Rocky Ford enterprise., 1915-08-27
I particularly disapprove this Pharises

ogize for my part in it, though 1t
wasn't speaking part"
"All right" Mark lighted his cigar.
you've done your duty"
But this is little more than duty.
L" Baker hesitated. "Oh. hang It
all! Some things become SO painful
only plain speech serves. You don't
need to be told Of the stories going
around. Lately it's occurred to me
that you've been letting us take them
at face. without trying to contradict
them. That's the thing I'd do myself
If were in the right. But it can be
carried to extremes. Have your per-
mission to say that the stories are
let US say. overdrawn?"
You have not. Life's too short to
enter into a contest with rumor.'
But your silence
''Is my affair."" Mark answered grufr-
ly. rising. You may say to your
meticulous friend that I'm about to
resign from this club"
Baker. too. rose, looking at Mark
keenly.
"Oh. come. Truitt." he began.
that's"
But Mark cut him short AT least
It will save him and his sort the ne
cessity Of setting a precedent that
would decimate the club Good eve
ming"
Henley, who had been out OF tho
city when Mark returned, came back
soon after the latter took up his resi-
dence in the hotel. Mark approached
him with the inward shrinking that
IaSt Inn t,,g that,
You've picked up physically" Hen
ley remarked after a cool handshake.
six months in the woods accounts
for that"
I'D think. If it was doing you 80
much good, you'd have stayed"
IN other words?"
IN other words" said Henley, why
did you come back now?"
Mark laughed hollowly. Il didn't
know I'd become notorious char
acter."
How, in heavens name." Henley
exclaimed, did you let yourself get
| caught in a divorce court scandal? I'd
have thought that you, Of all men,
II you had to play the fool. would at
| least have used finesse."
So even Henley believed the rumors!
AT any rate. no one but myself 10
hurt"
That's not true. Every one who
or less hurt. The company is reflected
on. l." Henley concluded with an air
that declared the indictment to be
complete and unanswerable. Il am be-
smirched. because we're known to be
in SO many things together"
That" Mark returned coldly. can
be easily cured. We can wind up our
affairs. And I'm ready to resign from
the company"
You cant cure the fact that we
have been together And you can't
resign. Are you going to add to the
scandal by marrying that woman"
What woman" MARKS voice was
cool and steady.
THE one that turned your head and
your wife was smart enough to dis
cover"
| You've heard names, them"
NO" growled Henley. She's as
mysterious as the rest of your d.
does
"As mythical, you mean." Mark an
swered in voice that did not betray
his relief There was no woman"
What! You mean these stories
aren't true?"
You'd seen me almost every day for
years. You might have guessed that"
But last year-those women"
AN experiment In idiocy-nothing
worse. There were no women. except
at arms length
Henley surveyed him keenly. Then
how did these stories get out? But
you needn't answer l can guess. A
woman is never clever except when
she's up to mischief.
However" he went on, this puts
a different face on the matter. AS You
say. | might have guessed the truth"
This, for Henley. was abject apology.
Mark shook his head My resigna-
tion holds just the same
Are you going to let a little talk
drive you out?" Henley demanded.
1T isn't that. l had decided before
I knew of it. I'm tired OF the scramble.
want-peace." Mark laughed dis.
cordantIy. And I'm getting it with q
vengeance"
"As much as youll ever get it,"
| fieHles Vtuiheu pioihplis. hho~
what you want. Who doesn't? Some
| time or other every man wants, or
thinks he wants, peace. And II we
had it, we'd want to die. ! told you
once before-things are. Accept them.
fit yourself to them, forget theories
that lead nowhere. Pick out the thing
you want most and fight until you get
1t. Then fight to keep 1t. Besides. you
aren't a misfit. The trouble with you
is. your strength Is your greatest
weakness-you've too much imagina-
tion. And you're not a well man yet