Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1914-01-08
The I)kIJGEIl.<LBRof
DAVID KERR ,te
,4y Harry King 'Iootle
Illustrations by H4/ 11I7=@s .

| the world. but then at the supre,nest
| moment of my life he robbed me of
| it all. Would a father do THAT" she
f! asked fiercely. What allegiance do /
| owe him. The claim Of blood, BAH
| He's always wished I'd been a boy.
t He didn't lie TO me because he loved
me. Ee didn't even know me. Do
you think it wrenches my heart to
/ leave him now2 No; thousand times
| no. We've lived too many years apart.
| What have We in sympathy? We'd be
same roof for years
| But when you go abroad what are
you going to do?" He could see no
| future for her.
Just drift There is so much that
want to forget"
Much Gloria ?" he asked gently.
Yes, much" She would not let him
trap her into a damaging admission.
Everything?
Everything painful"
Her attitude, he felt it was antago-
nistic. impatient even of his kindly
questioning, stirred him to a vigorous
reply After all, she was but child,
| and like child wanted to shirk the
/ lesson life was teaching her
Surely I've not been mistaken in
you, he began. It's by suffering that
we learn to live. You've only come
to see life as it is, that's all. Would
| you throw away the precious knowl-
| edge that is power for an Arcadian
| ignorance akin to weakness? You've
| just said that you've come to warn
me Of something. Were you true to
your theory of life, you would leave
me in ignorance, because the truth
| would give me pain. But you don't
| believe that
| From the depth of his world-scarred
| heart he pitied her She was so
/ young. and so rebellious. He yearned
/ with great longing to protect her.
Its easy enough TO talk and give
| advice" Gloria flung back at him.
What has suffering taught your"
Here was a question he could an
| swer, and answer decisively
1T has taught ne to be true to my
better self" He spoke sternly. Then
he regretted that he had seemed harsh
with her, for it did not soften her, and
she made no comment
Please sit down. he said. She ac-
cepted the proffered chair stiffIy and
| waited.
Wright came as close to her as he
dared. AS he spoke, she abandoned
| the rigid attitude she had felt con-
strained to assume and sank back in
the big chair.
Gloria, didn't mean to be harsh
just now God knows | would spare
| you all you have been through could
l have done so. Blot out this terrible
| week. Can't we go back to that head
| long courtship crowded into half an
| hour? Let everything be as it was
Then | begged you to go away. Now
! since you are going, let us go togeth
er Listen. don't you remember?
/ The sun is the flame OF the desert,
And you are the flame OF my heart
| Dreary indeed is the desert unsunned
! And dreary without YOU, my heart
! Let US go together"
Don't make it SO hard for me. Joe
dear" she begged. When you kissed
me I thought / knew my heart, but
! now nothing in the whole world will
| ever be the same again. You mustn't
| blame me; / still like you, more than
| ever, but in a different way Can't you
| understand? You have told me I'm
more than a shallow, frivolous girl
l honor you for the offer, Joe. but
wouldn't be true TO that better self
! you talk about il I accepted"
| Il make no offer, Gloria" he plead
ed. I'm begging you TO love me, to
| become my wife"
She trembled yisibly at his words.
| Yet her resolution was such that she
was not shaken from her purpose. She
| did not dare look at him, however, as
/ she answered:
/ I'm afraid the love one must beg