The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1914-03-19
CHAPTER xvu.-fcontinued.)

W SIAEL IEIk |
Harlan forced back a smile. Har-
ward and 200 years of his fathers cul-
ture had no answer to this. Il ought
to be angry" he muttered.
She was regarding him with her old
puzzled air of respect. II reckon" she
went on. that friends a give one
presents II they want tot" She sighed
and your mother and everybody. /
never can understand. And SC
I want to go awe and be
q great actress, n sometime come
back here again with lots of clothes
and a bulldog on a chain"
"Aurelie!"
"a bulldog and a press agent"
oh. Aurelie! I'd rather nave you
back again-the little wild-woods girl
Uncle Mich's girl-and not a prize
beauty and an actress-not a bit!"
He had reached to take her hands.
side her. She laughed blithely: "Har-
Ian. Tn q heap prettier han I used to
be. amt II"
Not amt L Aurelie!"
Well. then-something else! Pref
tier, and with clothes-you ought TO
love me a heap more. Harlan. II I
amount to something"
But l dom want you to amount to
a%nything!" His arm slipped down her
slenderness. he tried to shake her ang-
AAy, diiu tilSL, Will d great pdSSiOldlS
pity. he swept her UP in his arms in the
old way-her breath upon his lips. the
quivef OF her warm flesh against his
own. He was no more the boy; a new
mans madness to possess her beat on
him. It overbore his control. his heri-
a 1t was not SO hat his father had
loved-loved with this young lust of
triumph, this barbaric holding of poig-
nant life and The beauty that was in
her. A am a observation-disclosures
1t was he held Aurelie. it "a sweet to
know she was lying in his arms. still
and content. 'If you knew how 1 cared!
l haven't any law or morals with o
its Just you-and / want you to stay.
You shall stay. Aurelie-by God. I
shan't have you go away to be cheap
ened and ground up in the cities with
all that life you'll lead! No-no!"
She looked up from his kisses. eff I
stay. you'll marry me?"
Yes. dear-a thousand finest"
That's like you and old times. Har-
Ian! But to live here in Rome-oh.
they wouldn't have us!"
I'll make them have us!" He cried
It fiercely to the town 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 I love you. DEAR"
Il o But your mother-and what
they all think of me! never knew un-
til 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
seemed big and generous. didn't 1t.
dear? And then we let it go. Oh. we
were right and the world was wrong!"
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
mad been she who was burning with
wild passion. this splendor of love that
considered nothing in all their lives
but love. And he had been the NEIL
tor. 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. 1t seemed
as II the long unequal years while he
was fighting down the handicap, win
u his place despite her lacking-she
n had even no name except what
L1ndstrom had given her. no parentage
save what a disreputable whisky ped
Ter chose to tell of her: who was now
the towns daughter Of eviI-the roll
unfolded to her. and she was curiously
shaken. cropping amid hazards, yet cool
with purpose
Il val you to stay" he pleaded
Just to show these people how I love
you, Aureie: Why. we a laugh at it
all together!"
She looked at him strangely still fol-
q time: mo. We can Not always
Your father spent a fortune on your
education. And all his life. and you
mothers is conferred on making you q
career: / know it. Why. all the coun-
| ~ Cnrf rf fao1 fhotf Ttsv ,,1a,, 49,
things come to me afterward. I can
blame EN- a bit. Somehow. it's all sweet
to me. Harlan. It's very fine, dear!
JUS Is II was away off and could
looh at both OF us-and could smile
and say nor"
MOI"
Maybe. I don't care enough for you
n more!"
"AurelieI"
We're noS children any more" She
!ooRed at hin again. subduing the ten
derness Of her smile. He reached 8
hand to touch her. and with her Indian
Quickness she evaded him. He followed
g step on the trail as she retreated
I'm old Mich's girl. still. I'm not edu.
Gated. and I've heaps Of t.
n oh. how they'd hurt you some.
time II we were married! know! IT.
Just as your mother said"
'Aurelie!" he cried again and fol.
lowed her.
Don't you come! Harlan. I'd hay,
to give all the new life up-and
wouldn't give it UP. I've been happy
~splendidly happy--working. I wouidn'
give anything up-for you!"
He stood staring after her as sh.
slipped away. He started again to fol.
low. and she laughed a warning in tn,
dusk Of the laureled trail.
I've Just been thinking-and dom
love YOU"
CHAPTER XVIII.