The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1911-03-07

Il IOu p1eduluS IOT uln. iOu
seem to have executed the wolfe
Iface."
She flushed. 81 have no right
ITO resent that. The one thing a
woman asks of a man is loyalty
She should be the last to seek to
turn it away from another. That
have done so is my shame"
He shook his head in per-
plexity. You have changed since
you went away"
| I've found out that the world
wasn't created merely for my
pleasure" she answered quietly.
| "AfteY ALL" he continued, after
a minutes pause, during which he
studied her intently, 1.-The COVER
norship is a little thing. The
thing in which he has been falsest
was in coming between us. If he
hadn't done that, you could have
loved me. That Sunday--when
you sang-you almost cared for
me. And you would have let your
self love me--had it not been for
him. Even now you wouldn't re-
fuse me finally-were it not for
| his opposition. l realize-some-
thing tells met is useless to
plead with you. But he and /
have come to the end"
She 'hesitated, flushing again at
the thought that she was defend
ing a man who despised her.
you're mistaken" she said
gently. THAT isn't my entire rea-
son. He has told me that he no
longer objects. He proves his
friendship by that"
Again Paul fell back Imply
in his chair. "He-has-told
you" he gasped. "When?"
Saturday night-over the tele-
phone"
Il at was too late-too late!"
The music of the string band
and the voices of the other diners
receded, he lost sense even of the
presence of the woman before him
He felt miserably alone. Life had
dealt hardly by him, he thought
bitterly; there was no hint of self
blame in his bitterness. His heart
contracted in a spasm of exquisite
sorrow. Wealth, career, fame
happiness, all things which he hat
made his detectives seemed in {
moment to have lost their sweet
ness. Thenceforth nothing wa!
left to him but to carry the bur
den which life had put upon him
He could see a pathetic picture o.
himself plodding, plodding, plod
ding YEARLY around a dusty circle
THAT. led nowhere, bending undel
the cruel burden, the burden
u growing heavier at every step, un
til at last he broke under it ant
:. sank to rise no more. 1t was al
very sad and beautiful. Tears o
self-pity stood in his eyes. :
1.-The end of the dream!" h,
sighed. = at was too good to b,
true. Nothing remains but ;
memory-the deathless memor.
of what might have BEEN" EveI
in his bitterness he could turn hi
lpretty phrase.
Tears were in her eyes, too
l"You'll forget. I'm not worth ever
a memory"
He shook his head, smiling sad
ly. He clung lovingly to the pic
ture of the arid, dusty circle ant
the weary, heavy-laden plodder
perhaps, when at last he sank, she
would be there to bear witness tt
his beautiful constancy - she
might even shed regretful teal
over the fallen form.
/ think that in that moment hel
sorrow was more genuine than his
She could with difficulty preserve
the steadiness of her voice, as
she spoke.
| 81 have no right to ask you
anything. l haven't been fair with
you. But l am fair with you now
I'm trying to atone for my self
ishness-when / say, go back to
him and forget me. You are all
he cares for, and he is far more
worthy of your love than / am.
You will find your true happiness
working with him and John Dun
meade. And II will go away
where you and both forget me and
/ can no longer stand between you.
I, not he, have been the marplot. +"
"It's too late," he said listlessly.
"He and 1 have parted for ever. "
at is never too late to atone for
a fault. Be generous to me, if not
to him." she pleaded anxiously.
The quality of his smile
changed. ITO you? What is he
to you?"
He is a man who despises me
Justly" she answered steadily.
"He is man whom my brother
is cruelty seeking to destroy and
to whom have carelessly, self
ishly, done the greatest injury one
can do to another. Paul, l know
how my brother is tempting you.
You will not do what he wants,
please say you will not. See, I'm
putting aside my woman's pride to
lplead for man who hates me. BE
cause if you do what Henry wants,
l must always feel that the crime
! is mine"
I ats too late! It's done!"
"PauI!"
A man at the next table turned
oh ARMY haaripu fba low oa cnip0