Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1912-08-10

with cause you will? With cause
you will renounce all claim upon me.
reIinquish all effort to hold me through
this form OF marriage?'
Yes l assented soberly. 'T will
endeavor to act the part OF a gentle
man.
There was a moment of silence in
which l looked at her. leaning against
the dresser with eyes lowered to the
floor. That she was embarrassed.
doubtful. was plainly evident. Sud
denly her eyes uplifted to mine.
ASK me your question, and 1 will
answer
DO you love Colonel Donald p
She drew a quick breath. but there
was no faltering in her steadfast
Il do" she said quietly. rs that
alp
THAT is surely enough" bitterly, "as
it leaves me nothing further to hope
for"
rs that not best? Would you wish
me to act less frankly?"
There was something in the depth
of those eyes / could not fathom;
something that seemed to contradict
the speech of her lips and to lure me
on in unreasoning hopefulness. Per-
hapS it was q trace of coQuetry in
her nature she was unable wholly to
restrain Certainly 1 was not insen-
sible to it.
Il accept your word, Miss Dens-
low" l answered quietly. because l
must. as l am pledged to it. and yet
| feel you are not entirely Indifferent
toward me-that you do care
Her lips We're compressed. her hands
clasping and unclasping nervously-
Have l ever said otherwise?''
No. but l wish you might feel JUS
tilted in confessing. You say l am
now to travel. and after what you
have already said there is no reason
for me to delay departure. The de-
mands of war are not likely 70 throw
US together again. yet L wish l might
bear away with me some knowledge
that you do care. although it be ever
so little. The real love of any man
must have meaning TO the memory
of the one woman.
And it has-will ever have to me-
There was an impulsiveness to these
words which sent my heart throbbing.
"How-how could 1 be different
she went on. almost Indignantly. II
am young. scarcely more than a girl.
and this is all new to me; I hardly
comprehend the meaning of it, But
but L cannot forget. No tale of ro-
nance could be stranger than the
way In which we have been thrown
together. You are Yankee. an en-
envy to all 1 have been taught to re-
we're. in warfare against my people.
your first act srievous wrong against
myself. and-and yet c9A,t hate you
fri l., 4 al, - i, -
strangest thing, L even believe l
dread to have you go away, and yet
you must. and | wish you to-
Then 1 shall go. but you tempt me
strongly
Tempt you?-how2-to what?-
Tempt me to urge that the war
will some time besover; tempt me to
hope / may be welcome when that
time comes
Have i said that?-have 1 said
anything like that:.
NO; only that you are not indiffer-
ent; that you do care q little. 1t is
not your words, but your eyes, which
encourage me-
My eyes." They dropped an In
slant, then opened wide. gazing into
my own
Yes: l cannot explain. yet they
seem to say l shall be welcome. even
while your lips deny l caught her
clasped hands in mine and separated
them (which tell the truth? ~
She made no effort to draw away
from me. but laughed lightly
Neither. would be the safer guess"
she responded. flor both are masks
You cannot understand me. Lieutenant
King. and it is useless to try l do not
even understand myself ; l am a con-
tinual contradiction don't In the