The Washington herald., 1913-09-14

never can understand. And so l want
to go away and be great actress, and
some time come back here again with
lots of clothes and a bulldog on
chain"
"Aurelie"
"a bulldog and a press-agent-
i "Oh, Aureliel I'd rather have you
back agai1-the little wild-woods girl
Uncle Michs girl-and not prize
beauty and an actress--Iot a bit
He had reached to take her hands,
l and with them drew himself down be-
side her. She laughed blithely: "Har-,
Ian. I'm a heap prettier than used
to be, amt I!'
Not amt L. Aurelie'
well, then-something else! Pret-
tier, and with clothes-you ought to
love me a heap more, Harlan, 1t !
amount to something"
But | don't want you TO amount to
anything| His arm slipped down
about her slenderness, he tried TO
shake her angrily and then. with a
great passionate pity he swept her UP
in his arms in the old way-her breath
upon his lips, the quiver of her warm
flesh against his own. He was no
more the boy; a new mans madness
/ possess her beat on him. 1t over
bore his control, his heritage. 1t was
not so that his father had loved-loved
| with this young lust of triumph, this
barbaric holding OF poignant life and
the beauty that was in her. A ttamt,
whatever it was, he held
| Aurelie, it was sweet to know she was
| 1, cft nd
you knew how | cared | haven't any
law or morals with you-it'S just you
and | want you to stay. You shall
stay, Aurelie-by Cod. / shant have
you go away to be cheapened and
ground up in the cities with all that
life you'll leadl No-no!'
She looked up from his kisses. IF /
stay, you'll marry me?'
| Yes. dear-a thousand tImesH
That's like you and old times, Har-
Ian! But to live here in Rome-oh,
they wouldn't have us"
III make them have u.s." he cried 1t
hercely TO the tJwn below them IN the
dusky light.
Mr.. Curran said you could be dis
trict attorney next year And that you
were getting on fine. Oh, you'll have
to give that all up, Harlan!'
He was still. Then he muttered :;
! But ] love you, dear!
Il know. But your mother-and
what they al, think OF me! | never
knew until yesterday how bad they
thought"
You'll stay and make your place,
dear. It'll be the big brave way. Oh,
we were right before! The night
eemed big md generous. didn't it
dear? And then we let it go. Oh, we
were right-and all the world was
wrongr
She drew his head to her and kissed
him, a soft humbleness in her eyes.
Then she sat up and put his arm
gently aside and looked down long at
| the valley. Somehow she could not
quite forget. A strange idea that she
had exchanged places with Harlan
) grew in her Their last night in the
hills it had been she who was burning
with this wild passion, this spiendor
OF love that considered nothing in all
their lives but love. And he had been
the mentor, his cool sane blood that
had saved them and held them pure
| And now, slowly. with her sense of
the bigness OF his love, grew the sense
| OF his unrealized sacrifice. II seemed
as if the long unequal years while he
was fighting down the handicap, win
ming his place despite her lacking-she,
who had even no name except what
Lindstrom had given her, no parentage
save what a disreputable whisky ped
dler chose to tell of her; who was now
the towns daughter of evil-the roll
unfolded to her, and she was curiously
shaken, cropping amid hazards, yet cool
with purpose.
81 want you to stay" he pleaded,
Just to show these people how l love
you, Aurelie. Why, we can laugh at
it all togetherw
She looked at him strangely still for
a time. mo. We can't. Not always.
Your father spent fortune on your
education And all his life, and your
mother; is centered on making you
career. / know it. Why, all the coun-
ty sort of feels that It's curious how
things come to me afterward. l can't
blame 'em a bit. Somehow, it's all
sweet TO me, Harlan. It's very fine,
dear! Just as if | was away off and
could look at both of us-and could
smile and say 'No"'
Maybe don: care enough for you
any rloreH
"Aurelie =
Were not children any more" She
looked at hirl again. subduing the ten
derness of her smile. He reached a
hand to touch her, and with her In
dian quickness she evaded him. He
followed step on the trail as she
retreated. Pm Old Mich's girl, still.
I'm not educated, and I've heaps of
manners to learn. and lots of ways
that hurt you-and oh, how they'd hurt
you sometime if we were married.
know! It's Just as your mother said"
"AurelieP he cried again and fol-
lowed her.
Don't you comel Harlan. I'd have
to give all the new life up-and |
wouldn't give it up. I've been happy
splendidly happy-working. l wouldn't
give anything up-for youp
He stood staring after her as she
slipped away. He started again to fol-
low, and she laugher a warning in the
dusk of the laureled trail.
Il just been thinking-and l don't
love you'll"
CHAPTER XVIII.
The SentImenta1ist.