The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1913-07-24
lun,ur because | wanted to come Rnt

II wish you hadn't come" he said
still III Il daZe
That's kind I'm sure" She tossed
her head III burirsque hanteur IN
stead you might ctfer to drive home
with me. Williams eau stay here aud
drive back when You return
lie shook his head I'D better not.
he muttered He still wanted to get
away by himself to think
Please She leaned forward and
urged him softly. ITS our hast chance
for !, good chat. We go away t"m"r
row morning"
He tried honestly to resist. feeling
i1lStinctively she spelled danger ana
that every hour with her added TO til"
duncer But ne made the mistake Of
looking at her Always she was re
| vealng some new charm for him and.
despite his inner warning. now bred in
| him !: sort Of reckleSsneSs lie called
himself il weakling. a fool tina, played
will, fire And So stylin. himself. he
;ssented Soon they had left the town
behind them and were bowling along
the iaoonit road
John, letting the rally and the prob
lem it presented drift int" the back
ground gave himself ur to :, "cekiess
enjoyment of the hour The white
sIenuor of the moon nndimmed by
smoky torches. the silent majesty of
the hills with their shadows and Silvery
sheen. alone were real The crowd OF
faces peering intently at him through
the half gloom. the struggle within
him as he stood before them. his ironic
rejection of the part assigned him.
seemed unreal. creatures of Il fantastic
dream And the girl beside him. like
him smitten into silence. was real. Very
real
1T seems" she said. THAT l must
always take the aggressive. But then
you never hunt me out-so what can
do? Il suppose most people would
call ME unwolnanly DO you think me
that!"
II do not" he answered unSteadily
"You can't expect the beneficiary to be
critical"
''Do you mean that, wonder: Or
is it only your nice way of letting me
down easily? But am not comforting.
| am seeking. "A friendship such
rs ours-means 4 great deal to me-"
Her voice dwindled away into silence.
He was hard put to it to keep a tight
grip on himself. to fight down the long
ing sureing within him Insistently he
tried to think of her as she was, at
uniformed woman OF essential selfish.
ness. of generous caprices. He bad not
yet found the solution to the problem
presented to him by his campaign. but
he felt blindly that it was leading him
into paths whittier she would not fol
low. into which he. if he yielded to his
longing. would not-could not-g0
alone. He had sometimes thought he
to great heights; yet he knew she was
now of the earth, earthly. She was a
! creature of luxury. He thought of his
last years income and laughed un
pleasantly.
why this sudden hilarity?" she Do
manded
ITS n joke I've just thought ofyon
wouldn't appreciate it,"
"Was it." she pressed him--"was II
about your speech tonight?"
Indirectly. ! suppose" he replied.
"Will you tell mo about that? It was
the reason--one reasOn--why | wanted
yon to come home with me. I'm Of
two minds about it. OF course didn't
understand what it was all about. ex
cept that you were expected to say fal
more and something different. Any
one could 500 that the men on the
platform were angry. Rut one had thu
feeling that somehow yon were finding
and asserting yourself doing some
thing rather splendid. know it made
Aunt Roberta begin to snnffle-she sale
1t was cold in her head. 7 heard one
man near us-a big. hulking farmer
say. Try Joshua, | always thongh
there was considerable Of man nnde
that white skin of Johnny Dun
meade's' He didn't mean to he funny
| think. Another. different sort o
man. laughed and said. Now that
the clevercst move yet It's grand
stand play. but it'll make him If he'
hig enough to follow it up. It'll ge
him a following"
She looked mp at him inqniringly
he saw again the eager interest in he
eyes
1T was neither splendid nor crafty,
he said grimly Il was expected
rant and lie about the virtues Of car
didates I've no faith in. cover up Il 10
i Of things that. it seems, can't be NJ
swerctl. had that speech ready. Bu
when it came to the point | couldn
/. say it. That's all Sheehan and tn
:, organization will probably knife m
= under cover and beat me Ii only as
;, hnrrihle example to the next youn
man who happens along with worI
ing conscience"
Why she exclaimed lncreduiousI,
:. that would elect your opponen
= wouldn't It! Senator Murchell won
. allow it, surely"
y Senator MurchclI will be the nrst
70 recommend the knifins," he laughe
y shortly. Il begin to suspect that ii
~ senator is il false god"
= What have you against the cand
u dates?"
- Its rather against the forces beliiI
~ them. Bad methods and general s,l
J. picion. l guess. | probably couldl
j" make 1t clear