Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1914-11-19


shoulders. At Kazlas age Hanka hal
already begun to wither into an un
comeliness that men passed by unde
string. She went over to the DRESSING
woman and touched timidly the firm
still youthful flesh. frts
you are like your mother"
What was she like?"
"She was like you" Kazia did NOT
smile. Men saw her and wanted her."
The comb became still. did she
did she love my father?"
Such a love l have never SEEN"
1t had been dark almost an hour
when the bell rang. Hanka heard
Kazia going to the door and startled
exclamation answered by a mellifuous
voice Hanka did not know. The Wis
itor was admitted and taken into the
sitting room. To the kitchen came
| chiefly his.
He had been there but a few min
utes when his voice changed. 1t be-
came eager, with an undertone that
perturbed Hanka strangely. Once
Kazia uttered low hurt cry. Hanka
rose and crept along the little hall
She crouched in the darkness near
the sitting room door, listening in
tently and wishing she had not been
SO stupid about English.
Am l an ogre?" the mellifiuous
voice was saying.
Il do not love YOU"
1T is not question of love. am
not old, but have lived long enough
to prick that illusion. We scientists
know what love is"
II don't care for you in any way"
Kazia answered coldly. "Mr. Quinby,
you oughtn't to be here. A man in
your position"
my dear lady, let me remind you
that the interest of man in my posi-
ton is not to be rejected lightly. With
word l gave you the best position
your profession offers woman. With
a word can take 1t away. can re-
lieve you of the necessity of working
at all. can make 1t impossible for
you to find work in this city"
Threats"
my dear lady!" the strangers voice
protested. Il would not do that. l
would harm no one. am tender
hearted man. I, too, suffer, IL by chance
others suffer through me-" The voice,
vibrant with emotion, would have
wrung tears of sympathy from a stone.
But Hanka, as we have seen, could
not weep. II am only trying to show
that those who enlist my interest do
not lose by it," II
$50 you think am for sale?"
Forgive me, my DEAR" said Quinby,
but that is gross. Say rather that,
since you have struck a responsive
chord in my breast, 1t will be my pleas.
ure to be guardian of your welfare,
to lift you out Of the sordid struggle
for existence. And have not proved
that? You lay In the hollow of my
hand. With breath ! could have de-
stroyed your reputation. But kept
| silence, advanced your interests,
! held you tenderly In my heart. Wom-
an, you have bewitched me. want
you"
1 uidSADbood a. ACe1os lis huos
words and she understood his tone.
She crept closer and through the crack
of the sitting room door saw Kazia
elude Quinby's outstretched arms.
| At the same moment she heard a
hating step on the stairway. She
| opened the outer door and went out
to meet Mark Truitt, whispering ex.
citedly to him in Polish. When he.
astonished by her appearance and
emotion. would have spoken, she
clapped hand over his mouth, and
clutching him by a sleeve, drew him
into the hall She pointed through the
crack.
Again Quinby reached toward Kazia
and again she recoiled.
| "Don't-don't touch me-"
why do you rebuff me? You're not
an ignorant child. You must have
known what my interest in the hos
pital and in you this year has meant.
You wouldn't have taken my help un-
less you were willing to give me what
/ want"
What Is it-what Ii It you want?'