Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1910-11-12
By REX BEACH
CHATTER XXI
COPYRIGHT. 1909. Bv

my past is my own. X concerns no
body but me-" She saw the change in
his face. and her reckless spirit rose.
''Oh. I've shocked you, You think all
women should be like Miss Wayland.
Have you ever stopped 70 think that
even you are not the same man you
were when you came fresh from col
iege? You know the world now; you
have tasted its wickedness. Would
you change your knowledge for your
earlier innocence? You know you
would not. and you have no right 70
Judge me by a separate code. What
difference does II make who / am or
what l have done? ] didn't ask your
record when gave you the chance to
win Miss Wayiand and neither you
nor she have any right 20 challenge
mine"
Il agree with you in that"
II came away from the mining
camps because Of wagging tongues.
because was forever misjudged.
Whatever I may have been. I have at
least played fair with that girl. II
hurts me now 20 be accused by her. I
saw your love for her. and never
tried 20 rob her. Oh. don't look as n
I couldn't have done differently II l
had tried. could have Injured her
very easily II I had been the sort she
thinks me. But helped you In every
way l could. I made sacrifices. I did
things she would never have done"
She stopped on the verge OF tears.
why did you do all this2" he
asked
Don't you known Cherry gazed az
him with a fains smile
Then. for the FIRST time. the whole
truth burst upon him. The surprise CT
II almost deprived him OF speech. and
he stammered:
''No. IT Then he fell silent.
what little ! did I did because I
love you" said the girl in a tired
voice. You may as we'll know, FOR
Il makes no difference now"
IL am sorry" he said. Cripped by
a strong emotion that made him 20
hot and cold. Il have been a fool"
mo; you were merely wrapped up IN
your own affairs. You see. had been
living my own life and was fairly CON
tented I'll you came. Then everything
changed For long time ! hoped you
might grow 20 hove me as loved you.
but I found IL was no use. when
saw you so honest and unselfsh IN
your devotion 10 that other girl
thought Il was my chance TO do some
thing unselhsh In my turn. It was
hard. but / did my best. think I
must love you in the same way you
love her. Boyd, for ther1 Is nothing in
Ill
you happy"
The girl stood for a moment with her
eyes turned toward the river. Then
she said;
Il must think. IL want to 70
away. Goodby."
"Goodby." he returned and stood
watching her as she hurried away.
half suspecung the tears that were
trembling amid her lashes.
II was not until supper time that
Boyd saw "Fingerless" Fraser and
questioned him about his quest for an
heiress.
Nothing doing in the heiress bust
ness" replied the adventurer. II
couldn't stand the exposure"
They were cold. ehy'
'Yepl They weathered me out"
Did you really meet any OF those
peopleY'
Sure! I met 'em all but I didn't
catch their names. I made one be-
fore I'd gone a mile-tall. slim party
with cracked ice in her voice"
Boyd looked mp quickly. Did YOU
Introduce yourselfg"
AS CLANCY De BenviIe. that's all.
How is that for drawing room mon
aker7 She fell for the name all right.
but there must have been something
phony about the clothes. That's the
trouble with this park he ~uess. II I'd
wore my soup and fish and my two
gallon evening hat I'd have passed for
a gentleman sure. I'm strong for those
evening toys. see another one later
little madurO colored skirt with a
fat nose"
Miss Berry"
I'm glad to meet her. I oficed
her out OF rOwboat and told her /
was SIR. Yonkers OF New York. We
was breezing along on the bit till CLYDE
broke IL up He called me Fraser. and
1t was cold in a minute. Fraser IS a
cheap name anyhow. I'm sorry /
took IT."
DO you mean TO say it isn't your
real namer' asked his companion in
genuine bewilderment.
Nav! Switzer is what I was born
with Say It slow and it sounds like
an air brake. don't It? / never won
q bet as long as / packed IT around.
and Fraser hasn't got it beat by more
than lip"
Weir" Boyd breathed deeply. "You
are the limit"
Speaking Of clothes. l notice You
are dressed up Ike fruit salad. What
IL 1.-THE yacht?"
Yes"
You'd better hurry. She sails at |
high tide"
"Sailsr'
"Alton told me so and said that he
was going along" fEs i
Thank heaven for that. anyhow. but |
II don't understand abouf fha ofher ..