The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1911-12-18

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.iKaIr TO her 70 limit would not be-
fair To- Mercedes.
SO, as she passed. no opened his
lattice wide: aMaryi" ~
Her eyes met his, and the color
went out Of her face. y
"You-hereas
"Yes, l came with Gregory. i
thought ] recognized in Mercedes
Harding a possibility OF hope
And now that you are here
what?''
q want YOU In my life again.
Mary"
TO play my little part? No,
Oliver. Ny days here are full OF in.
terest. cannot go back to be a
piaythiug."
sf"You were never that"
81 wasrneyer your comrade. yOiit,
companion, your helpmate. wanted,
TO stand sby, your side, fighting. not
TO be thrust aside"
She was flaming with the thought
of her grievance, btu he said only,
~ love YOU
a cannot call 1t that land I can.
not go back with you"
When Mercedes marries Gregory.
what them"
"He shall not marry her. / will
COMES my. unhappiness. have
never told her the truth"
"She has right TO know, and
Gregory has a right. You must not
forget that. Mary"
81 do not forget that men seem to
have all the rights" Her steady eyes
sent forth a challenge. III the time
has come to tell Mercedes. shall
have the strength to do It. But |
must be alone, 'SfIi
NO" he said. sharply; "let me,
too. plead my;cause with my dnugh.
ter"
She seemed to make up her mind
rapidly. Come them she cried, ito
my room. There she shall choose"
The lovers came reluctantly.
Dinner Is ready" Mercedes pro.
tested.
at can walt. There are more i'm.
portant things. dearest" For n mo-
ment Mary's voice faltered. then she
said. quietly. This gentleman-Mr.
Morgan has claim on our atten.
ton. At one time he was very near
and dear to me. When you were a
baby--he often held you in his arms"
You knew me?" turned to Nor.
gan:
Yes" he came over and took her
Lands in his-"I-I am your father,
/ MercedeG."
She chung TO him, sobbing. "But
mother sald-you were dead"
"lIe was dead to me-" Mary told
her az left him because he did not
love me. ], who would have died for
him. had no place in his life-I was
pushed aside Ior other interests.
That's what. men do 70, women, aIer-
cedes.n That's what neh do to wo-
meniS Z GiGit 9fii o ~
From out OF the silence that fol-
lowed the wild cry came her hus-
bands voice. sternly: ~
"And what do women do to men?
You thought careH only for my
profession. he ,cnntinped,, heavily.
"shaHnI tell yod. then, what hap.
pened3 My love for yon had been the
handspring OF my existence. When
you left me I was a broken man-to.
day lam ruined one!fII have, spent
the years and my fortune in search:
ing for YOU. Nothing else has mat.
tered. My income is mere pittance.
my life tends toward nothing. THAT
is what woman can DO to a man,
Mary"
She stared at him as one who
wakes from dreadful dream. "You
cared as much as that?
At that moment she came into her
heritage OF loving wlfehood. She
went over to the man bowed In deep
detection before her. You shall stay
here with me, Oliver" she said. q
need you, dear--you can help me
with my people, have longed so
often for surgeon who could do the
things that you can dove can work
together"
MARY" he said, brokenly, and she
Erept into his arms and, with her
head pillowed on his breast, she
talked OF the wonderful future which
they would spend together.
And Gregory and the girl. stole
away to the garden. with dinner for
gotten. everything forgotten, except
the wonder Of the love that never
dies.