River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1913-08-28

come and the simple congratulations
she felt forced to repeat He could
neither speak the commonplace, nor
listen to 1t. This was his crucial
hour. He must find support here, or
yield hopelessly to the maelstrom in
whose whirl he was caught.
She saw his excitement and faltered
back step-a move which she regret
ted the next minute, for ne took ad-
vantage of it to enter and close behind
him the door which she would never
have shut of her own accord. Then
he spoke, abruptly, passionately. but
In those golden tones which no emo
ton could render other than alluring:
Il am an unhappy man, Miss Scott.
see that my presence here is not
welcome, yet am sure that it would be
so If 1t were not for a prejudice
which your generous nature should
be the first to cast aside, in face of the
outspoken confidence of my brother
Oswald. Doris, little Doris, love you.
have loved you from the moment of
our first meeting. Not to many men
is it given to find his heart so late,
and when he does, 1t is for his whole
life; no second passion can follow it.
l know that [ am premature In saying
this;e that you are not prepared to
hear such words from me and that it
might be wiser for me to withhold
them, but l must leave Derby soon,
and I cannot go until 1 know whether
there is the least hope that you will
yet lend a light to my career or
whether that career must burn itself
to ashes at your feet. Oswald-nay,
hear me out-Oswald lives in his
memories; but must have an active
hope-a tangible expectation-jf I am
to be the man / was meant to be. Will
you, then, coldly dismiss me, or will
you let my whole future life prove to
you the innocence OF my past? will
not hasten anything; all ask is some
indulgence. Time will do the rest"
Impossible" she murmured.
But that was word for which he
had no ear. He saw that she was
moved, unexpectedly so; that while
her eyes wandered restlessly at times
towards the door, they ever came back
in girlish wonder, If not fascination, to
his face, emboldening him so that he
ventured at last, to add
Doris, little Doris, will teach you
marvellous lesson, If you will only
turn your dainty ear my way. Love
such as mine carries infinite treasure
with it. Will you have that treasure
heaped, piled before your feet? Your
lips say no, but your eyes-the truest
eyes I ever saw-whisper a different
language. The day will come when
YOU will find your joy in the breast Of
him you are now afraid to trust" And
not waiting for disclaimer or even
glance of reproach from the eyes he
had so wilfully misread, he withdrew
with movement as abrupt as that
with which he had entered.
Why, then, with the memory Of this
exultant hour to fend off all shadows,
did the midnight find him in his soil
tary hangar in the moonlit woods,
deeply Responding figure again. Be
side him swung the huge machine
luxury; but he no longer saw 1t. Ii
called to him with many creak and
quiet snap-sounds to start his blood
and fire his eye a weekday, day
ago. But he was deaf to this music
now; the call went unheeded; the flu
ture had no further meaning for him,
nor did he know or think whether he
sat in light or in darkness; whether
the woods were silent about him, or
painting with life and sound. His
demon had gripped him again and the
final battle was on. There would new
er be another. Mighty as he felt hiHn-
self to be, there were limits even to
his capacity for endurance. He could
sustain no further conflict How then
would it end? He never had doubt
himself! Yet he sat there.
Around him in the forest, the night
owls screeched and innumerable small
things without a name, skurried from
lair to lair.
He heard them not.