Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1910-05-05
straight up to him the minute she
saw him and say


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 CO. She drew back.
Jerry" she said, while wonder
ment and alarm grew in his gaze
"you-we-have made mistake.
am going to give you your freedom.
I cannot-marry you. think we
were-you were-too young. Our
lives have grown apart. MY thoughts
ARE not your thoughts, and you've
would not be happy" She was We
hement In her speech, utterly unlike
the gentle Elaine. She looked at him
a moment, then turned and almost
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 young Eel
low in white fannels 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 it was unbelievably cruel not to
have given him a 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 MT 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
mis- sister, face. Il suppose, Anne
that you were right about Stanton.
I have neglected her-and lost her.
It 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 you would 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 yea free.
Well, perhaps I helped her see it,
hope did"
Her brother stiffened to instant at
tention. "Tell me just what you
mean, Anna" he said with strange
quiet.
"Well. at the circle this afternoon
somebody brought up the subject OF
college men coming back to home
girls. We spoke of Mary Stevens and
Don, and the failure OF their mar
riage. He married her because he
had promised to, and because she had
not the sense to see that he wanted
his freedom and to give it to him.
When l began 1 did not think OF
Elaine, and then it was too late to
stop-it would have been worse than
going on said that any man who
has lived four years among thinking
college women rarely comes back to
the girl at home unless he is promise
bound; that she has nothing but mere
youth whereas he needs mental COM
partnership and real help in his
career. could see by her face that
the thought had not occurred to her,
though she has been with Stanton so
much lately. I daresay it made her
But her brother had snatched his
hat. 81 daresay 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.
Evidently the good lady had as yet,
heard of no change in the situation.
where's elaine? I want to see
her Immediately
while 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 it was because You no
longer love me. Tell me, truthfully,
that you do not love me, and will
go, but until then l never will.
love- you as I have always loved you,
only a thousand times more. You
are tearing my heart out OF me, girl.
Did neglect you. until you have
fallen back for love on-Stanton?"
That brought her, with a little cry,
to her old, dear place in his arms.
where she could tell him all about it.
It took long time and there were
many Interruptions.
Finally he laughed. "But don't
want to marry my equal want an
angel, my superior in every way! L
want you! 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 want everything.
Do you see?" It was very dark in the
summer house, but light dawned on
Elaine.