The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1910-12-28
"A Mortal Woman
By Anna Mcclure Sholl

You break our engagement because
you want 70 stus@ art in Paris i
do not believe that Is the real reason"
He spoke with quiet confidence
that disturbed the girls seli.posses-
sion She had analysed bis emotlcgal
temperament for the last eight month
ANA she expected now mere display 81
soul than her lover showed
But Richard Wartng Was not on ex-
hibltion HIS Keen cIear-cut face, IN
the duil orange light of an artistic
bI futile lamp, looked only d shade
more bWghtfnl thm usuals
Elizabeth Morrill, bis betrothed Of
40 sour ago, Sat stifly on the edge
Nj d irrK.sh ivan her liae, strong
hands clasped dignity about her knees
hcr slight form telise IN the pretty
evening gown that did not seem adapt
cd TO herolcs.
\ do not believe that Is the real
reason Waang repeated he took
up a paper cutter from the table and
balanced 1t laintly cr bis forefingcr
Aid what do gou think is my real
reasgn2N Elizabeth said, drawing her
dark brows together
= mink that YOU 10 not trust me-
His words accorded So we'll with the
Thought III her mind, thai she color
ed 10 the roots OF her soft, fly-aWay
hair.
ITS il ngt so2" he added, looking
across al her with a tlnderness til his
eyes that the dimness OF the room
mid from her
TO moi ask luesticrs she said,
We Of the illuminate nefer ask ques
tion"
- am glad you put me with the
ilMuinati. since You are OF that or
der" he said grayely But let us
.cyicw The situation that we may know
just whore we stand | met you a
Year anl half ago You were de-
N1ted 10 your plctmes saw at
once taat man had little place hi your
scheme OF the universe, But my
scheme Of the universe soon Included
son, dear, He spoke the last word
u,der bis breath and She did not hear
it, n II wasn't long before you absorb
ed the scheme and the universe, TOO z
She gave a littie restless movement
and began to tiager the yiOlets pinned
an-ng The chiffon rutiles that framed
her pretty, austere neck and shout
ders. &&hIxN#a
"a told you at last that Loved 5Ju
he went one his voice lingsri 2 a lit
tle ever ;he words and You thought
cGorgh OF me TO become engaged to
me- Then followed eight mt1tbs
IL Bths 20 like Ghe Of y5ur impress
sonist pictures. all purple and gold
anl crimson and pure white and true
blue And now YOU tell me tnat you
care too much for your art to fctter
yourself And | tell you that you are
not telling me the truth"
Fer moment Elizabeth was tempt
ed u answer his quiet frankness with
llrankless, but her pride held her
back She was beginning 10 be ash
ame ot the emotion that had led her
20 break the engagement. she could
net tell him that she was jealous OF
q yea & cousin OF his who was a guest
at his fathers home
2yuld be absurd, pitiful, especial
IS as sne had always taken rather
lofty attitude towards him and had
ss ugcl aim mere than once that she
WAS not like other women. Her art,
she said. had kept her from their riH-
alries and their pettiness Sine looked
so pretty and 50 aDsWdly feminine
When she said Il that Maring thought
the native coneeit only charming.
But sac had takea herself and hel
wefds very seriously and now The
tea Mhranee of them kept her liz
cars hoi No, she could never under
So he humiliation ol SUCH comics
sion Yet she longed 10 show hel
sore heart to him. II he had beeI
mole emotional, she might have dont
So. but his caimness kept her proud
Marlng picked up book and opened
it careiessly.
iniatuanon is but passion tina
has losI itself in dreams. he read
iaai S he case, it is high time t.
wake uH'
Eizabeths brown eyes opened wide.
and was you love for me only In
iaUaiion size sai3 with a sharl
note OF pain IN Ter voice.
You have placed me among the ii
luz fiati he said gently. and thel
neither ask nor answer questions
For a minute there was slleuee IN
the lragant peaceful room that seem'
cd arranged for meetings, not part
irgs .War,ng lei his eges pass from
elle familiar object to another, study
ue .helr elects under these altered
circumstances. The dead fnrnitrfe
+ ever could be, and vel always was,
a paH Of life 10 Marmg
Inc Bufne-Jones women-she had
So many Of them, her antitypes!- had
lost lneir Wisuul sympathetic look
and were cold ana anaenc virgins
HnaMD.iaas and ghostly fhe lie
sized 5siine Nadona stared into
sBage 6nobsertaHt 0f a tliYial low
ers ml.u aefstandine fhe Venus 81
Melos undel HE palm Was one also
royalf forgetlul Only the mandolin
player booked at him with dreamy
eyes taat seemed to say
She s Nonaa you must meet
aef III iHe paih of paradoxes
His efas same back al last % ializ-
ne,h she WAS quite absorbed
Heg @napely head with lts weight os
raa brown halr. was dropped a Atttle'
aer nfapth4 vas itrVlm oiha.3q ,M2i3ns
lQuged to 20 over ig4Begi giaalNi SAN the
maddest most foolish things But bis
pride held him back sIitfly il his