Bonners Ferry herald. [volume] (Bonners Ferry, Idaho) 1904-current, 1911-03-25

Lacking imagination. I can't do any
thing else. Nan has had falling out
with the old scamp Of a moonshiner
who calls himself her father. She came
to me for help, and broke down in the
midst of telling me about 1t. can't
stand a womans crying any better than
other men,"
And that was all-absolutely all. |
Tom?"
Il don't lie-to you" he said. briefly. |
She gave him her hand with an Inn
pulsive return to the old comradeship. |
Il believe you. Tom, In the face of all |
the-the unlikeliness. But please don't |
try me again. After what has happen |
ed" she stopped in Difference to some
thing in his eyes. half anger half be-
wilderment, or a most sSillful simula-
ton of both.
Go on" he said; tell me what has
happened. 1 seem to have missed
something"
mo" she said, with sudden gravity
Il don't want to be your accuser or
your confessor; and If you should try
to prevaricate, I should hate youl"
"There is nothing for me to confess
to you, Ardea," he said, soberly, still
holding the hand she had given him.
you have known the worst of me, al
ways and all along l think"
Eyes, / have known" she replied.
freeing the imprisoned hand and turn
ing from him. "And have been sorry,
sorry; not less for you than for poor
| Nan Bryerson. You know now what
| thought--what / had to thinlS-when l
saw you with her this evening"
1t was slowly beating It's way into
his brain Little things. atoms of sug-
gestion, were separating themselves
from the mass of things disregarded to
cluster thickly on this nucleus of re-
vealment: the old story Of his COM
panying with Nan on the mountain;
his uncle's and Japheth's accusation at
the time; and now the old moonshin-
ers enmity, Japheth's meaning look
and dstrustful silence. Mans appear
ance with a child bearing his own
name, the glances askance in Hargis'
store when he was buying the little
stock of necessaries for the poor out
cast. 1t was all plain enough.
Tell me-" he said. thickly; you
heard this: you believed It, Have I
been misjudging your"
mot more than 1 misjudged you.
perhaps. But that is all over, now; I
am trusting you again. Tom. Only. as
I said before. you mustn't try me too
, hard"
r Let me understand" he went on.
e still in the same strained tone. Know
3 ing this, or believing It, you could still
] find place in your heart for me-you
J could still forgive me, Ardea?"
Il could still be your friend; yes,
n she replied. Il believed-others believ-
+ ed-that your punishment would be
e. great enough; there are all the coming
years for you to be sorry In. Tom. But
g in the fullness of time I meant to re-
d mind you OF your duty. The time has
r come; you must play the mans part
d now. What have you done with her?'
a Wait a moment. I must know one
r, other thing" he insisted. you heard
n this before you went to Europe?"
e Long before"
n And 1t didn't make any difference Il
O. the way you felt toward me?"
"A Tt did; It made the vastest differ
I ence." They were pacing slowly III
It and down the portico. and she waite,
until they had made the turn at tn
N Woodlawn end before she went on.
j. thought knew you when we were DO,
re and girl together, and. girl-like, 1 SUP
D pose l had idealized you IN some ways
l. 1 thought / knew your wickedness, an
/" that they were not weaknesses; sos
* It was a miserable shock. But It wa
not for me to judge you-only as yo
Mt might rise or sink from that desperat
10 starting point When came home
l. was sure that you had risen; I hav
I'd been sure of 1t ever since until-unt
70 these few wretched hours to-nigh
os They are past. and now I'm going
be sure Of 1t some more, Tom"
az what II I should tell you that yo
a. are mistaken"
In Don't" she said. softly. That wou
Or only be smashing what Is left OF Il
a ideal 1 think 1 couldn't bear that"
a, And you've been calling this friend
~, shipi Ardea. girl. it's Lowell"
"a Ardea shook her head slowly.
mo" she rejoined. gravely. AT OF
~ time I thought was afraid-that
-. might be. But now I know It isn't"
- How do you know it?"
Because love. as I think OF It.
90 stronger than the traditions. strong
-, than anything else in the world. Al
~, the traditions are stiu with me. I a
nit the existence Of the social pa
~, and as long as live within It have
"I right to demand certain things Of t
? man who marries me-"
-, And love doesn't demand anything
he said, putting the remainder OF I
az thought into words for her. You a
70 right II / could clear myself with
word I should not say It."
So 'sWhy?"
av. Because your-loyalty, let US call
II IS too precious to be exchanged
anything else you could give me
see place OF it-esteem. respect. and all
'e-- other well-behaved and virtuous
lee stowals."
but the loyalty is based on the I
hat lief that you are trying to earn
he we'll behaved approvals," she cont
nd ued.
3 Of mo. It. isn't 1t exists In spite
everything. and not because or al
lere thing. The traditions may try to ms
You you stand It on the other leg. IL:
de- way they have; but the fact remain
.sThe traditions are about to 81
rose me into the house. and the princi
-. =