The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1914-07-04

Small wonder that In time
Senator Barton and Daisy had
fallen into the way of spending
the whole of the Senator'S spare
time in Europe, and with Nancy
Dampier.
Nancy? Daisy and Nancy are
now like sisters. and to the Sen
ator himself she shows the affec-
| ton of a daughter. but with re-
gard TO relations 10 Gerald, none
of them know the trpth-indeed,
il may be doubted IL she knows
il herself.
AS Senator Barton stands there
looking down at the two figures
walking across the grass. he re-
members with a sense of boding
fear a late conversation with
Naney's lawyer.
There's nothing to be done. my
poor friends. nothing at all! Our
English marriage laws are per-
feetIy clear"
And the Senator had answered
with heat. The law which ties
living woman to a man who may
be dead, nay, probably is dead, is
a monstrous law"
And Mr.. stephens had answered
very quietly. What IL John Dam
pier be alive?"
And is this all l can tell my
poor SOM"
And then 1t was that Mr..
Stephens had proposed that Nancy
become naturalized in America
and obtain a divorce there.
Il doubt, however, If Nancy
would consent to DO such a thing,
even IL she reciprocates-whi Is
by no means sure-your sons
er-feeling for her." he had
added.
"Feeling?" Senator Barton
had cried out fiereely, why use
such an ambiguous word, when
we both know that Gerald is kill
ing himself for love of her and
giving up the finest career ever
opened to a man? IL Mrs. Dam
pier does not recfprocate what
you choose to call his feeling for
her, then she is the coolest and
most ungrateful of women"
Il don't think she is either the
one or the other" had observed
Mr.. stephens mildly. Believe
me. the only way to force her to
consider the expedient I have sug-
gested would be for Gerald to tell
her the search for Mr.. DampieI
must now end-and that the time
has come when he must go back
to America-and work"
Small wonder that Senator Bar
ton found 1t hard to sleep last
night, small wonder he has risen
so early. He knows that his son
is going to speak to Nancy, to
tell her what Mr.. Stephens has
suggested.
Though unconscious that anx-
ious eyes are following them
both Nancy Dampier and Gerald
Barton feel an instructive desire
to get away from the house.
And to accomplish this end
Gerald takes her to a walled-in
rose garden.
Once there and seated side by
abruptly.
q fear the time is come, Nancy,
when the search must be given
up"
He utters the fateful words
/ very 4uiCllgt very S0hNigB DuI even
so she feels a pang of startled
fear. Does that mean-yes, OF
course ii must mean, that Gerald
is going away, back to America?
A feeling of dreadful desolation
fills her heart.
Yes" she says in a low tone,
Il think you are right. | think
the search should be given up"
Tears smart into her eyes,
stifled sobs burst from her lips.
And Gerald again misunder-
stands - misunderstands her
tears, the sobs which tear and
shake her slender body. But he
| is only too familiar with the
feeling which now grips him
| the feeling that he must rush
| forward and take her in his arms.
Nancy" he cries. 81 was q
brute to say that. OF course l will
go on! OF course we won't give
up hope! It's natural that l
should sometimes become dis
! heartened."
He is telling himself resolutely
that never, never will he propose
to her the plan his father revealed
to him last night. And then he
suddenly sees in Nancy's sensitive
| face that unconscious beckoning,
calling look every lover longs to
! see in the face of his beloved.