The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1915-04-29

II or smile playing around ner |
lips:
IF you had the right to make love
to me neutrality-suspicious. wouldn't
do it.
He looked at her in amaZement.
what do you mean?" he gasped,
'lt's only because You haven't the
right that you do it-by suggestion"
Ethel pursued.
How can you say that?' And he
put all the heart he was capable of into
the question.
You don't deny it." she said quietly.
He breat thed hard and then said bit
terly:
"What contemplate opinion you
must have Of mer'
''Then we're quits, aren't weT'
"How|' he asked
Haven't you one Of me?"
'Of you? Why, Ethel
"Surely every married man must
have q contemplate opinion of the wO-
man he covertly makes love to. If he
| hadn't he couldn't do it. could he?"
Once again she leveled her cold. i'm
passive eyes on Brent's flushed face
Il don't follow you." was all Brent
said
"Haven't you had time to think of
an answer?"
81 don't know what you're driving
at" he added
Ethel smiled her most enigmatical
smile
mo? | think you do" She waited
a moment Brent said nothing. This
was Il new mood of Ethel's 1t baffled
him.
Presently she relieved the silence by
asking him:
what happened last night?"
He hesitated Then he answered.:
"I'd rather not say. I'd sound like
cad blaming il woman"
i Never mind how 1T sounds. Tell it.
1t must have been amusing"
'Amusingr' He bent over her again
"Oh, the more look at you and listen
to you the more realize should nev-
er have married.
.Why did your came the cool ques-
ton.
|. Brent answered with all the power
at his command. Here was the mtt
ment to lay his heart bare that Ethel
might see.
Have you ever seen young hare,
fresh from it's kind. run headlong into
a snare? Have you ever seen young
man free of the trammels of college
dash into net? did! l wasn't trap
wise.''
He paced the room restlessly, all the
self pity rising in him. He went on:
Heavens, what nurslings we are
when we first feel our feet! We're
like children just loose from the lead
ing strings. Anything that glitters
catches u.s. Every trap that is set for
our unwary feet we drop into. l did
dropped in, caught hand and foot, mind
and soul.'
"Soul?' queried Ethel, with note
of doubt .....
EYES," he answered.
"Don't you mean body?" she sug
gested.
Body, mind and soul!' he said, will
an air of finality.
| "Well, body anyway" summed uT
Ethel.
"And for what?" he went on. "Foi
what? Love! Companionship! Thai
is what we build on in marriage. And
what did / realize? Hate and wran
Cling; wrangling, just as the common
herd. with no advantages, wrangl'
: and make it part of their lives, the
zest to their union. It's been my curse
"Why wrangling?' drawled Ethel.
"She didn't understand
"You?" asked Ethel. in surprise.
"My thoughts. my actions!'
allow curious!'
"Y0u mean you would!'
"Probably."
I'm sure of it." He tried to taxi
her hand. She drew it away and set
tied herself comfortably to listen again
"Tell me more about your wife,
'sThe slightest attention shown t
any other woman meant ridiculous
a humiliating scene"
"Humiliating?'
? "Aren't doubt and suspicion humi
iatingT'
"They would be compliment i
some cases."
l "How?"
'They would put fictitious value O
some men,
"You couldn't humiliate in that way,
u he ventured slowly.
"No. don't think could. II ma
showed preference for any othe
woman she would be quite welcome
him."
mo man couldw said Brent insiI
e uatingly.
She looked at him coldly momen
"Ict NE see-where were you?' Ju.
II married, weren't you? Go on
''Then came the baby" He sal
q that with a significant meaning an
4. paused to see the effect ON Ethel.
it had any Ethel effectually conceale
It. Her only comment was:
|. "Ahw
Brent went on:
y "One would think that would chang
things But no. Neither Of us war
ed her. Neither Of us loves her. Oh
dren should come of love. not hal
III And she is child of hate" He pause
ne looking intently ut Ethel. She lookt
Understandings at him, then dropps
ut her eyes.
Brent went on as If following up
O. adyantapa. .sShp SITS i'm her little cha
nd her small. wrinkled. old. disillusion
ne face turned to us. with the eyes waite
II ing ms accusinuly. She submits to {