The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-04-22

face. When she spoke It was with
an effort her tone shower strain.
ST never should have allowed you 10
rake up the past today" She drop
| ped her chin upon her arms. crossed
| on the high back of his chair; she
stared, dry-eyed, into the glowing Goals
when we lived in cabin and she did
the family wash. She's the same to-
day, only instead of moriev she Graves
position and power. Not so much for
herself as for me. and-wltnin GER
tain limits-she has made me like her
self. She dragged me at the heels
of society until she compelled recogni-
ton. In return she asks only that l
marry well. That letter would have
paid my debt to her" She broke
into an almost hysterical laugh. moth
err failed in her generalship when she
admitted you today, for-with you
here summoning up pictures OF the
"Yeu don't object if I smoker
Rising abruptly. Adam selected
cigar. and the hand that held the
match was unsteady. TIL; girl, hav-
ing risen. also watched the pickering
flame, hands clasped before her.
you, with a thousand moods day,
how do you know that this will last?''
The brutality, of the question
up the letter she tore 1t shred to
shred. by this and tkis--" She
cried passionately. fiinging the frag-
ments into the flame. Then empty
hands spread wide. she turned from
him, suddenly weary of controversy
Now go. shall not marry Lord
Windmere."
The hands of the clock having COM
pleted the circle. its silvery gong
had made good his boast, but some
thing in the girls attitude spoiled the
favor Of success.
until you put that letter into my
hand had notion fellows
claim was so pressing he said
tersely. you see, the girl we've been
talking Of could give herself for Moth
ing less than love- And I had come
plainly. Your attitude seemed to say
that time for discussion was past, so
II made time-I stole an hour-set
your clock back! But II you regret
your decision, it's not too late. Send
your letter to the train. t will catch
Windmere all right"
please co. repeated the girl wear
lily. I'm tired-and mother will
ST said we would discuss matters
concerning us both I can't go till
I've said my say. Luck has stood by
me, though it's been touch and go
last few months. But I'm out of the
woods now. and I'm going to take a
long vacation"
The girls Iashes f1ickered: other
I'm going back to our hills and
plains; I want to take you back with
me-"
At last when she was off guard
the only vital issue between them had
taken form. Always. forming the
background of her life, she had dis
cerned Adams love. Yet. with a
woman's weapons, she had avoided
recognition of it between them, since,
once acknowledged, 1t could only be
ia struggle to the death between it
and her ambition. Yet. now that he
had broken down her barriers, values
seemed different, life less complex.
A new world oDened-one in which
her feet would trace familiar paths
that might lead to peace
You don't know how far I've
grown from your old life"
z ''Nor do 1 care, girl-girll It's
years since the child gave her promise
to the boy: need the man wait longer
for his wife?'El.s - s=fE Hh4 y
4 Slowly her wavering eyes were
drawn back by his filled with inartic-
ulate love and worship, and the blood
1eaped in her veins as she surrendered
herself to his arms. AS they closed
hungry around her it seemed as if
she had been waiting for this moment
always, though she had not known
Copyrighted 1910 by Associated Lit
erary Press.)