The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1913-02-13

long time after came here, for what
I'd missed. I've never been happy
here. | didn't have it.. ! wanted IL. At
last | saw 1t. wanted it. It's price Is
ruin-for two, you and me. I'm like
you. If It's wrong, ] don't know where
the wrong began! / didn't mind, so
far as / was concerned. Let a woman
love you, and she'll do anything. no
matter how 1T hurts-herself. But not
you-not the man she loves and wants
to respect, Charley"
"But-me? am not good enough
for you'll"
ooh, boy! How sweet that sounds
to me! Say 1t over again to mel
You make me think | might some day
be worth a mans love. It's got away
from us now. It's all too late. Every.
things too late. When he-Mr. Rawn
comes back, we've got to tell him.
I've done what / was set to debut
not the way he thought, not the way
any of us thought"
"Yes, he must knowl" Halsey nod.
ded. He held her hand now in his
own. They swept on, as upon some
vast wave, helpless, clinging to each
other, he doing what he could to save
her.
II don't know how to tell him." she
walled. There was something Pagan
in me and | didn't know IL. thought
| was in hand, but ! wasn't! / started
low, and | wanted to climb up-and
up-and up! oh, Charley, look!" She
leaned toward him across the table,
pleading. Il was just ambitious, just
like any American girl-like every
woman in the world, | suppose. II |
sold out, | didn't know IL. / didn't
want you to care for me. But you did.
you dol kept away from you, SO that
you wouldn't, SO that we couldn't-so
that I'd always feel that you, at
least"
Where can 1t end?" he asked quiet
ly.
II don't care where 1t ends, that's
the worst of it; | don't care! One
thing only is to my credit. I've kept
my bargain-with him. I've paid the
price ] agreed to give. There is no
scandal about me-yet. And there
might have beenl"
yes"
but some way, when he sent me
out for you, talked to me as he did,
treated me like a piece of merchan-
disc as he did-for once l wavered.
For once. Charley, 1t seemed to me
that | was released from all obliga-
tons to him. hat ] was where | ought
to have a chance for my own hand, to
e life as life could be for itself, to
have the love that's life for a woman
/ wanted to be wooed and won by
some one who loved me, Just as any
woman wants to be, Charley, some
timel And wasn't wasn't. .
II was horrible. . II was hor-
rible. I wanted to give love
for love. / wanted what | couldn't get,
and saw 1t was too late to get IL fair.
and when / saw that you-khat even
you'd sell out for newly, where was
the good, clean thing left In all the
WORLD? / couldn't tell. / didn't know
what to do. ! don't know now. But
you put these papers before me now,
and you expect me to shed tears over
them. / can't. don't care. The worst
was over for me before now. IL came
when l knew you'd love me II I'd raise
a finger to you. Why didn't you make
me love you flrst-long ago? Then all
would have come right. Back there
at first"
They'll say that when your hus-
band lost his fortune he lost his wife.
Yes" he nodded. They'll say that
and believe 1t! That isn't true!"
mo. that isn't true. I was done
him the moment he set this err
rand for me. No woman can love a
man who will do that. But l was done
with him-from the first / never loved
him, ! never did only married him!
! sold out-what l had to sell, myself,
my fitness for a place like this. That
was what I called success! / wanted
to be some one In the worldi Look at
me now"
They sat, two figures IN an inexor-
able drama that swept relentlessly
forward; tasting of a part Of ambi-
tons ripened fruit; yet ~hungering
with the vast, pitiful. merciless human
hunger for that other fruit that hung
In a garden once not lost.
IF it costs my soul, I'll stand by
he said at last; and he reached
out a hand to her suddenly.
mo, mol" she cried. WATT Wait!
| want to think"
A discreet cough sounded. The but
Ter approached bearing coffee. He
wore a half sneer on his face now, the
sheer of the unpaid mercenary. He
doubted. and had cause to doubt,
the last months salary would
forthcoming; for buffers read morn
Ing papers. "Ah. err, Mrs. Rawn-"
began.
What do you want? How dare you
speak to mel" she rejoined. IL do not
to be disturbed! You may go!"
He did go; and this was on an err
of his own, an errand which end
ed In Grace Halsey's chambers. For
ha.y