The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1914-03-12

Of outline that belied alike her temper
| and her humor.
at just seems" she murrnured. "as
If 1 was to find you here"
He remembered now that she said
she vas coming to the hills. But /
never thought Of 1T. Aurelie. And yet"
He stopped and she sat forward to
Sc his face. yet you came. Oh. the
moonlight made me come. Harlan! I
was restless acknowledgement I re-
membered such beautiful nights here.
on, very wonderful! September-like
this" She moved over with a little
friendly gesture. sit down"
But he stood with tbs hand on the
lichened rock above her.
She did not seem to notice his re-
s%traint. When 1 was a little ragged
ways [ loved it. Harlan"
But ! tell YOU" he answered quietly,
you came tonight because you remem-
bered something else. Aurelie."
Yes" she answered simply. "Our
nights: l couldn't quite forget the last
one, The night you took me to your
mothers. Harlan" She laughed brief
ly. And she tricked mean / a
away. saw SC clearly. I just woke
up that night. Harlan"
she didn't trick you. Aurelie. Moth
er couldn't
ooh. well!" she smiled wisely. IF
you could realize how I've changed!
That night 1 was breathless before ner.
she appealed to me-She wanted me to
let you go-to help you, Harlan. I
thought 1t was fine that night-but I
tell you. l paid! 1 did love you. Har-
lam"
He watched her face in the moon
light. Mother did something. 1 knew.
l wasn't sure: but that wasn't what
hurt. Aurelie. 1t was afterward-your
gong on the stage--in that way. Every
thing-hurt."
She made a blithe protest at a grim
ace of mockery. ooh. well-boy! It's
all different with you and me. I was
a weak and silly girl to hang on you
and o you, and confuse into think
Ing that you loved me! And that night
l saw all the girls of your set and the
danclng and the music-it all rushed
over me-the difference She smiled
with a tender mystery she could not
deny-he was mazed to find how i'm
measurably older she could be in her
Womanhod-'I knew you'd forget if I
made YOU" She smiled bravely. "And
I'm glad. We both ought to be glad.
My!"-she was laughing now. 1--WE
were both kids. weren't We? Now I
know the world a bit-Im a heap diff
ferent. Done groWed up, Uncle Mich
says. and he's scared about it! I'm
going to be a real leading lady some
time. and come back and play in the
tin opera house-play in a piece that
hasn't so much shooting in it-and YOU
Will be fat and prosperous and married
and bring your kiddies to see me. And
youu be mighty. glad. Harlan. you new
err married that Cajun girl from down
river"
But he would not smile. In the moon
light on the hillside she had the same
defylng gypsy charm as of old: wilful,
hooking. humble, buoyant, when she
wished it. All the inevitable bulgarian
stamp of her upbringing was vanished:
and he felt the old pathos for her-that
what was dear and simple in her he
could find and save and make his own.
Inc rest would not matter. He could
not fathom how the invincible heritage
OF his family was now shamed before
her gay. proud honesty. the sense of
woodland freedom from all the
lions Of his sort. He wanted to be
as honest as she. as fearless as she.
but he did not know the way.
"Aurolie." he muttered. "be still. You
know I love YOU"
She was very still. The shadow of
the rock was not more mute. Only her
tense of ~unhearing.
Il tell you SO again. Aurelie. It costs
a lot 1 bucked through school and
forgot you-almost I came back here
and set my teeth together and worked.
And all the things they said about you
this town lever will get over
talking about you-au this mis-
cradle notoriety-it hurt. I said
nothing. But I knew I loved you.
for all the talk hurt-hurt! I didn't
want you to go on in this miserable,
cheap show business. There was so
much to do-to make of ourselves-be-
fore we-before it would be right for
us to marry"
It was badly put to such as Aurelie.
oh. a girl doesn't want a lover who
thinks of what there is to do. OIL make
OF her before he marries her. That's
what you mean. of Counsel" She blurt-
ed on. checking her no tears. II don't
care! 1 came back here yesterday
perfectly happy! And the way this
awful town treated mel"
"Aurelie!" he said sternly. white with
a battle to be master: forever his de-
sire to shelter her and teach her. min
gled with his passion. You do so
yesterday in that machine. And YOU
ought not to have kissed Wiley Cur
RANT"
why not?" She looked UP limo
Gently. IT felt happy-and he was SO
glad to see me-"
He sighed with encouragement. And
then there's that story-Aurelie, did
Hen McFetridge give you any dia-
monds?"
yes. A tiny one" She held out
her hand with naive pride. and he
said he'd have given me lots more If
he'd sold more oil stock"
CONTINUED next week.)