The Iuka vidette. (Iuka, Miss.) 1894-1912, 1912-03-14
CHAPTER xv.-contlnued.

But through It all ran the golden
thread OF love. At first he had been
content just to ride with Dede and to
be on comradely terms with her; but
the 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 giggling. sim
pering creature of 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,
the toy; woman. the harry; woman.
the necessary wife and mother Of the
races offspring this had been his
expectation and understanding of
woman. But woman, the comrade and
playfellow and joyfellow--this was
what Dede had surprised him In. And
the more she became worth while. the
more ardently his love burned. un-
cpnsciously shading his voice with
Cd4 tSSto, anu Will tQudl uAtOnoCiOuS-
ness fiaring 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 confagration."
Winter will soon be coming on"
she said regretfully. and with provoca-
ton. one day. land then there won't
BE- any more riding"
But must see you in the winter
Just the same" he cried hastily.
She shook her head
i've been pretty good" he declared.
VI leave 1t to you II I haven't. It's
been pretty hard. too. can tell you.
You just think 1t over. Not once have
I said 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 rusher when 1t comes to travel
ing. | reckon I'd rush God Almighty
II 1t came to race over the ice. And
yet | didn't rush you. | guess this
fact is an indication of how much
do love you. OF course I want you to
marry me- Have said word about
IT. though? Nary chirp. nary flut-
ter. I've been quiet and good, though
it's almost made me 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. hut
bow about myself? Do you know me
we'll enough to know your own mind p
He shrugged his shoulders. II don't
know. and l 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
I'm playing slow conservative game.
j amt a>going to lose for overlooking
my hand"
This was love-making of sort be-
yond Deds's experience. Nor had she
ever heard OF anything like it.
80 you see," he urged, lust for a
square deal we've got to see some
more OF each other this winter. Most
likely you, mind amt made UP yet"
But 1t Is she interrupted. II
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 1t can never be more
thar that.
TITS because you don't like my way
of living" ne charged, thinking in his
own mind Of the sensational 1oy-rides
and general profigacy with which the
newspapers had credited him--think-
ing this. and wondering whether or
not. in maiden modesty, she would
disclaim knowledge of It.
To his surprise. her answer was nat
and uncompromising
mo; don't.
4 know rye been brash on some OF
those rides that got into the papers, !"
ike began hs1 defenee, land that I've