The Ronan pioneer. [volume] (Ronan, Mont.) 1910-1970, 1914-02-13


permit matters to go so far. For
give me.
She raised her bic, lustrous eyes
to his white, tense face and held out
her hand in token of dismissal.
Is it that You do not love me ?"
he urged. 'Is it because Of some
fault Of mine that you say no." he
asked. ~ OH can learn to love me,
dear. The fault might be explained
away
No, no." she cried. 1T is not
that 1t is bccause---l cannot eX-
plain. Please DO not ask me to ex-
plain" She pushed him from her
and sank sobbing upon the Turkish
diyan.
For a moment Marsdcn watched
her undocidcdlv. He longcd to take
her in his arms and comfort her, to
insist upon an explanation in the
hope of clearing away the trouble:
but, manlikc, he could not combat
tears, 50 he stole softly ont.
Alva heard him 90. and she gave
way to a fresh accession of grief.
which presently exhausted her, and
she fell into troubled slumbcr.
From her sleep she was reused
by a knocking upon the door, and
almost before she realized she had
called out "Comc in, and Godfrey
stood before her.
II met that little friend of yours
down the street." he explained awk-
wardly, land she called me a fool
for leaving yon before | found out
what the trouble was, so came
back" he added.
81 begged you not to ask" Alva
reminded TREMENDOUSLY.
"But Miss Peterson said to in
sist," he countercd. "She is a tire.
mendously clever little woman"
81 am sorry ! ever met her." cried
Alva passionately. "'Thcn | might
have been success upon my own
account and not a creature of de-
ccit. Can YOU love me knowing that
my success is wholly false, an acted
lie -
"Nou mean that some one else
paints your pictures:' he demand
ed. 81 don t care about the pictures.
Its you want, little girl. | don't
care who did the pictures"
cts not so bad as that!' she
cried, shocked at the suggestion.
And then, slow y and sobbing]v, she
told, bit by bit, how she and Sally
had turned the tide The sun set
and darkness settled down, yet
neither seemed aware of the gather
ing dusk.
"And that's how my success was
gainod,' cried Alva as the recital
was concluded. "Now you under
stand why | cannot marry you. You,
with your upright business ways,
would forever dcspse me-
Its mcrcl y advertisement" said
Mars1en. will a laugh. is this the
dreadful skeleton in the closet that
is to keep as forever part =
''lsn't it enough:' she demanded
misrrabIy.
"Do YOU know how the Marsdcn
soap works were started = he asked,
"N"'rc making soap for all the
wofId no". and good soap too. But
the first factory was a kettle in our
back yard. We all used to work it
in the evenings. and during he day
we three boys, Eddie and my broth
or George. who died, used to 90
into groceries and ask for the soap,
and father would sell them a box.
and that box would bring new or
dcrS. Success, creates success. We.
too. turned tine tide.
"\nd don't YOU hate me for the
dcccNtion: She as ked in a whisper,
"IIatr VOW" lie repeated tender
". rs though | could ever hate
YOU. dear | ann most profoundly
grateful to Miss Peterson for MAX
ing You a discovery 50 early. Think
Of the happy years We might have
missed"
"It seemed almost dishonest" she
whispered. Il thought -
Bnt Marsdcn stopped her words
with IL kiss.
"Wa have turned he tide again, .
he said "Lr1 us not think Of the
tides that have cbbcd and noWed.'
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