The silver state. [volume] (Winnemucca, Nev.) 1909-1925, 1915-09-09

Then the bronze hair and glorious
eyes of Miriam plotted out poor Nor
mas picture from his mind.
He stayed three days at the hotel
instead of a week, and Miriam occu-
pied all his thoughts. They walked
together, danced and drove together
Yet, with a mighty effort Of will Har-
ry, conscious as he was of Miriam 5
power over him. refrained from any
parting, he asked permission to call
on her in the city. And he saw an
answering light leap into Miriam's
eyes as she gave him her address.
"Good-by, Mr.. MacIntyre."
That was all, but there was a world
Of meaning in the 1utter of the little
hand in his.
No, that was not quite all, for, at the
very end, as he leaned from the bug
gy:
"Au revoir, Mr.. M~acIntyre.'
Then Harry was gone to spend
three miserable days at another hotel.
a little place miles distant, where his
days and nights were haunted by Wis
ions of Miriam.
And at the end he came to the con-
clusion that he must offer Norma her
freedom.
And yet the thought of her grief
maddened him with remorse. He did
not know what to do.
In this undecided frame of mind he
aD~~1.1LrI III AD,,a1 u~horn che HUod
He had gone there in the evening; 1t
was dark except for a single light that
shone in the parlor. AS he approached
the door he was arrested by hearing
the sound of voices. Norma and May
Arbuckle were talking.
you say you never loved Willis,
and yet you think of him. said May.
Norma, dear, consider your hearts
promptings before it is too late"
81 have considered them, May" an
swered Norma. And they tell me that
I have not erred in my choice"
But at least Willis was more of
your ideal than Harry" suggested
May
In a way-yes, May. Willis was
my oldest friend, you see. We shared
all our tastes in And Harry
is comparatively a stranger. We do
not know each other yet"
Norma, DEAR" said May Arbuckle,
do you know the fate of a woman
who marries a man like that? At best,
ever if their marriage is to be a happy
one, she must be the slave of his
moods"
Il have thought of that" said Norma
miserably.
Harry started. Had Norma thought
of that? Why, that had been in his
own mind from the beginning; but he
had never credited Norma with hav-
ing the ability to analyze these OBJ
scure f~ashionings of psychic thought.
He did not know Norma had seen what
he had seem
You are running a grave danger,
Norma" continued May Arbuckle.
"One man you know-the other you do
not know. And Willis loves you still.
He told me hat he could never be
happy without you. 1t is not too late,
dear"
yes, it is too late" Norma an
swered. Harry loves me, and a WON
an is as much bound by honor as any
man. am engaged to Harry, | am his
affianced wife, and nothing can come
between u.s.
But suppose Harry does not love
your"
Then he must tell me So"
And you would let him go gladly,
then? Consider your heart carefully,
Norma. Search into its depths. Con-
fess that you would be glad to let
Harry go and to have Willis back"
NO"
why not?"
Because, May, when a woman
gives her love. in my opinion, at least.
she gives it for eternity. What do diff
f~erences OF mood matter so long as be-
meath them there is the spirit, with
its resolutions of fidelity, and its real
love?"
Harry listened in awe. He had not
meant TO play the e~avesdropper. But
this was a new Norma whom he had
not known or suspected, and suddenly
it occurred to him that Norma's ma
ture would unfold for him. developing
in unexpected ways, if only he was
faithful to her.
That's not a real reason said May
Arbuckle scornfully.
well then. I'll give you another"
answered Norma, rising. Because |
love him, more than a thousand vii.
Uses all put together. Because | in
tend to love him. with all my heart,
so long as | live. There. May!"
There was a new sound in Norma's
voice that Harry had never heard
there before. And, remembering his
position, he crept quietly away and
down the street.