The Washington herald., 1914-07-05
Then What IS 4, IittIe Eirl !"

LlIil.
DO you still love me9 Do you still
want to marry mel"
Il think you know that, Margaret Do
you need to ask?"
Then, if after / have told you what
l am going to tell you now-if you still
want me to come to you'll will
Must you tell me anything? Will it
not be needless pain to US both? know
you have never loved me, and if you
come to me now it is because you are
very unhappy-becsuse you want peace
and rest. But l love you enough to
marry you even on those conditions, be-
lieving that in the end l can make you
happy Dear, l know the main facts
need you hurt US both by telling the
details?"
Yes, must-it is worse than you
think 1t wouldn't be fair to you unless
you knew. No, no, don't protest. l
must tell you; don't make it harder by
combating me. Just listen"
She left his side and went over to a
chair a little away from the couch.
Il want TO sit over here. 1t would be
easier to tell you if l could be near you,
hide my face against your shoulder, but
| don't want to make it easier, and
don't want you to be in any way infu-
enced by my nearness. When you go
home tonight, you will think of it with
out the distracting effect of any per-
sonaIity l may have. That is how |
want you to think of it now-as coldly
and impersonally as you can"
Very we'll" quietly.
You know have cared for some one
for long time. You have never known
who it is. Had you asked me would
have told you, but l felt that you did
not want to know"
He nodded.
There has been a tacit engagement
between US, but there were certain fam
lily obligations, certain financial condi-
tions, that he must meet before We could
marry. At FIRST we were happy, oh, so
wonderfully happy, just to be together
to talk and dream of what our future
would hold. Oh, he was kind and gentle
and conSiderate of me then! He is the
strongest, the most forcible. man / have
ever known, and | suppose it was partly
his strength. his intense mssculinity,
that made his love and gentleness seem
so wonderful. And. oh. | loved him so"
her voice broke-"and love him still
That was my mistake-I loved him too
much and clung TO him too desperately.
He is the type OF man who wants always
to pursue-never to feel quite sure OF
the woman he loves. And as gradually
felt his withdrawal. his growing cold
ness, | tried more and more desperately
to hold him" Her voice broke to a sob.
"Oh, | thought ! could tell you, but it's
too hard-I don't believe | can!
Margaret, don't tell me any more"
He rose and came toward her. Il can't
stand il. Why do you want to torture
me?"
She motioned him back. NO, no,
must tell yoN. You must know how l
have cringed and fawned before this
mans brutality-how he has crushed my
pride, beaten me down to an abJectness
that you would not dream was capable
of! And today he told me he was
that he had had enough. Those
were his very words!'
No, no." as he rose, his face livid, his
hands elenched. There is nothing you
can do. Any defense OF me would cnly
humiliate me more. He has wanted 10
leave me-for weeks | have held him
against his will. And ! want to be fair
to him. He is not bad mamie is in
reality very good man. believe his
life's record. if it colsd all be shown,
would be very clean His honesty and
business integrity are beyond question.
He is absolutely truthful. do not think
he has ever lied TO me in any way. And
it isn't a case OF there being some one
else; there never has been anyone else,
and | doubt If there ever will be. He
has never cared for women-he has new
cr had time for them. He told me that |
was the only woman he ever seriously
loved. and ! believe that. OF course
want TO believe it, but there have been
MANY things - pr " it. He has none
oi the little courtesies and attentions OF
a man accustomed 10 women. He has
rever se,t me a fowe- or a book-not
even when | was ill., Ard have rarely |
gone out with him that | have not been !
subjected TO some glaring inattention of !
which he was wholly unconscious. And |
vet | have rather Cloried in this very !
has made him seer more |
whoily mime
Stop. Margaret! When you ask me
to listen to your champion ship of this |
iian, you ask too much"
1T isn't championship; l only want to
1e iair."
Then won't YOU he tair to me?
Won't you promise ncIe: in any way to
-efer to this again Will you do that
me-"
She was in the sar;c chr that she
lad been in that afternoon, and now she
vas pulling at the same bit OF braid. He
waited moment, but she did not look
ip or answer him.
Margaret, will you let me take you
way at once-next week. tomorrow, as
Don as we can be married? We can go
o Cuba-I have some business there. |
ay that because. under the circum-
tances, think you might be more at
ase If it was partly business trip also"
And after all | have told you, you
re still willing to do this? ?"
Don't put il that way, Margaret. |
ave never wanted anything so much"
Then | will CO."
With rare tact and delicacy he made
10 attempt at any demonstration. He