The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1913-01-17

intention, he was holding her In a
close, rough clasp and crying to her to
go with him. She did not resist, and
she did not respond. She lay inert in
his arms, passively suffering his hot
KISSES her eyes closed, her face white.
"My dear, my dear! Don't you see?
You're fighting against the thing that
means your happiness. I'm not afraid
to ask now, for know can give you
far more than you'll ever have other
wise. What / want to do isn't SO ter
rible. 1t is very simple. I can't see
why few are so strongly against it.
And 1t doesn't mean the sacrifice you
think. Already it has brought victory
and the consideration of men you so
much desire In the end. If we have
the spirit to fight and waltz His
stammering phrases halted. He be-
came aware Of her closed eyes. her
unresponsiveness. She opened her
eyes and looked at him. His rough
clasp relaxed. She shook her head and
pushed herself away, leaning back in
the seat.
"Ah," she murmured, at is too late!
You can't make me want you enough"
"1t isn't too late If you care"-
"Is caring everything? You know 1t
isn't. If 1t were you wouldn't make
conditions. You would use your brains,
your talents, to work out a career. You
would have accepted Senator Muir
chell's Offer
"You think that?" he cried. "Then
you don't carer'
"Ah," she said resentfully, "you can
say that? Do you think could unsex
myself as I have done for you for a
fancy? / But you wouldn't under
stand 1t is very practical matter
Life isn't all moonlight. 1t is all very
beautiful to give ones life to an ideal
And you're very splendid now in the
flush of your first victory. You would
be still splendid fighting a brave, los
ing fight while you were young, but
when you were a broken down, middle
aged failure, cast aside, a career out
of the question, do you think that /
1t wouldn't be romantic then. I'd be
| always looking up at the men I once
knew, the men who We're conquering,
doing big things, and Id-regret. And
I'd hate you then"
at seems" he cried bitterly, "I in
spire little confidence I'm told by
every one before 1 have tried long.
while 1 am still winning, that Pm
doomed to be failurev'
"Now 1t is you who will not see" She
became more gentle. "Do you think
| could care for weakling? 1t isn't
you we distrust. but your IDEAL I
know more of politics than I did year
ago. Your dream will get you only
disappointment. Even the big men
who have done the. fine, good things for
this country used the forces they found
at hand, compromised with evil to
create good. And their good stands"
Suddenly she leaned toward him and
placed a hand on his arm. Look
john" She pointed to the north star
cleaning palely in the moonlight
"That star IS beautiful, but it is very,
very high. Can't you understand? Ask
me to go with you to the mountain top
md I will go. l will help you climb,
but to that star-and | can't"
She had shaken him, as she could al
ways shake him, set him to question
ing the real value of the purpose that
through forces over which he had no
control, as it seemed, had grown until
1t filed his life excluding all else. Her
hand still rested on his arm, yet he
found strength to answer:
you've said it yourself-caring isn't
everything"
He got to his feet slowly. She, too,
rose. With sudden jealous contrac-
ton of her heart she realized how lit
tie of the grief she had thought to see
was in his look. Strength was there,
the strength to suffer and to with.
stand, and something else, almost a
glow, the reflection of a spirit handed
down to this man across the genera
tons from an age of martyrs who
were glad to pay for their faith. With
great price he was paying for his
faith, and it became the more precious
to him.
She found the need to justify herself
before him.
"At least" she said unsteadily, you
will remember that l didn't pretend
until it was too late for you to escape
me and then worry you into going my
way as many women have done. I'm
not quite so selfish as that. Am
wholly contemplated"
He judged her generously.
"You aren't contemplate. 1t is only
that you don't love. Love doesn't hag'
gle or try to drag down. You have
mistaken, honestly mistaken, some
thing else for it, If you cared-but
you don't You will find that out
soon"
For a little she looked at him un'
waveringly. Then her strength seem
ed to wilt.
'You are right, suppose, and have