The Medina sentinel. [volume] (Medina, Ohio) 1888-1961, 1915-01-08

ttu6t SuOkO WuS unOEO Iudu LILO CduSO
that led you to trust me. I hoped"
Was he testing her? Was he play
ing part Of his own to make certain
that she was not playing one? She
looked up swiftly for answer. There
was no gainsaying what she saw in
his eyes. It was beating into hers
with the power Of an overwhelming
masculine passion and a maturity of
intellect as his egoism admitted COM
rade to it's throne. Such is ever the
way Of q man in the forties when the
clock strikes for him. But who. could
know better the craft Of courtship
than one Of Westerlings experience?
He was fighting for victory; to crafty
a desire.
II did not expect tlis-I-" the
words escaped tumultuously and chok-
ingly.
He was bending 80 close to her that
she felt his breath on her cheek burn.
ing hot, and she was sickeningly con-
scious that he, was looking her over
in that point-by-po manner which
she had felt across the tea-table at
the hotel. This horrible thing in his
glance she had sometimes seen in
strangers on her travels, and 1t had
made her think that she was wise to
carry little revolver. She wanted
to strike him.
Confess! Confess!" called all her
own self-respect. Make an end to
your abasement!"
Confession. after the Browns have
given up Bordirl Confession that
makes Lanny, not Westerling, your
.dupe!" came the reply, which might
have been telegraphed into her mind
from the high, white forehead Of Par
tow bending over his maps. "Confes-
sion, betrayipg the cause Of the right
against the wrong; the three to the
,conquering five! No! You are in
the thing. You may not retreat now" ."
For a few seconds only the duel
of argument thundered in her temples
seconds in which her lips were part
i ed and quivering and her eyes dilated
with an agitation which the man at
her side could interpret as he pleased.
"A prompting devil-a devil reused by
that thing in his eyes-urging q
finesse in double-dealing which only
devils understand, made her lips hyp-
notically turn in a smile, her eyes
soften, and sent her hand out to Wes-
terling in a trancelike gesture. For an
instant 1t rested on his arm with tell.
ing pressure, though she felt 1t burn
with shame at the point of contact.
| I'VE must not think OF, that now
she said. I'VE must think of nothing
personal; Of nothing but your work
until your work is done!"
The prompting devil had not permit.
ted false note in her voice. Her
very pallor, In fixity Of idea, served
her purpose. Westerling drew a deep
breath that seemed to expand his
whole being with greater appreciation
of her. Yet that harried hunger, the
hunger Of Q beast. was still in his
glance.
"This is like you-like what want
you to bel" he said. "You are right"
He caught her hand. inclosing 1t en-
tirely in his grip, and she was SEN
sible, In kind Of dazed horror, Of the
thrill of his strength. Nothing can
stop US! Numbers will win! Hard
fighting in the mercy of a quick end!"
he declared with his old rigidity of
five against three which was welcome
to her. "Then." he added - "and
then"
"Then!" she repeated, averting her
glance. "Then-" There the devil
ended the sentence and she withdrew
her hand and felt the relief Of one es'
Gaping suffocation. to find that he had
realized that anything further during
that interview would be banality and
was rising to go.
II don't feel decent" she thought
Society turned on Minna for hui
man weakness, but I'm not a human
being! am one Of the pawns Of the
machine of war!"
Walking slowly with lowered head
as she left the arbor, she almost ran
into Bouchard, who apologized with
the single word "Pardon!" as he lifted
his cap in overdone courtesy, which
his stolid brevity made the more con
ispicuous.
Miss Galland, you seem lost in alb
straction," he said In sudden loquac
ity. II am almost on the point o.
accusing you Of being a poet"
Accusing" she replied. "Then yor
must think that I would write bat
poetry"
ION the contrary, I should say ex
cellent-using the sonnet FORM" he re
turned.
Il might make counter accuse
ton, only that yours would be thu
epic FORM" answered Marta. "For you
too, seem fond of rambling"
There was yelled challenge in thu
hawk eyes, which she met with com
monplace politeness in hers, before
be again lifted his cap and proceeded
on his way.
For the next two weeks Marta's rol,
resolved itself Into kind of routine
Their cramped quarters became