Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1910-12-15

did you make up
"No. Hut think he Is beginning to
understand things hetter--at least as
! far as Marsh is concerned Tho rest
is only matter Of tine"
What frightfu situation Why
did you ever let father announce my
engagement TO that man.
Emerson gazed at her IN astonsh.
ment. II? Pardon me. How could
help it?'
"You might have avoided quarrcling
with him. I think you are very incon-
siderate of me-"
Boyd regarded the coal OF his cigar
with a slight CLEAN OF amusement in
! his eyes as she ran on:
Even that woman took occasion to
humiliate me in the worst possible
way"
1T strikes me that she did you n
very great service. I have no doubt
it was quite as distasteful to her as 10
! YOU"
Absurd. 1t was her chance for re-.
venge. and she rejoiccd IN making me
ridiculous"
Then 1t is the first ignoble thing +
ever knew her to do" said Boyd slow
/ ly. she has helped me in hun.
dred ways. Without her assistance
could never have won through. That
cannery site would still be grown up
TO moss and trees, and | would still
be disheartened dreamer"
ITS very nice of you. OF course. to
appreciate what she has done. But
she can't help you any more. You
surely don't intend to keep up your ac.
quaintance with her now" He made
no reply, and taking his silence for
agreement. she went on: "The trip
home will be terribly dull for me. I'm
afraid thiak-yes, | shall have "a
Their ask You to go back with U.S.
But l am right In the midst Of the
run. | cant leave the business"
ooh, business. DO you care more
for business than for me? / don't
me all this has been. I'm still fright
ened. l shall die of nervousness with
out some one to talk to-"
ITS quite impossible! I-don't want
to go back now"
Indeed. And no doubt it was i'm
possible for you to come out here last
night for the same reason
at was. The fish struck in and |
could not leave"
at was that woman who kept YOU
FRIED Mildred ut is because Of her
that you refuse to leave this country
please don't he said quietly II
have never thought of her in that
way
Then come away from this wretch
ed p4ace. l detest the whole country
the fisheries, the people. everything.
This isn't your proper sphere. Why
not come away now, Mt once, and be-
gin something new. something worth
while"
do you realize the hopes. the heart
aches, the vital effort have put into
this enterprise?" he questioned.
But she only said:
Il don't like 1t. 1t isn't a nice bust.
hess. Let father take the plant over.
II you need money. have plenty
wait" he interrupted sharply sit
down. want to talk to you" He
drew the wrap closer about her shout
I1crs and led her to deck chair. The
change In him was becoming more an-
parent. He knew now that he had
never felt the same since his first meet
Ing with Mildred upon the arrival Of
| tho nd hcy ,,I,o h. 4
repealed him by her lack Of sympathy.
She had shown no understanding of
his efforts, and now she revealed IA
complete failure to grasp his code OF
honor. 1t never occurred to her that
any loyalty of man to man could Off
set her simple will She did not see
that his desertion of George would be
nothing short Of treachery.
1t seemed to him all ut once tina,
they had little in common. She was
wrapped completely in the web Of hel
own desires. She would make her preiu
diccs law for him. Above ALL she
could not respond to the exultation OF
his success. She had no conception OF
the pride Of accomplishment that is the
waged bitter fight that had Slapped
his very soul; he had made and won
the struggle that man makes once In
lifetime. and now, Just when he had
proved himself strong and fair in tho
sight of his fellows, she asked him to
forcgo 1t all. Engrosscd in her own
egoism, she required of him a great or
sacrifice than any he had made Now
that he had shown his strength she
wanted to load him down with golden
fetters-to make him dependent. Was
1t because she feared another girl
She had tried to help him, he knew
In her way-and the thought OF II
touched him. That was like the Mil
dred he had always known--to act
fearlessly, Needless of what her father
might do or say. Somehow he had
never felt more convinced OF the sin
cerity of her love, but he found him
self thinking OF it as of something OF
the past. After all, what . had done
had been little. considering her power
She had given carelessly out OF hcl
abundance, while Cherry He saw Il
all now. and sudden sense of loyalty
and devotion TO the girl who had real
" shared his struggles swept over hin
in a warm tide. 1t was most unlike
his distant worship Of Mildred. She
had been his dream, but the other was
bone of his bone and flesh Of his flesh
For a long time the two sat talking