Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1910-08-19

Yes, if you will tell the plain truth.
Lacking agination, can't do any
thing else. Nan has had falling-out
with the old scamp of a moonshiner
who calls himself her father. She came
to me for help, and broke down in the
midst of telling me about it. can't
stand a woman's crying any better than
other men,"
And that was all-absolutely all.
Tom?'
Il don't lie-to you," he said, briefly.
She gave him her hand with an i'm
pulsive return to the old comradeship.
Il believe you, Tom, in the face of all
the-the unlikeliness. But please don't
try me again. After what has happen
ed" she stopped in Difference to some
thing in his eyes, half anger, half be-
wilderment, or most skillful simula-
ton of both.
Go on" he said; tell me what has
happened. I seem to have missed
something"
NO." she said, with sudden gravity.
II don't want to be your accuser or
your confessor; and If you should try
to prevaricate, should hate you'll"
There is nothing for me to confess
to you, Ardea," he said, soberly, still
holding the hand she had given him.
You have known the worst Of me, al
ways and all along, I think"
Yes, have known" she replied,
freeing the imprisoned hand and turn
ing from him. And have been sorry,
sorry; not less for you than for poor
Nan Bryerson. You know now what I,
thought-what / had to think-when
saw you with her this evening"
It was slowly beating it's way into
his brain. Little things, atoms of sug-
gestion. were separating themselves
from the mass of things disregarded to
cluster thickly on this nucleus of re-
vealment: the old story of his COM
panying with Nan on the mountain;
his uncle's and Japheth's accusation at
the time; and now the old moonshin-
er's enmity, Japheths meaning look
and distrustful silence, Mans appear
ance with child bearing his own
NAME the glances askance in Hargis'
store when he was buying the little
stock Of necessaries for the poor out
cast. 1t was all plain enough.
Tell me-" he said, thickly; "you
heard this: you believed it. Have I
been misjudging you?"
mot more than I misjudged you.
perhaps. But that is all over, now; I
am trusting you again, Tom. Only, as
I said before, you mustn't try me too
hard"
Let me understand" he went on.
still in the same strained tone. "Know-
ing this or believing it, you could still
find a place in your heart for me-you
could still forgive me, Ardea? ?"
Il could still be your friend: yes"
she replied. Il believed-others believ-
ed-that your punishment would be
great enough; there are all the coming
years for you to be sorry in, Tom. But
in the fullness Of time / meant to re-
mind you of your duty. The time has
come; you must play the mans part
now. What have you done with her?"
Walt moment. I must know one
other thing" he insisted. "You heard
this before you went to Europe?"
Long before"
And it didn't make any difference in
the way you felt toward me?"
TT did; it made the vastest differ
| ence." They were pacing slowly I'D
and down the portico, and she waited
until they had made the turn at the
Woodlawn end Before she went on. I
thought knew you when we were bow
and girl together, and, girl-like I sup
pose had idealized you in some ways
I thought I knew your wickedness, and
that they were not weaknesses; $3.50
it was a miserable shock. But it WIS
not for me to judge you-only as you
might rise or sink from that desperate
| starting point. When I came home I
| was sure that you had risen; l have
been sure of it ever since until-until
| these few wretched hours tonight
They are past, and now I'm going to
be sure of it some more, Tom
What if 1 should tell you that you
are mistaken"
Don't" she said, softly. That would
| only be smashing what is left of the
ideal. l think 1 couldn't bear that"
And you've been calling this friend
ship! Ardea, girl, it's Lowell"
Ardea shook her head slowly.
NO." she rejoined, gravely. AT one
time I thought was afraid-that 1t
| might be- But now know it isn't"
How do you know it?"
Because love. as I think of it. is
stronger than the traditions, stronger
than anything else in the world. And
! the traditions are still with me. adj
NIT the existence of the social pale.
| and as long as i've W1L1ilu IL i nave Il
right to demand certain things of the
man who marries me-"
And love doesn't demand anything"
| he said, putting the remainder of the
thought into words for her. You ara
right. If I could clear myself with a
word, 1 should not say it."
"Why?"
Because your-loyalty. let us call IT,.
| is too precious to be exchanged for
| anything else you could give me n
place of it-esteem respect, and all the
other wen-behaved and virtuous be-
| stowals."
But the loyalty is based on the be-
! lief that you are trying to earn the
| we'll behaved approvals," she contin-
| ued.
NO, it isn't. 1t exists in spite Of
| everything, and not because Of any
thing. The traditions may try to make
| YOU stand it on the other leg, it's a
way they have; but the fact remains"
| The traditions are about to send
me into the house, and the principal
| nrohlarn Ia vet untouched What hava