Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1913-12-24
Copyright. OIL,
bp the BobbS Merrill Co.

would be over. Lights were out, and
people were in bed when he and Kazan
returned to the hotel, but Thornton was
up, sitting by himself in the gloom, as
Jan had first seen him at lie Pas. Jan
sat down beside him. There was an
uneasy tremOr in Thornton's voice
when he said:
''Jan, did you ever love a woman
love her until you were ready and will
ing to die for her?"
The suddenness of the question wrung
the truth from JAMS lips in low, chol1-
ing voice. For an instant he thought
that Thornton must have guessed his
secret.
Eyes, m'sieur."
Thornton leaned toward him, grip
ping his knees, and the misery in his
face was deeper than Jan had ever
seen it before.
81 love Woman-like that" he went
on tensely. "A girl-not a woman, and
she is one of your people, Jals-of the
north as innocent as f1owar more
beautiful to me than-than all the wo-
men / have ever seen before She g
at House. L din HUME "
Ito save myself
"Save yourselfr' cried Jan Does
she not love yOu?"
''She would follow me to the end Of
the earth.'
Then
Thornton Strengthened himself and
wiped his pale face. Suddenly he rose
to his feet and motioned for Jan to fol-
low him. He walked swiftly out into
the night and still faster after that I'M
til they passed beyond the town. From
where he stopped they could look over
the forests far into the pale light of
the south
Chats hell for me!'' said Thornton,
pointing. It's what we call civiliza-
tion-but it's mostly hell! 1 wish to
God | could stay here-always!'
''You love her." breathed Jan. ''You
can stay"
st can't groaned Thornton. 81 can't
-unless''-
''What, m'sieur?'
"Unless lose everything her"
JAMS fingers trembIed as they sought
Thornton's hand.
y
you give it for love and happiness" he
urged. ''The great God, l know
Everything" cried Thornton. Don't
you understand? l said everythingr'
He turned almost fiercely upon his
companion. I'D give up my name
for her. I'd bury myself back there in
the forests and never go out of them
for her. I'd give up fortune, friends.
lose myself fOrever-for her. But 1
can't. Good God don't you under
stand?"
Jan stared. His eyes grew large and
dark.
GIVE spent ten years of worse than
hell down there with a woman" went
on Thornton. 1T happens among us
frequently this sort of hell. l came
up here to get out of it for a time.
You know now There is a woman
down there who-whO is my wife.
She would be glad if | never returned.
She is happy now when l am away,
and | have been happy for time. |
know what love is. l have felt it.
have lived it. God forgive me, but
am almost tempted to go back to her!"
come in Jan, who stood as strais
and as still as the blank spruce be
hind them. with only his eyes show
ing that there was life in him. Those
eyes held ThOrntOn's. They burned
upon him through the gray gloom as
he had never seen human eyes burn
before. He waited, half startled, and
Jan spoke. In his voice there was
nothing of that which Thornton saw
in his eyes
1t was low and soft, and. though it
had that which rang like steel, Thorn
ton could not have understood or fear
ed it more.
"OTsieur, how far have you gone
with herr"
Thornton understood and advanced
with his hands reaching out to Jan.
"Only as far as one might go with
the purest thing on earth" he said. 81
have sinned in loving her and in let
ting her love me, but that is all, Jan
Thoreau. l swear that is ALL"
"And you are going back into the
south?"
eyes, am going back into the
SOUTH
The next day Thornton did not go.
He made no sign of going on the sec
ond day. So it was with the third,
the fourth and the fifth. On each of
these days Jan went once. in the after
noon, to the office of the subcommis-
siOner, and Thornton always accOmpa-
MED him. At times when Jan was not
looking there was a hungry light in his
eyes as he followed the others move
ments, and once or twice Jan caught
what was left of this look when he
turned unexpectedly. He knew what
was in ThOrntOns mind, and he pitied
him, grieyed with him in his own heart
until his own secret almost wrung it
self from his lips