Meade County news. [volume] (Meade, Kan.) 1900-1918, 1912-02-15
CHAPTER xv.-contlnued.

Rut through II 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. II would
have been different. Instead. she
amazed him with her simplicity and
wholesomeness. with her great store
Of comradellness 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-all this had been his
expectation and understanding Of
woman But woman, the comrade and
playfellow and joyfelIow-this was
what Dede had surprised him in. And
the more she became worth while. the
more ardently his love burned, I'M
consciously shading his voice with
caresses, and with equal unconscious
ness naring 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, "and then there won't
BE- any more riding"
"T}ut must see you in the winter
Just the same" he cried hastily.
She shook her head.
i've been pretty good" he declared
al leave it to you If | haven't. It's
been pretty hard. zoo, ! can tell you
You just think It over Not once have
said a word about love to you, and
me loving you all the time. That's
going some for a man that's used to
having his own way. I'm somewhat
Of a rusher when 1t comes to travel
inf reckon I'd rush God Almighty
If 1t came 10 a race over the ice. And
YET | 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 word about
It. though? Nary chirp, nary a tiut-
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. But
how about myself? Do you know me
we'll enough to know your own mind?'
He shrugged his shoulders Il don't
know. and amt going to take
chances on 1t now You've got tc
know for sure whether you think you
could get along with me or not. and
I'm playing a slow conservative game
] amt a-going to lose for overlooking
my hand"
This was love-making OF sort be
yond Dede's experience. Nor had she
ever heard of anything like It.
80 you see." he urged, lust for 1
square deal we've got to see somt
more of each other this winter. Mos
likely your mind amt made up yet
But 1t is" she interrupted. e
wouldn't dare permit myself to caro- 70
you Happiness, for me, would not lii
that way. like you, Mr.. Harnish
and all that, but 1t can never be NOR
than that"
TITS because you don't like my wa,
OF living" he charged, thinking in hi
own mind of the sensational joy-ride
and general profigacy with which tn
newspapers had credited him-thinl
ing this, and wondering whether o
not. in maiden modesty. she woul
disclaim knowledge Of 1t,
To his surprise, her answer was fla
and Incorporating.
mo; don't"
Il know I've been brash on some G
those rides that got into the papers.
he began his defence. land that Nv