Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1913-12-11

or cut MIN snort with an imperative:
Thanks for your candori II her
spirit Is destined to stand like an i'm.
movable shadow between you and me,
you do right to warn me. But this In
terview must end all allusion to the
subject. l will seek and find another
man to share my fortunes! Gas he said
this he approached suddenly, and took
his papers from the others HANDY or
=" Here he hastily retraced his steps
to the door which he softly opened.
"Or," he repeated-but though Oswald
listened for the rest, 1t did not come.
While he waited, the other had given
him one deeply concentrated look and
passed out.
No heartfelt understanding was pos
sible between these two men.
Crossing the hall, Orlando knocked
at the door of Doris little sitting
room.
No answer, yet she was there. He
knew 1t in every throbbing fiber Of his
body. She was there and quite aware
of his presence; OF this he felt sure;
yet she did not bid him enter. Should
he knock again? Never! but he would
not quit the threshold. not II she kept
him waiting there for hours. Perhaps
she realized this. Perhaps she had
meant to open the door to him from
the very first, who can tell? What
avails is that she did ultimately open
1t, and he, meeting her soft eye,
wished from his very heart that his
impulse had led him another way,
even II that way had been to the edge
OF the precipice-and over.
For the face he looked upon was Sc
rene, and there was no serenity in
him; rather a confusion Of Embossed
passions fearful Of barrier and yearn-
ing unanimously for freedom. But,
whatever his revolt, the secret revolt
which makes no show in look or
movement, he kept his ground and
forced smile of greeting. II her face
was quiet, It was also lovely-too love
", he felt, for q man to leave 1t, what
ever might come Of his lingering.
Nothing in all his life had ever az
fected him like 1t. For him there was
no other woman in the past, the pres
ent or the future, and, realizing this
taking in to the full what her affection
and her trust might be to him in
those fearsome days to come, he 30
dreaded a rebuff-he, who had been
the courted of women and the admired
Of men ever since he could remember
that he failed to respond to her vel
come and the simple congratulations
she felt forced to repeat He could
neither speak the commonplace, nor
listen to it. 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 a step-a move which she regret
ted the next minute, for he took ad-
vantage Of 1t 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:
II am an unhappy man, Miss Scott
l see that my presence here is not
welcome, yet am sure that 1t would be |
SO II 1t were not for a prejudice
which your generous nature should
be the first to cast aside, in face OF the
confidence Of my brother
Oswald. Doris, little Doris, love you.
l 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 1t.
l know that am premature In saying
this; that you are not prepared to
hear such words from me and that 1t
might be wiser for me to withhold
them, but / must leave Derby soon,
and / cannot 60 until know whether
there is the least hope that you Will
yet lend q light to my career or
that career must burn itself
to ashes at your feet. oswald-nay,
hear me out-Oswald lives in his
but I must have an active
hope-a tangible expectation-if am
to be the man I 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
Time will do the rest"
Impossible" she murmured.
But that was a word for which he
had no eur. He saw that she was
moved, Unexpectedly so; that while
her eyes wandered restlessly at times
owards the door, they ever came back
n girlish wonder, II not fascination, to
lis face, emboldening him so that he
at last, to add:
Doris, little Doris, will teach you
! marvellous lesson, n you viii only
urn your dainty ear my way. Love
iuch as mine carries infinite treasure
With It. VIII you have that treasure
leaped, piled before your feet! Your
Ups say no, but your eyes-the truest
yes ever saw-whisper a different
anguage. The day win come when
-ou win ind your Joy IN the breast OF
i'm you are now afraid to trust" And
lot waiting for disclaimer or even q
lance Of rapFoach from the eyes he
"A "a ,urilhsIIv r,lnraaa IA vithdrnw !