The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1912-05-01
CHAPTER xxxli.
The Empty Berth.

/ nlnA 10 learn about Marjorie was tina
she would never take the point o
view he expected, and never proceed
along the lines OF his logic
She had grown furious at him to
what he could not help. she had tolC
him that she would marry him out O
spite. She had commanded him t
pursue and apprehend the flying par
son He failed and returned crest
fallen and wondering what new torn
her rage would take.
And. 10 and behold, when she saw
him so downcast and helpless, she
rushed 10 him with caressea, cuddled
his broad shoulders against AeI
| breast, and smothered him Ii was
the sincerity OF his detection and the
complete helpessness he displayed
that won her woman's heart
Mallory gazed at her with almost
more wonderment than delight This
was another dashlight on her charac-
ter Most courtships are conducted
/ under rose-light in which wooer
and NOoed wear their best clothes on
their best behavior; or in a starnt,
moonlit or gaslit twilight where ro-
nance sottens angles and wraps
everything in velvet shadow Then
the two get married and begin to
live together in the cold, gray day.
light OF realism, with undignined
necessities and narrowing situations
at every step and disillusion begins
its deadly work.
This young couple was undergoing
all the lnconVeniences and temper-ex.
posures OF marriage without its
blessed compensations They prom.
ised 10 be Well acquainted before they
We're wed. II they stil wanted each
other after this ordeal. they were pretJ
" Well assured that their marriage
would not be a failure
Mallory reioiced to see that the
hurricane OF Mar1orie's jealousy had
only whipped up the surface OF her
soul The great depths were still
calm and unmoyed and her love Tor
him was in and OF the depths
Soon after leaving Ogden the train
entered upon the great bridge across
the Great Salt Lake The other pas
sengers were staring at the enormous
engineering masterpiece and the con.
ductOr was pointing out that, In or
der to save forty miles and the cross.
Ing OF two mountain chains, the rail-
road had devoted four years OF labor
and millions ot dollars to stretching a
thirtylnile bridge across this inland
ocean.
But Marjorie and Mallory never no
ticed it. They were absorbed in ex.
ploriug each others souls, ana they
had safely bftdged the Great salt
Lake which the first big bitter 1eal.
ousy spreads across every matrimo-
nial route
They were undisturbed in their yOy.
age, for all the other passengers had
their noses fattened against the win.
dow panes OF the other cars-all eX.
cept one couple, gazing each at each
through timewrinkled eyelids touched
with the magic OF tardy honeymoon.
For all that Anne and Ira knew,
the Great Salt Lake was a moon.
swept lagoon, and the arid mountains
Of Nevada wAiea< the train went seal.
Ing, We're tAeryVery hlllsides OF Ar.
CT Cia
But the other passengers soon came
back into the observation
room Ira had told them nothing OF
confession In the first
place, he was d man who had learned
TO keep secret. and in the second
place. he had forgotten that such per
sons as Mallory or his Marjorie exist.
ed All the world was summed up in
the fearsomely happy little spinster
who had moved up into his section
he section which had begun its ca. q
Ger draped in satin ribbons unwtt
ingly prophetic.
The communion OF Mallory and
Marjorie under the benison OF recon.
citation was invaded By the jokes OF
he other passengers, unconsciously q
ronic,
DR.. Temple chaffed them aniably:
You two will have to take back S
eat now. We've got a new bridal a
0uple to amuse us"
And Mrs Temple welcomed them +,
yith: You're only old married folks, /
Ike us"
The Mallorys were used to the mis-, 2
understanding But the misplaced d
criticisms gave them reinsurance J.
hat their secret was safe yet httlo J.
lille AT their dinner-table, however, \
nd in the long evening that followed
hey We're haunted by the tact that n
lis was their last night on the tram, n
nd Ho minister TO be expected. T.
Aud now once more the Mallorys
sgaiaed the star roles ia the esteem
the audience. for once more they 81
lsueied at goodnight kissing time. n
nee more they required TWO sec. y.
ons, while Anne Gatties berth was
jt even made up. 1t remained eu<pty. y.
he deserted nest, Tor It's occupant s,
al flown south
CONTINUED Tomorrow S.