Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-10-27

EAGERLY HE PLEADED WITH HER.
sometimes I wonder IL things aren't
crowding him out. / don't mean to let
them. But 1T certainly isn't as it used
to be when had only him"
TWO or three years passed. Mark
spent his Sundays at High Hill. Week
days he conversed with Linden over
the telephone. He grew gradually a
little older. with a deepening look of
WEAKNESS and want in his dark eyes.
Linden bloomed like a flower. She had
to keep little book now in which to
Jof down her engagements lest she for
get them. Her father spent more and
more money and took time easily. He
had grown stout. lethargic. The most
Linden knew about his affairs was
that he was always willing to write a
check or open his purse for her.
Marks mother died in the fall, and
an old aunt came to keep house for
him. Still he said nothing to Linden
about marrying. And she said nothing
to him. Their engagement had come
to be almost an unreality. She felt
that 1t was meaningless and less. She
blamed mark for it. He allowed her
to get away from him. A man should
hold the woman he loved. Sometimes
there came to her now a little sting
ing doubt. Did Mark love her SO much
after all? She did not think it could
be his pride that stood between them.
In that case he would have mentioned
releasing her aR far back as when the
money came. No. il could not be the
money. 1t was something else.
Revelation came one Sunday after
noon in May. They sat together in a
corner of the great faring veranda of
the High Hill house. There had been
a long silence. Linden had racked her
brain to think of something TO say
Suddenly she lifted her eyes and saw
a CLINT of yellow in one of the old
trees. Instantly a silvery bird voice
vibrated through the stiffness.
Look, Mark she exclaimed. forget
full of all embarrassment in delight at
her discovery. Look the orioles are
going to build in our old elm
Mark" she said. wouldn't you like
me to make a home for your
He turned swiftly, all color and youth
and hope. Then the brightness passed.
NO dear, not yet-I-1 haven't any
prospect of immediate promotion" he
stammered.
She felt silenced, thrust back again.
She sunk her chin into her hand and
pretended to see nothing hut the build
ing orioles. But her heart was wild:
she began, in a trembling voice.
He. too, watched the nest mia king.
I'm sorry" he said. But what have l
to offer you in exchange for this"
Then it's the money Linden ex-
claimed. 49,
NO, it's principle. I'm glad you
have the money: but don't you see,
Linden, I'm too manly TO marry you
until | can give you fitting nome!
If Won had stayed on in the other
house l would by this time. even bar
ring promotion. But l can't let
YOU step down" His voice ceased IN
kind of bleak GOODNESS.
Linden felt tumultuously; We are
estranged.
Less than week afterward her
father confessed to her that he had
spent all he had to spend; the money
was gone and there was a mortgage
on the house which he could h hd
pay nor keep up. But we've had a
good time" he said. Il can remem-
Der that when I'm back in the Factory
at work"
That night Mark rushed to Linden
r1e asked her to marry him at once
Boldly. confidently, eagerly he plead
ed with her. Her father had told MN
about how the money mad siiPpeo
away until nothing was lett. and now
he was going back INTO the Iae.oty.
Seemed glad that at last everything
was out of the way of his possessing
her. -, .r;..,
didn't have money enonsh' aho rnem
Won had too much. Many and many
time rye quarreled with myself TO
Five YOU up and let some other ieiiow
marry you. And then argued ,ha'
nobody could ever love you any oet
ter than could. and that Id wait
and let you take the first move. LIN
den. it's got to be the littie gray
house for while yet, but win you
So Linden went back to the IttIe
cray house on Chase street, just where
She had begun And she is living mere
vet, although Mark got his proT'G ~ "a
long ago. And she is happy II !.
tr,,s she ca1ne to her happiness py
roundabout way. Still, a rounaaoou'
nav is better than no way at all
(THE ENID