The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1913-05-23
den iii the heIge, the 'grrr1xcIainiSs'c..:
"What q lovely little placer

A gardener who was watering some
| flowers on sign from Stuart fastened
up tho gravel walk and opened the
| Aoor.
livery window commanded entranc-
ing views of the bay and ocean. Ev-
cry ship entering or leaving the harbOr
of New York must pass close and could
be seen for miles going to sea.
| When Stuart finally led Nan out on
the broad veranda of the second floor
she was In futter of excitement over
| the perfection of It's details.
"I think it's wonderful, JimW she
exclaimed with enthusiasm. 1--WE
never seen anything more nearly per
feet. Whose is it?'
Stuart looked into her dark eyes with
desperate yearning.
Its yours, Nan!'
"Mine?
Eyes, dear; this is my secret. I've
been building this home for you the
past year. I've put all the little mon
ey my father gave me with every dol
lar / could save. It's paid for, and
here's the key. l meant to ask you
out here to fix our wedding day. l
ask you now. Forget the nightmare
of the past two weeks, and remember
only that we love each other"
Her lips quivered for just an in
slant, and her hand gripped the rail
of the veranda.
"If I'd seen it four weeks ago, Jim,
1 really don't see how 1 could have re-
sisted 1t, but now''-she shook her
head and laughed-"now it's too late"
"My God! Don't say that, Nam" he
pleaded. "It's never too late to do
right. You know that I love you.
You know that you love me-"
"But I've discovered" she went on,
with banterlng, half challenging frank
ness, that l love luxury too. l never
knew how deeply and passionately be-
fore She paused a moment, look
ing toward Sea Gate. isn't that the
anchorage of the Atlantic Yacht club?"
EYES," he answered impatiently.
",Then that's Mr.. Bivens' yacht, the
big, ugly black one lying close inshore
with steam up. He told me he would
send her into drydock today. He was
talking last night of a wedding cruise
in her to the Mediterranean. con-
fess. Jim. that 1 want to shine, to sue
ceed and dazzle and reign. This is
perhaps the one chance Of my life"
"Do you hold yourself so cheapT
"You can't realize how much the
power of millions means to a woman
who chafes at the limitations the world
puts on her sex. It's too late"-
Don't, don't say 1t, Nan"
"Why not be frank? This little cot
tage is a gem, admit. But I've seen a
splendid palace set in flowers and
cleaning with subdued light. Soft
music steals through its halls mingled
with the laughter Of throngs who love
and admire me. It's banquet tables are
laden with the costliest delicacies
while liveried servants hurry to and
fro with plates and goblets of gold"
Stuart seized her arm with fierce
strength that hurt "You shall not dc
this hideous thing. You are mine,
tell you, and 1 am bigger than money
have the power to think, to create
ideas, to create beauty-the power that
remakes the world. 1 expect to have
all the money we shall need. In the
years to come we shall be rich whether
we seek it or not. But the sweetest
days of all life will be those in which
we fight side by side the first battles OF
life in youth and poverty when we
shall count the pennies and save witt
care for the little ones God may SEND
l U.S."
!. "But life is short, Jim. I can have
: things now. He has already promised
them-a palace in town, another by
the sea, great castle in the heart o.
the blue southern mountains we uset
TO watch as children and armies Of
=, servants to do my bidding. l can liv'
/, now"
= "And you call these trappings ant
L tinsel life?'
81 want them"
= my God, Nan, haven't you a soul
e Hasn't the life within no meaning TO
you? To me such luxury is sheer in
sanity. The possibilities Of persona
= luxury have been exhausted thousand
v. = Of years ago. It's commonplace, vul
: gar and contemplate. If you wish fo
Ii power why choose the lowest of all 1t
forms2 The way you are entering
= worn bare by the feet Of millions @
e forgotten fools whose bodies worm
1t have eaten. Not one Of them live
today even in a footnote Of history"
l. "And yet, Jim, you know as well as
do that money is the sign Of succes
and power; its absence, of failure an
l. weakness. If you make a mistake l
your career you can correct 1t and b'
u gin again. Being a woman, L canno
u for marriage is my only career.
II mistake now would be to me fatal"
&c sand you are making the one tragi
,e mistake no repentance can undo. TIL
Is deliberate choice of eva, knowing 1t
be evil. Your heart Is mine-mine,
E. tell you! Do you deny itr'
~ Again he seized her hand, gripped