The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1912-09-24

1 s1 think it wonderful, JinaI" 1 never seen anything more nearly per 1 feet. Whose is itg'
 Stuart looked into her dark eyes with desperate yearning.
 .It's yours. NanF'
 1 s'Mine ?''
 1 .sYes.. dear; this is my secret. I've been building this home for you the 1 past year. I've put all the little mon ey my father gave me with every dol l lar could save. It's paid for, and ! here's the key. meant to ask you out here to dx our wedding day. l ask you now. Forget the nightmare of the past two weeks. and remember only that we love each other" 1 Her lips quivered for just an in- stant. and her hand gripped the rail of the yeranda-
 eff I'd seen it four weeks ago. Jfm I really don't see how could have re sisted 1t. but now''-she shook her head and iaughed-s.now it's too late" "My God. Don't say that, Nan!" he pleaded. "It's never too late to do right. You know that l love you You know that you love me"
 'sBut I've discovered she went on. with bantering. half challenging frank ness, 'that I love luxury too l never knew how deeply and passionately be- fore She paused a moment, look ing toward Sea Gate. Isn't that the anchorage of the Atlantic Yacht cIub2"
 -rYes.'' he ans swered impatiently.
 'eThen that's MT. Bfvens' yacht, the big, ugly black one lying close inshore with steam up He told me he would send her into drydock today. He was talking last night Of wedding cruise in her to the Mediterranean. I con fess. Jim. that want to shine, to sue ceed and da5zie and reign. This Is perhaps the one chance of my life."
 -Do you hold yourself so cheapY'
 "You can't realize how much the power of millions means to a woman who chafes at the Limitations the world puts on her sex It's too late''-
 Don't, don't say it, NanF'
 'eWhy not be frank? This little cot tage is gem. admit. But I've seen a splendid palace set in flowers and g1ea ming with subdued light Soft music steals through its halls mingled with the laughter Of throngs who love and admire me. It's banquet tables are laden with the costliest delicacies, while Hver1ed servants hurry to and fro with plates and goblets of gold"
 Stuart seized her arm with fierce strength that hurt You shall not do this hideeus thing. You are mine, tell you, and am bigger than money. have the power to think, to create ideas, to create beauty-the power that remakes the world. I expect to have all the money we shall need In the years to come we shall be rich whether we seek it or not But the sweetest days of all life will be those in which we fight side by side the first battles of life in youth and poverty when we shall count the pennies and save with care for the little ones God may send us"
 But life is short. Jim. can have things now. He has already promised them-a palace in town, another by the sea. great castle in the heart of the blue southern mountains we used to watch children and armies of servants to do my bidding. I can live now"
 "And you call these trappfngs and dnseI life 2.
 .I want them.''
 My God. Nan. haven't you a soul ! Hasn't the life within no meaning for you? To me such luxury is sheer fn- sanity The possibilities of personal luxury have been exhausted thousands of years ago. It's commonplace. vul- gar and contemptible. If you wish for power why choose the lowest of all it's forms? The way you are entering is worn bare by the feet of millions of forgotten fools whose bodies worms have eaten Not one of them lives today even in a footnote of history
 "And yet, Jim. you know as we'll as l do that money is the sign of success and power;' it's absence. of failure and weakness If you make mistake in your career you cah correct it and be gin again. Being woman, cannot, for marriage is my only career. A mistake now would be to me fatal"
 And you are 1aking the one tragic mistake no repentance can undo. The deliberate choice of evil knowing it to be evil Your heart is mine-mine, l tell you. Do you deny it?'' ---
 Again he seized her hand, gripped it herceiy and looked into her eyes with tender. scare hing gaze.
 Nan looked away
 .Oh. Nan. dear, believe nef' he pleaded You can't deny this voice within the soul and live Happiness is inside. not outside, dear"
 The lover paused a moment over come with his emotion. and he knew by the quick rising and falling of the girls breast that a battle was raging.
 fro Be Continued)
 WANT ADS CEN,C A WRRD