The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1910-09-28

Just what you're going through now.
| know the feeling, Dick, the blank,
miserable feeling of disappointment
at every kiss, every endearment, the
feeling that something is wrong, that
this is not the love you had dreamed
of. the agonizing doubts, the self-re-
proaches. Oh. Dick, Dick. l know It
ALI"
With little strangled sob she hid
her face between her hands, and the
man who watched her dared not ask
the question that trembled on his lips.
The girl had always been so calm,
so self-controlled He had never seen
her like this before. What did It
mean?
I'm a brute, Madge." he said.
clumsily.
She raised her face to his with a
sudden, quick smile.
He loked at her anxiously, and
heaved a sigh of relief.
She hasn't been crying at all, thenI
Thank God
The girl gave little laugh.
She could read him like book
'You see. I'm not taking It TO heart
so very much after ALL" she said,
and, in his embarrassment, he did not
hear the false ring In her voice. 81
felt unset Just now" she continued,
hurriedly, because | remembered so
wildly what I suffered at the time I
told you of, and 1t humiliated me to
think that have made you suffer in
the same way"
But you're wrong, quite wrong,
Madge, to compare your case with
mine. It's not the same thing at all
That fellow you speak of turned out
to be scoundrel. No wonder you
couldn't love him. But you-you are
the sweetest, prettiest creature on
earth, and the man who can't make a
fool of himself for your sake, ought to
be shot"
She laughed again.
ITS nice of you to feel like that,
Dick" she said. But there's really
no reason why you should call your
self all sorts of hard names simply
because you haven't succeeded in fall
ing blindly and desperately in love
with me-"
For a moment there was silence
between them.
Suddenly a dark flush rose to his
face.
Don't think me a conceited fool,
little girl" he said, awkwardly, "but
you told me Just now of the doubts
that used to torment you while you
were engaged to that-other man.
You didn't say anything about any
doubts when when you-had prom
ised to be my wife. Doesn't that
mean that-that you carer"
He was not looking at her, and he
did not see how white she had
grown.
Dear old boy" she said, coming up
behind him, and placing her hand soft
ly upon his shoulder. II do care for
you, well enough to have married you
II you had wanted 1t. But I'm not
the sort of girl to fret and pine be-
cause l can't marry you"
The hand upon his shoulder trem-
bled just little.
"Madge!" he cried, impulsively.
Give me another chance! Forget
what has passed between us to-day,
and be my wife. l was mad to let
you talk as l did just now. 1t isn't
true. love you, dear, as we'll as it's
in me to love any woman. Upon my
honor l believe that. l would try to
MAKE you happy. Take me back,
Madge. Give me another chance!"
For a single instant the girl hest
tated.
"It can't be-" she said, firmly you
are good and kind, Dick, and perhaps
you mean what you say just now, You
may think, for the moment, that you
love me. tell you, 1t isn't love, it's
only pity. You're sorry for me, be-
cause you think l shall be unhappy.
Old friend. you're mistaken. Don't
be sorry for me, there's no need. I'm
not like other girls. You have said so
yourself, often and often. don't
want a protector, or a husband. | only
want chum. Dick, We'll be chums
again!"
you can't mean It," he said, un-
easily; after the way I've behaved to
you, you must despise me. Things
can never be quite the same again"
Things shall be the same again!"
she cried. why not? Until--until-"
Until what?" he asked.
Until the right woman comes!" she
replied.
Nearly a year had passed since the
day on which Dick and Madge had
agreed to be chums again.
At odd intervals moments of sud-
den remorse or exultation, Dick would
implore the girl to accept the love
he had TO give her, and become his
wife.
81 swear to you there's not another
woman in the world care for,
Madge" he would assure her with
painful earnestness. "If my love for
you is only poor, weak sort Of thing
and not the love used to think and
hope would come to me, it's because
Pm a callous brute, incapable of that
sort of splendid feeliny. You're far