Putnam patriot., 1911-09-08

l There WAS soFnetbEE ! wanted tt say to you. Bess. l wonder if 1 bet ter say lt uowz ] guess you know what fl ls~ He looked steadily at her Elizabeth did not hesitate. She was angry wifh him for his rustic ways and provoked at herself because she WAS loo narrow minded 10 overioob them.
 "l don't believe you better say it. % she said deliberately. her eyes on the small shoe that tapped the carpet.
 His face whiteBed underneath the bronze. and there was stricken look fin his eyes. T hardly dared to hope much since l heard you were coming home. but before you went away He ehoked a little and asked her a question. "WiIl you fell me why, BesSI'
 She looked up at him with a strange hardness in her heart. Do you really want me to tell youT' she asked.
 Yes. yes.' he said eagerly.
 That's it. Norman Ryder" she fash ed Its your Buhum county twang and your everlasting 'yes-yes' and no no and you know better too!'
 He stared at her, bewildered for moment. and as the import of her words struck home he reddened deeply and all the tenderness fled from his eyes "so that's the reason?" he said gratingly. Well. Bess. there's no chance for me. then. because if you don't love me enough 10 overlook a mere habit of speech you don't love me as much as 1 want you to. sup pose I don't shine very brightly com pared with the city fellows you've met. but I've loved you better than anybody else in the world ever could" He crammed on his hat and without an other word left the house
 Elizabeth stood alone in the parlor her eyes fixed in frightened stare on the closed door. her heart pounding in unison with Normans departing steps on the crisp snow.
 It was bright moonlight. and scores of young people were eoasting down the steep hill that ran past the Grays home. Elizabeth heard their shcuts of laughter and the frequent warning cry of "Roadt'
 The gate crashed into place behind NormaHs impatient swing There was the roar of q coming bobsled, a muf- fled thud and then shouts ef distress.
 Elizabeth reached the front gate at the same time her father and mother hurried 10 the same place, drawn by the sounds of an accident.
 Somebody had been run down by the bobsled somebody who lay. a dark motionless figure against the whiteness of the snow. Around his head the snow was stained crimson that wid- ened and widened horribly.
 It was Norman Ryder. and when Elizabeth reached his side a little group of men were lifting him from the snow.
 Bring him into my house." com handed NIT. Gray, leading the way, and so they carried him across the doorstep which he had left in anger a few moments before and bore him up stairs to the front chamber.
 A doctor was summoned. and while Mrs Gray prepared bandages and oth- CT necessaries her husband built g roaring fire in the fireplace. and Eliza beth snt cold and numb beside that still form on the bed. Her hands rig idly held in place the bag of ice her mother laid on his forehead above the bandnge that covered the deep cut. Her eyes were fixed on the white set features and closed lids and the finely chiseled lips which might part no more to utter the homely dialect of the country which she had despised and ridieuled.
 She could not weep. She could only sit there, msera ble. heart broken lit. tie figure. hating herself for her cen serious words.
 The doctor came and waved her aside For an hour he worked over the young man. while Elizabeth sat in her own room breut hless and despair ing Then at last she heard him go ing away. and instantly she WAS at the door of Normdn's room. Her mother smilingly beckoned her within and left them alone together.
 Norman. looking very pale. his head swathed in bandaees. did not see her come in For moment she stood there looking down at him with her heart in her eyes.
 Suddenly he looked up at her. smil ing whlmsically in the old way. as he had been used to do before she told him the unpleasant truths. He had looked that WHY when he was a boy growing up and she was a little girl trutting to school beside him
 Doctor says I'll be all right in a day or SO" he smiled. "But I'll have to keep still You don't mind my be ing here in your house, do you. Besst 2"
 No. ne'' she cried, dropping uneon sciously into the vernacular of Rutfum county. She slipped to her knees be- side the bed and leaned her sunny head against his shoulder
 Norman Quivered and then laid one hand on her head "Oh, BesS. You don't mean it! Do you love me?'' he whispered.
 "Yes, yes," sohbed Elizabeth. And to them both IL was the sweetest word in the world.
 State of Ohio. City of Toledo, .s Lucas County.
 Frank J. Cheney makes oath that he i