The Detroit times., 1914-05-14

/
smircheu with me | didn't want you
OF all women to be touched
DC you care so much about II all
! n wouldn't admit II 20 any one else
I But do care, kazia.'
/ She vas silent, but the dark eyes
Wele very gentle. The embroidery
/ fell unnotiCed 10 the floor. His glance
FfCli upon the idle hands lying Just
within the'rim OF the light She drew
them quickly back into the shadow
then, as II ashamed OF her shame, re-
turned them TO the revealing glare.
He took one OF them in both OF his,
Dear strong capable hand" ne muir
INJURED, and carried IL TO his lips for a
lingering kiss
! The hand rested passive in his
clasp, but when he looked up her face
had gone white and In her eyes was
again the shadow he once had seen
there, the sadness unspeakable.
"Don't!" he cried. 1T hurts me-
"Don't-what?"
Don't look like that As though all
! the sorrows of all women were speak
| ing through your eyes"
/ Her lips curved in sad little smile.
1t is nothing so poetic as that"
/ "Ah. / know. It's the memory Of
that time in the shop, And the hurt
: | gave you. How could you forgive
mellow could you forgiye?"
II suppose suppose, because
couldn't help H."
/ lie leaned forward and drew her 10
him. He kissed her again and again.
! For a long minute he held her so, In
silence Insidious moment,
/ throwing open the gate that he might
/ peer into a golden realm such as even
this Joseph had never dreamed
You haven't said t." he broke the
silence
That love you9 no ! need"
No" He kissed her again only
can't quite believe II yet It's worth
going through all the trials and dis
appointments and ugliness-to have
this hour"
Much later--it did not seem long
he asked, "Kazia, when will you mar,
! ~ me?"
She did not answer for long while.
Then she gently pushed him away and
spoke slowly, as though all her
| strength were needed TO force out
each word
II can not marry you"
you can not" He stared at her,
stunned
She shook her head mute
"But why? You are free"
Il am free-under the law. But |
can not"
You love me, and yet"
81 can not"
But Why" he persisted You
must have some reason Then he
aroused himself Though you may
just as well forget it, DO you think
he cried. I've found a real enduring
love only TO let IL go?"
81 have a reason. - che broke
of, looking away. Her hands clasped
tightly I'm her lap, unclasped. then
went out In a little appealing gesture
as her eyes came back TO him. IT
isn't that | don't want 10. II love
you. But-oh, can't you understand?
How could the love endure the little
trials and frictions, the nearness. the
commonplace OF everyday life to-
gether?"
"Ah! | wish you hadn't said that.
He was staggered for the moment; TO
him her reason was not an empty one.
But he went on firmly, That wouldn'
be true with us It's never true where
there Is real love to smooth the way
And you and I've mustn't Judge by
our past. because we've never found
the real loye-until now"
Eyes, IL is real. think Il Is real.
From her wistful voice he thought
he had shaken her. He pressed her
hard. "Of course, it is. Then, don't
you see"
mo, II IT is real, then can't
daren't-risk losing IT, | haven't had
much. ever. except this love-
mustn't lost It, And you don't know
I'm not fine and clever and cultnr'
ed. lke-like the women you've
known. You'd see the lacks she
was becoming incoherent. oh, dom
try TO persuade me. You only make
IL hard. I've been thinking OF this
and of when you'd come-so long
And ! know"
But he did try TO persuade her. And
longing lent him eloquence, as he pic
tured for her their love, triumphant
over the starving years of separation
trlumphing again over the vexatious
DTODltH Ol uhlly luAlulaNys TIC NoNoN'
her 10 him once more, raining kisses
on her hair and eyes and lips, trying
10 light a flame that should consume
scruple and fear. She listened, her
head thrown back, looking at him
through halfclosed eyes. As he saw
tie warm light kindling under the
lowered lids. he thought he was sue
.ceeding
"You see." ne cried at the end
Now aren't you persuaded
She could only shake her head
again.
Slowly Il came TO him that she
meant her refusal. He released heI
and drew back, so suddenly that she
sWJyed and almost fell.
Then il only means that you don't
love me II you did, you WOULDN'T
count tile risk"
'lf Won must believe that" she an
swered sadly, you must But II isn't
true u | could forget the risk.
shouldn't love you as | do"
lie laughed harshly and reaching
for his hat, turned toward the door
The dreamed love had gone the way
OF his philosophy
Hut at the door he looked back. she
was standing as he had left her. pale
In her eyes both fear and the glow 81
the fame ne had lighted. The hand
held out to him IN involuntary gees
ture. was trembling visibly