
leaning on the desk, watching them
with ST p, injurious eyes-this would
be her niche forever She would be
left forever with the crusts and the
dregs. And Kerr's figure in the twi
light seemed each time it moved to be
on the point of vanishing into the
| grayness- He moved continually up
and down the narrow spaces between
the tables. He troubled the dry re-
pose of the place. Sometimes he
LOOKED at her. studying, questioning
undecided. Once he stopped. as II
just there an idea had arrested him
He looked at her. as If. she thought
he were afraid of her Then for long
moments he avoid her, until, as
though he had come at last to his de.
cision, he walked straight up to her
and stood above her. She rose to