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

around you were wondering whether
you dared to take me-"
He denied her steadily. "Never!"
She loved him for that gallant de-
NAL, for she knew he had been afraid,
horribly afraid, more afraid than she
was now; but that strange quality OF
mis- that gave to a double risk dou-
BILE zest had set him all the hotter on
this resolution.
He sat for some long moments
thoughtfully looking straight before
him. She. glancing at his profile,
white and family glimmering In the
twilight, thought II looked sharp, alb
sorbed and set She could see his
great determination growing there in
the gloom between them. looming and
overshadowing them both.
Il see" he said at last Il simply
have to take you in spite OF IT," He
turned around to her. and reached his
hands down through the dusk She
was being drawn up into arms which
she could not see. Her hands were
clasped around a neck, her cheek was
against a face which she had never
hoped to touch. Her reason and her
fears were stihed and caught away
from her lips with her breath. She
was giving up TO her awful weakness.
She was giving up 10 the power of love
She was letting herself sink into it as
she would sink into deep water The
sense OF drowning In this profound,
unbelievable element. of shutting her
eyes and opening her arms to IT, was
the highest she had ever touched but
all at once the memory of what she
was leaving behind her. like last
glimpse of sky. swept her with fear.
She made a desperate effort to rescue
herself before the waters quite closed
over her head
She pulled herself free. without
his arms around her for the first mo-
ment she could hardly stand She
| took an uncertain step forward; then
with rush she reached the white cur.
tains. They tapped behind her She
heard Kerr laugh. a note, quiet, ca
ressng almost content II came from
| the gloom ike disembodied voice Of
tliupph. Her rush had carried her
intJ the middle of the anteroom. At
this last moment was there to be no
I miracle to save her? There was no
rescue among these dumb walls and
closed-up windows The purple child
gave her a sharp. bird. like glance, as
| II the most that this wild woman
gs.fs
/ looked behind her and saw Kerr, who
/ had put aside the curtains and was
standing looking at her He was
bright and triumphant in that twilight
room. He was not afraid of losing
her now He knew in that one mo.
ment he had i'm. rsoned her for ever,
She saw him approaching, but though
all her mind and spirit strained for
flight something had happened to her
will Il tottered like her knees.
He stopped and picked up an arti
fetal rose. which had fallen from her
hat and put It into her hand A mo.
ment, with his head bent, he stood
looking into her face. but without
touching her,
sit down over there" he said. and
pointed toward a chair against the
wall. She went meekly like a pris
oner. He spoke to the child in the
/ purple apron, who was still sitting
behind the desk. He put some money
on the cash.desk in front of her. II
was gold. 1t shone gorgeously in the
duh surrounding, and the child
! bounced upon il, incredulous Of her
luck. Then he turned, crossed the
room, soundIessly opened the door
and went out into the violet dark OF
the straet
Gro hi CONTINUED