Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1915-02-20


reigned absolute once moro.
a heavy troubled silence was in the
little room Kazia stood passively by
the table, waiting for Mark to speak
After q long while he raised his eyes
to hers.
3Kaxfa, you Door romantic fool! Did
you think any amount OF money was
worth that-even IL he had kept his
word7 When think what-oh. how
could you think of it,"
81 wanted" she answered In q queer
Iifeless voice, as If benumbed by this
crisis into which they had stumbled.
II wanted to do one thing for you
and your happy city"
My happy ethyl What happiness
could it have had, built on that7 And
hadn't you given me enough7"
II gave you olly love"
"Only-i"
TT was all had to give It wasn't
enough"
81 wish could have given as much
as you" The wistfuI words slipped
out
He stepped closer to her.
'Kazia. this has got to end"
Yes
You must marry me tomorrow"
Life, and with 1t pain, f1ickered once
more
You are trying to give something
now. But I'm glad you said that"
I'm asking you to give something
more. You will?"
why do you ask it?''
Because I've hurt you enough. /
did hurt you when Il let you-led you
to sin, even though we kept it secret
from the world. / want to make you
a nm 1id co1f sv0 hr-cl ~o,
a law. I want happiness-and 1 can't
have it, knowing that for all I've taken
from you I've given nothing"
She tried to smile; the sight of 1t
cut to his heart. Every reason but
| the one. But I'm glad you wouldn't
lie to me now" The smile faded. you
see I can't
'fKazia, dear" he pleaded, I'VE
started wrong-let's begin over again
Let's give love a new birth"
His voice rang with longing she
could not understand, but he could not
touch her. She shook her head spir-
| itlessly.
There can be no new birth SO long
as there is memory. You could never
| forget that THAT am not Clean
DO you think me SO small as to
| hold my own fault against you? 1t is
my sin. too" He stepped closer. reach
| ing out his arms to take her Come,
| dear, your poor little reasons aren't
enough
She ehrank away from his clasp,
| trembling. Into the tired white face
| came a look of fear and despair. She
glanced this way and that, as though
she sought an escape. Her hands went
| to her face. Then she forced them
4 down and her ewes TO his
'T thought thought you under
| stood. II wasn't clean-before
we sinned. The doctor who helped
| me, L" She could say no more.
| Suspicion had not prepared him for
/ this. He stared foolishly at her, show
ing how he recoiled from the fact her
broken words had revealed. He did
not then think it strange that the
| shame of a woman he did not love
should stab SO deeply.
'Kazia, how could you-how could
you'll"
| After a while he forgot his own pain
| a little In pity for the silent stricken
| woman. Again his arms reached out
| for her and would not be denied.
'tIt must make no difference" His
sternness was all for himself. What
am to blame you? You sold your
body to live. / gave my soul to feel
others squirming under my feet You
1 hurt only yourself. I've hurt every
one touched. I hurt you. If hadn't
il been a coward years ago when we
Il first loved, you would never have been
Il tempted. Your sin is only part o.
mine. 1t is you who have most tc
forgive"
i Slowly she raised her head to looE
at him And you." came a broker
incredulous whisper, "and you would
marry me-even now?"
"Au the more now!"
For an instant a faint pitiable hope
defying knowledge, shone in her eyes
Have / been mistaken? Only love
could ignore-ah! don't lie to me now
1t wouldn't be kindness. Is it just pay
or lover"
He tried to look away from her and
could not Her eyes held his, seeking
through them to hunt out the las
! truth hidden in his soul. With rough
; conclusive movement he drew hel
head down on his shoulder.
How can 1 know what it is? I
must be love, since I need you ant
want to make you happy. If it ism
now, surely love will come when w,
start right Kazia, don't refuse m,
this chance to make up to you littl,
of the harm I've done you"
Her answer was a stif1ed sob. II,
felt her body relax; her head reste
heavily on his shoulder.
She released herself He did no
try to hold her. They faced each othe
: in a heavy throbbing silence
His soul uuivered with the crueft-