Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1912-06-06

9D''A ''Ns
the soul within the puppet.
She held his glance. forcing him into
mute acknowledgment that his phllos-
ophy. his w~orldliness, MAS only veneer.
that he had not really enNisaged
the hard possibility of actually losing
her.
oh. these men of this awful conNe
tional world. How cruel they cam be
in that proud desire to do What Is
right-what their code tells them is
rigllt-no law of God or nature that
only convention. n dictates OF other
Hard on themselves. selfish IN
abncgation. but not understanding that
the dearest gift they cam bcstow ON II
woman is the right for her to el1;ace
herself, the right for her to be the
givcr OF love, of consolation. OF sacfl-
flee.
Commonplace. plain, sensible LOUIS" s'i
understood everything that Luke felt,
those great luminous eyes OF hers
fearless yet brilliant. read every line on
that face drilled into impassiNeness.
Ne one else could have guessed the
precise monlent at which soflness cfep.
into the hard determination of jaw ana
lips: no ear u hers could ever have
perceived the subtle change in the
u%uiyering breath, from hard obstinacN
that drew the n~ostrils together. ana
set every line of the face. to that IN
drawing OF The heavy air around caused
by passionate longing which nam
mered at The supeI-eXclted bIalh, ,l'.
made the sineWs crack in the mlslts
physical effort at self-represslon.
But to all outward appearance per
feet calm. correct demcal0r. the attl-
tude and O m of voice prescribed by the
usages of this so-called society.
Lou he said. lit is not falr 10
tempt me should be a mlsefap.e GU,
il l held you to your word. L aW d
pcnniless beggar-a wastrel now, With
out a profession, without prospects
soon to be without n
lie seemed to take pleasure In recall
ing his defects. and she let him ra1npie
on: women who are neither psSchoios'-
cal puzzles nor interesting
have IL way OF listening patiently
whilst a tortured soul eases it's burden
bv contemplating it's own martyfdoil.
II ann a: penniless beggar," he re
iterated. II have no right to ask any
woman to share my future dun n
/ humdrum existence. A few thousands
is an | have. L think that Edie Will
marry soon and then l can go abroad
II must go abroad must do some
Wen do 1T together. Luke"
Il feel he continued, rebellious now
| and wrathful. all the primary in
and the desire to destroy an enemy;
II feel that if 1 stayed in England
I should contvive to he even with
that b~lackguard. His rights? BY GOD
| would never question those. lne
moment 1 knew that he was Uncle
Arthur's son l should nave been ready
to shake him by the hand. to respect
him. TO stand aside as was his due.
! But his attitude-the influence he exef-
| cises over Uncle Rad-his rancour
against us all! Jim and die ms mad
they done to be all turned out OF the
house like a pack OF poor relations
and poor Uncle Rad
He checked himself. for she had put
a hand on his coat sleeve.
Luke. it is no use.' she said.
You are right. Lou. and | am a
miserable wretch. If You only kne"
how / hate that man
"Don,t." she said, 'let us think OF
him"
"How can 1 help it? He robs me OF
"No." she rejoin-d. mot that"
Her hand still rested on his arm. anG
he took it between both his. Tho cou-
ples in front of them all down tho
length of stairs paid no heed to them
and through the hum of voices, from q
distant room beyond. came softly
waited on the hot. still air the strains
OF the exquisite barcarolle from tho
"Contes d. Hoffmann.' -,
Louisa smiled confidently, proudly
He held her hand and she felt that hi:
Tho and Gry-quivered in ever!
muscle at her touch. The commonplace
Woman had opened the magic book %
love. She had turned its tlrst pages
the opening chapters had been simple
unruttled, interrupted by the hand %
mel or OF fate. But now al lasl s l'
read the chapter which all along sh'
knew was bound to reach her ken
,rhe leaves Of the boo We're crumpled
fate. with cruel hand, had tried to blu
the writing: the psychological problem
of today-the one that goes by tn
name of modern onla NJ
doubt ponder ere she tried To reat
further. she would analyZe her feel
ings. her thoughts. her sensations; sh'
would reVel over her own he:trtach'
and delight in her own soul agony. Blu
simple minded, conventional Louisa dit
none of these things. She ncithe
rutfilel her hair. nor dressed in i'll mad
serge c,othes: her dress was perfec
and her hand eNqusitely gloved. Sh
did nothing out of the way; she onl.
loved one mar altogether beyond her
self and she understood his passionat
love for her. and all that troubled hin
in this world in which they both lived
II love that barcarolle, don you?
she said after awhile.
II did not hear it," he replied.
Luke"
ITS no use, LOU" he said under hi
breath. You must despise me for be
ing a driveling fool, but l have neithe
eyes nor ears now. l would give all
have in the world to lie down Their
on the floor now before you n To kis
the soles of your feet"
How could l despise you, Luke, fo
that"
put your hand on my knee just 70
a moment, Lou. l think l shall go ma
il l don't feel you touch"
;, She did as he asked her, and he wa
u silent until the last note of the bar