The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1912-03-07
CHAPTER %V.-Continued.

But through it all ran the golden
read of love. At first he had been
intent just to ride with Dede and to
on comradely terms with her; but
,e desire and the need for her in
creased The more he knew of her.
the higher was his appraisal Had
she been reserved and naughty with
him, or been merely a giegling. sim.
peTing creature of a woman, 1t would
have been different Instead, she
amazed him with her simplicity and
wholesOmeness with her great store
OF comradeliness The latter was the
unexpected He had never looked
upon woman In that way Woman.
che toy: woman, the harry; woman,
the necessary wife and mother of the
races offspring-all this had been his
expectation and understanding Of
woman But woman, the comrade and
Dlayfellow ard ioyfellow-thi5 was
what Dede had surprised him in. And
the more she became worth while, the
more ardently his love burned. IN
consciously shading his voice with
81 I7f7t0, anu Win tiiudI NlitbllS CiOio-
ness faring up signal fires in his eyes.
Nor was she blind to it, yet like many
women before her. she thought to play
with the pretty fire and escape the
consequent confaEration.
Winter will soon be coming on"
she said regretfully, and with prOvoca-
sion, one day and then there won't
BE any more riding"
But l must see you in the winter
5ust the same" he cried hastily.
She shook her head
I've been pretty good" he declared
81 leave It to you If | haven't. It's
been pretty hard. too, | can tell you.
You just think It over Not once have
l said a word about love to you. and
me loving you all the time That's
going some for man that's used to
having his own way, I'm somewhat
of a rusher when it comes to travel
Ing. reckon I'd rush God Almighty
ii it came to a race over the ice And
yet I didn't rush you guess this
fact is an indication of how much !
do love you. OF course ! want you to
marry me. Have said a word about
At, though? Nary chirp, nary a fut-
ter I've been quiet and good, though
Ats almost made ne sick at times. this
keeping quiet. | haven't asked you to
marry me. I'm not asking YOU now.
Oh, not but what you satisfy me.
sure know you're the wife for me But
how about myself? Do you know me
we'll enough to know your owa mind?"
He shrugged his shoulders. Il don't
know and | amt going to take
chances on it now You've got to
know for sure whether you think you
could get along with me or not. and
Tn playing a slow conservative game
amt a-going to lose for overlooking
my hand"
This was love-makirg of a sort be-
yond Dede's experience. Nor had she
ever heard of anything like it
so you see" he urged just for
square deal we've got tc see some
more of each other this water Most
likely your mind amt made up yet
But it is" she interrupted 81
wouldn't dare permit myself to care for
you Happiness, for me, would not lie
that way. /! like you, Mr. Harnish,
and all that. but it can never be more
than that"
IT'S because you don't like my way
Of living" he charged, thinking in his
own mind OF the sensational ioy-rides
and general profligacy with which the
newspapers had credited him-thiuE-
ing this, and wondering whether or
ROT, in maiden modesty, she would
dfscaaim knowledge of it.
IT his surprise, her answer was fiat
zHd uncompromising
40; | don't"
know I've been brash on some Of
rides that got into the papers, -
gan his defence. and that I've