Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1910-09-26
The Carleton Case .. z... sy + : T .s e,ss4 :,
Copyright 1910. the Bobbs-Msrrln Coz

1t makes a difference you know.
Thank you, though, Marjory. for being
sorry. I appreciate 1t more than l can
say, but / idn't mean to bother you
with all my troubles like this. I came
out to tell you something different al
together, and l find it's awfully hard
to begin"
Momentarily he paused. Intent on
what he vas saying, he had sat looking
straight before him, never lifting his
eyes to the girls face. lac he done
so, he could scarcely have failed to
note the expression there, a look as If
already she both knew nd dreaded
what 1t was that he wished to say, and
had it been possible, would gladly
ave checked the words before he could
give them utterance, but all absorbed
in his desire to express himself as he
wished, Carleton still sat gazing fixedly
into tho freight, and after a pause,
went on.
4 wonder how I can make you un-
derstand. Did you ever have some
thing, Marjory, that o wanted to do
very much; something that you were
always on the point of doing, and yet
somehow kept putting off from day to
day, until at last something else hap
pened that made it impossible aver to
do it at all, and left you just saying
over and over to your self, Why didn't
1? Why didn't I when l could""
The girl gave a nod of assent. Eyes.
Jack" she answered, IT understand"
'"Then you'll know what / mean" he
continued, "by what I'm going to tell
you now. It's only this, and 1 think
you know what it is before I say 1t,
even. l love you, Marjory; I always
have loved you, wen when you were
only a little girl. That was the
trouble all along, / suppose. I always
thought of you as so young that l kept
saying to myself that l oughtn't 70
bother you, that there would be plenty
of time when o were older, n then
when you were older-I'd got started
on a foolish way of living. l don't real
ly know how I began-just seemed to
drift into it somehow, and l didn't keep
on because l enjoyed it-for l didn't
1t was just the habit of 1t that gripped
me so l couldn't seem to break away,
and now that I've come to my senses
again. Marjory-now that I've come to
you, feeling that I've a right to tell you
that l love you-why now it's
too late. rye got to begin at the
loot OF the lduuer, Cdu hSn
you to marry me; but I want to know
If you'll wait-let me show that I'm
able to make good-give me another
chance. Tat's all l ask, Marjory; all
that rye a right to ask"
Slowly and u~nwillingly. her gaze met
his. Jack" she began, you know the
money would make no difference; I'd
never think of that, of course. 1t isn't
that"
She hesitated and stopped. Carleton's
eyes sought hers with the look of a man
who feels the whole world reel beneath
him..
"Mar1ory." he cried, do you mean
you don't care-you don't love me?"
There was a moments silence. And
then the girl slowly shook her head.
mo, Jack, l don't mean thai OF course.
| care. I've always cared. You must
have known. Any time. from the day
you graduated from college, up to a
year ago, if you'd come to me and
asked me to marry you. I'd have been
the happiest girl you could find any
where"
For an instant she paused, and Carle-
ton raised his yes to hers, as If both
knowing and dreading what her next
words would be. "Well?" he asked.
And then, jack she vent on even
more slowly, as If the words cost her
greater and greater effort. "you began
to change. And caring isn't enough.
Jack. For a girl really to love a man.
she's got to respect him-and trust him.