Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1912-08-27

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"Ryanne, Do You Really Mean to Stick
to That PropositIon7"
"And God knows 1t was. But II
hadn't gone after that damned rug,
he'd have been alive today. Oh, damn
it all; let's go back to the hotel and
order that club.steak, or the best imi
tation they have. I'm going to have
a pint of wine. I'm as dull as ditch
in a paddy.feld."
"A bottle or two will not hurt any
Of US. Well ask Ackermann. For
God knows where we'd have been to
day but for him. And let him do all
the EARNING. It will please him."
"And while he CABS, well get the
best Of the steak and wine!" For the
first time in days Ryanne's laughter
had a bit of the erstwhile rollickine
tone.
The dinner was an event. No deli
cacy (mostly canned) was overlooked
The manager, as he heard the gum
cas- Jingle in Georges pocket, wat
filed with shame; not over his origi
nal doubts, but relative to his lack
Of perception. The tourists who sat
at the other tables were scandalized
at the popping Of champagne-corks
Sanctinonious faces glared reproof
A jovial spirit in the Holy Land wae
an anachronism. not to be tolerated
And wine! Horrible! Doubtless
when they retired to their native back
porches, they retold with reverend
Ing horror OF having witnessed such
a scene and having heard such laugh
ter upon the sacred soil.
Even Fortune laughed, though Ry'
anne's ear, keenest then, detected the
vague note Of hysteria. II the meat
was tough. the potatoes greasy, the
vegetables fiavorless, tho wine nat
none Of them appeared to be aware
Of It. If Alderman could talk he
could also eat: and the clatter Of
forks and knives was the theme rath.
er than the variation to the symphony.
George felt himself drawn deeper
and deeper into those tragic waters
from which, as In death, there 10 no
return. She was 80 lonely, SO sad
and forlorn, that there was as much
brother as lover in his sympathy.
How patient she had been during all
those inconceivable hardships! How
brave and steady: and never muir
muir! The single glass Of wine had
brought the color back to her cheek
and the sparkle into her eye; yet he
was sure that behind this apparent
liveliness lay the pitiful desperation
Of the helpless. He had not spoken
again about old Mortimer. He would
wait till after he had sent long
cable. Then he would speak and
show her the answer, Of which he
had not a particle Of doubt. As mat
tiers now stood, he could not tell her
that he loved her; his quixotic sense
Of chivalry was too strong to permit
this step, urge as his heart might
upon it. She might misinterpret his
love as born Of pity, and that would
be the end Of everything. He was con.
fident now that Ryanne meant moth.
Ing to her. Her lack of enthusiasm
whenever Ryanne spoke to her in
these days: the peculiar horizontally
Of her lips and brows. whenever Ry.
anne offered trifling courtesy-all
pointed to distrust George felt
guilty gladness. After all, why
shouldn't she distrust Ryanne?
George concluded that he must ac-
quire patience She was far too loyal
to run away without first giving him
warning. In the event of her refus-
ing Mortimer's roof and protection, he
knew what his plans would be. Some
one else could do the buying for Nor
timer & Jones; his business would be
to revolve round this lonely girl. to
watch and guard her without her be.
ing aware Of 1t. OF what use were
riches If he could not put them to
whatever use he chose? So he would
wait near her, to zee that she came
and went unmolested, till against that
time when she would recognize how
futile her efforts were and how wide
and high tho wall Of the world was.
That mother of hers! To his mind
it was positively unreal that one 80
charming and lovely should be at
heart strong AZ the wind and merci-
less as the sea. His mother had been
everything; hers. worse than none.
an eternal question. What drama
she had moved about in, without un.
Outstanding!
George did not possess that easy
and adjustable sophistry which made
Ryanne look upon smuggling as
clever game between two cheats. His
point Of view coincided with For.
tunes: It was thievery, more or less
condoned, but the ethics covering Il
were soundly established. He had
come very near being culpable him.
self. True. he would not have been
guilty Of smuggling for profit; but
none the less he would have tried to
cheat the government. His sin had