The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1914-07-10

walking suit of brown khaki, with a
leather belt and a felt hat whose brim,
stiff with the wet, was curved down
visor-wise over his brow. In an in
slant he had drawn her upright, and
they stood, looking at each other,
drenched and trembling.
"How can your" he said with a
roughness that sounded akin to anger.
Here in this atrocious weather-like
thls!' he laid hand on her arm.
You're wet through"
Il don't mind the rain." she an
swered, drawing away, yet feeling
with a guilty thrill the masterfulness
of his tone, as we'll as Its real concern.
I'm often wet"
His gaze searched her face, feature
by feature, noting her pallor, the blue
black shadows beneath her eyes, the
caught breath. uneven like child's
from crying. He still held her hands
in his.
Shirley" he said, 81 know what you
intended to tell me by those flowers
I went to st. Andrews that night, in
the dark, after read your letter.
Who told you? Your-mother?"
"No, mol" she cried. "She would
never have told mel"
His face lighted. With an irresiet.
ible movement he caught her to him.
Shirley" he cried. ut shan't be!
1t shan't, I tell you! You can't break
our lives in two like this! It's un.
thinkable."
mo, MOI" she said piteously, push
ing him from her. you don't under
stand. You are a man, and men
can't"
Il do understand" he insisted. ooh,
my darling, my darling! 1t isn't right
for that spectral thing to come be.
tween us! Why, 1t belonged to past
generation! However sad the out
come of that duel, 1t held no diehonor
! know only too we'll the ruin II
brought my father! It's enough that
1t wrecked three lives. It shan't rise
again, like Banquo's ghost to haunt
ours! know what you think
would love you the more, II l could
love you more, for that sweet loyalty
but it's wrong, dear. It's wrong!"
tits the only way"
Listen. Your mother loves you
If she knew you loved me, she would
bear anything rather than have 20,
suffer like this. You say she wouldn't
have told you herself. Why, If my
father"
She tore her hands from his and
faced him with cry. "Ah, that is it
You knew your father so little. He
was never to you what she is to me
Why, I've been all the life she has
had. l remember when she mended
my dolls, and held me when l had
scarlet fever, and sang me the songs
the trees sang to themselves at night
l said my prayers at her knee till ]
was twelve years old. We were never
apart day till went away to school"
She paused, GREATNESS.
Doesn't that prove what I say?'
he said, bending toward her. "She
loves you far better than herself. She
wants your happiness"
Gould that mean hers" she de
manded, her bosom heaving. To see
us together - always - always! To
be reminded in everything-the lines
of your face-the tones of your voice
maybe-of that! Oh, you don't know
how women feel-how they remember
how they grieve! I've gone over all
you can say till my soul cries out, but
1t can't change it. It can't!
Valiant felt as though he were bat
tering with bruised knuckles at stone
wall. A helpless anger simmered in
him. Suppose, he said bitterly, thai
your mother one day, perhaps after
long years, learns of your sacrifice
She Is likely to guess in the end,
think. Will it add to her pleasure, dc
you fancy, to discover that out of this
conception of filial loyafty-for it's
that, I suppose!-you have spoiled
your own life?" .-.,
She shuddered. "She will never
learn" she said brokenly. ooh,
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