The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1912-05-09

direction of the gates, towaru the AL
pert bridge, their nearest way home.
She-meekly now, for already she was
sorry-turned to look at him. Some
thing in his attitude, the stoop of
the shoulders, usually so square and
erect, the hands curiously clasped be-
mind his back. told her that her shaft
very thoughtlessly aimed-had struck
even deeper than 1t should.
Il am SO sorry, dear" she said gent
ly.
His look forgave her, even before the
words We're fully out Of her mouth. but
with characteristic reticence, he made
no reply to her taunt Strangely enough
she was satisfied that he should say
nothing. The look. which did not re-
the infinite depth Of the wound so light
~ dealt. had told her more tina any
words could do. Whatever Luke de-
c1ded to do. it would be from a sense
OF moral obligation, that desire for do
ing the right thing-in the worldly
sense of the term-which is inherent in
Engllshmen of a certain class. No SEN
timent save that of a conventional one
or honor would be allowed to sway her
destiny and his.
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES same strained
sense of honor and duty-decreed that
under certain mundane circumstances
a man and woman should not mate.
VI lllSCSllS VI pll Sllld6C,
of birth and of country, divergence of
taste, of faith, of belief-all these mat
ter not one jot. But let the man be
beggared and the woman rich, and o IN
Vention steps in and ays TT shall not
bel"
These two bowed to that decree; I'M
conventional, in so far as hat they both
made the sacrifice out Of the intense
purity of their sentiment to one an
other. They made an absolutely world
ly sacrifice for a wholly unworldly mo-
tive. Luke would as soon nave thought
of seeing Louisa in a badly fitting serge
frock, and paying twopence for a two
mile ride in an omnibus, as he would
expect to see a diamond tiara packed
in a cardboard box, it would be unfair
on the jeweler who had made the tiara
thus to subject 1t to rough treatment;
and 1t would be equally unfair on the
Creator of Louisa to let her be buffeted
about by the cruder atoms of this
world.
Louisa only thought of Luke and that
perhaps he would feel happier in his
min If she allowed him to make this
temporary sacrifice.
There is such wonderful balm in self
imposed sacrifice.
What" she asked simply. do you
want me to say, Luke?"
Only that-that o won't give me
up altogether unless
Here he checked himself abruptly.
Was there ever an Englishman born
who could talk sentiment at moments
such as this? Luke was no exception
to that rule. There was so much that
he wanted to say to Louisa. and yet
the very words literally choked him
before he could contrive to utter them.
Don't" she said quietly. let us
even refer to such things, Luke I do
not believe in this shadow, and 1 can
NOT even understand whU Won chnn1d
worry about it, But whatever happens,
I should never give you up. Never.
We will put off fixing the day of our
wedding; since we have made no an
nouncement this Won't matter at all;
but I only agree to this because I think
that 1t is what you would like. 1 fancy
that it would ease your mind. AS for
breaking our engagement in the flu
ture-in case the worst happens-well it
shall not be with my consent, Luke,
unless you really cease to care"
They had reached the gate close to
them, the life Of the big city, c%allous,
noisy n cruel. Omnibuses, cabs,
heavy vans ratified necessarily past
them. People jostled one another, hur-
rying and scurrying. pigmies and ants
adding their tiny load of work, Of care,
Of sorrow to the titanic edifice of his
living world.
Louisa's last words remained unan-
swered Luke had, by his silence, said
everything there was to say. They
stood on the pavement for a moment,
and Luke hailed a passing taxicab.
At the corner opposite. an omnibus
pulled up on its way westward, A
man stepped off the curl ready to en-
ter it. Louisa caught his eye, and he
raised his hattie man who had
passed them in the park just now.