Metropolis weekly gazette., 1912-05-24

Il am bound TO believe what see
with my own eyes, she rejoined Per
haps you can make It appear that see-
Ing Is not believing"
"Of course I can't II you take that
attitude" he complained. And then he
said irritably: You talk about friend
ship You don't know the meaning of
the wordl'
If I didn't. I should hardly be here
at this moment" she suggested. you
don't seem to apprehend to what de-
grading depths you have sunk"
HIS sins In the business field rose
before him accusingly and prompted
his reply.
Yes. I do: but that Is another mat
ter We were speaking OF what you
saw this evening. VIII you let me try
to explains"
Yes, II you will tell the plain truth"
Lacking magination. l can't do any,
thing else Nan has had a falling-out
with the old scamp OF moonshiner
who calls himself her father. She came
to me for help. and broke down In the
midst OF telling me about It ] can't
stand a woman's crying any better than
other men,"
And that was all--absoIutely ell,
'Tom7
Il don't lie-to you," he said. briefly.
She gave him her hand with an i'm
pulsive return To the old comradeship.
Il believe you, Tom. In the face OF all
the-the unlikeIiness. 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-
wiIderment, or a most skillful slmula-
tion of both.
Go on" he said; tell me what has
happened. I seem to have missed
something"
no" she said. with sudden gravity.
II don't want 10 be your aocuser or
your confessor: and II you should try
TO prevaricate. i should hate you!''
There Is nothing for me TO confess
to you, Ardea.~ he said soberiy. still
| holding the hand she had given him.
"Yon have known the worst OF me. al:
ways and all along. think"
Yes. l 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 /
A
saw you with her this evening"
It 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 thickiy on this nucleus OF re-
yealment: 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 noonshin-
er's enmity. Japheth's meaning look
and dlstrustfui 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. II was all plain enough.
''Tell me-" he said. thickly; you
heard this: you believed II Have
been misJudging your"
sEot more than | misJudgeG YOU
perhaps. But that is all over. now; |
am trusting you again. Tom. Only. "A
said before. you mustn't try me too
hard"
Let me understand" ne went on,
stllI In the same strained tone. Know
ing this. or believing II. you could SUI
find a place IN your heart for me-yon
could stu forgive me. Ardeag"
L could still be your friend: yes"
she replied. II believed--others beilev-
ed-that your punishment would be
great enough: there are ali the coming
years for you TO be sorry IN, Tom But
In the fuilness OF time / meant TO re-
mind you OF your duty The time has
come; you must play the mans part
a .ssss
Wait moment I must know one
other thing he insisted. You heard
this before yeu went to Europe?"
Long before"
aAnd it didn't make any difference IN
the way you felt toward megs
1T did; II made the vastest differ
ence" They were pacing slowly np
and down the portico, and she waited
until they had made the turn at the
Woodlawn end before she went on.
thought ! knew you when we were boy
and girl together. and, girllike. | sup
pose had idea1ized you in some ways.
] thought knew your wickedness. and
that they were not weaknesses: $3.50
II was a miserable shock. But II WAS
not for me TO judge you-oniy as you
might rise or sink from that desperate
starting point When I came home
was sure that you had risen; | have
been sure of IL ever since until--until
these few wretched hours tonight
They are past. and now I'm going to
be sure OF It some more, Tom"
What If I should tell you that you
are mistaken p
Don't" she said. softly. THAT would
only be smashing what Is left OF the
| ideal. ] think 1 couldn't bear that"
And you've been calling this friend
| shipi Ardea. girl, It's Iovei"
| Ardes shook her head slowly.