Ladysmith news-budget. [volume] (Ladysmith, Rusk County, Wis.) 1907-1927, 1914-11-06
CHAPTER xili-Continued.


Has he given up?" asked Abbott,
his voice strangely unfamiliar in his
own ears.
"A man can struggle just SO long
against odds, then he wins or becomes
broken. Women are not logical; gen
orally they permit themselves to be
guided by impulse rather than by rea-
son. This man am telling you about
was proud; perhaps too proud. 1t Is
q shameful fact, but he ran away.
True, he wrote letter after letter, but
all these were returned unopened.
Then he stopped"
"A woman would a good deal rather
believe circumstantial evidence than
not. Humph!" The colonel primed
his pipe and relighted it. She couldn't
have been worth much"
Worth much!" cried Abbott. What
do you imply by that?"
mo man will really give up a
woman who is really worth while, that
is, of course, admitting that your man.
Courtlandt, is a man. Perhaps. though,
1t was his fault. He was not persistent
enough, maybe bit spineless. The
fact that he gave up so quickly pos
Sibly convinced her that her impress.
sions were correct. Why, I'd have
followed her day in and day out, year
after year: never would have let up
until had proved to her that she had
been wrong"
THE colonel Is right" Abbott ap-
proved, never taking his eyes off Court
andt, who was apparently absorbed IN
the contemplation OF the bread crumbs
under his fingers.
And more, by hook or crook, I'd
have dragged in the other woman by
the hair and made her confess"
Il do not doubt it, colonel" re-
sponded Courtlandt, with dry laugh
And that would really have been the
end of the story. The heroine of this
rambling tale would then have been
absolutely certain Of collision be-
tween the two"
THAT is like a woman" the Barone
agreed, and he knew something about
them. And where is this man now?"
Here" said Courtlandt, pushing
back his chair and rising. Il am he
He turned his back upon them and
sought the garden.
Tableau!
Dash mel" cried the colonel, who,
being the least interested personally.
was first to recover his speech.
The Barone drew In his breath
sharply. Then he looked at Abbott.
Il suspected it," replied Abbott to
the mute question. Since the episode
of last night his philosophical outlook
had broadened. He had lost Nora,
but had come out CT the agony of love
refused to fuller manhood. AS long
as he lived he was certain that the
petty affairs of the day were never
again going to disturb him.
Let him be-" was the colonel's sug.
gestion. adding a gesture in the direc.
ton Of the easement door through
which Courtlandt had gone. He's as
big man as Nora is woman. II he
has returned with the determination of
winning her. he will"
lucy ulu uOL SEE SOuTIldtFOL again.
After few minutes of restless to-and.
froing, he proceeded down to the land
ing, helped himself to the colonel's
motor-hnat, and returned to BelIaggio.
At the hotel he asked for the duke,
only to be told that the duke and
madame had left that morning for
Paris Courtlandt saw that he had
permitted one great opportunity to slip
past. He gave up the battle. One
more good look at her, and he would
go away. The odds had been too
strong for him. and he knew that he
was broken.
When the motor-boat came back. Alb
bott and the baron made use of it also
Thev crossed in silence, heavy-hearted
On landing Abbott said: 1T is
probable that shall not see you again
this year. / am leaving tomorrow for
Paris les a great world, isn't it, where
they tcss us around like dice? Some
throw slxes and others deuces. And in
this game you and have lost two out
of three"
II shall return to Rome" replied the
Barone. MY long leave Of absence Is
near it's end"
"Whas In the world can have hap
| nened?" demanded Nora, showing tbs