The Watertown weekly leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1912-1917, 1916-04-04

of challenge, instinctively on the de-
fensive
Why" she almost gasped, what do
you think"
| Does it matter what l think?"
ut does, to me- l wish to know!"
| Well" he conceded reluctantly, 81
think that, when you had a chance to
think things over calmly, while you
waited for me there in the garden, you
| decided it would be better TOTO use
your best judgment and-extricate
yourself from an embarrassing en-
| tanglement-"
But you were wrongn she pro-
| tested yehemently quite, quite
wrong! l ran away from myself-not
from you-and with another motive,
too-one that l can't explain"
you ran away from yourself-not
from me?" he repeated, puzzled.
Don't you understand? Why make
it SO hard for me? Why make me say
outright what pains me 500"
ooh, beg of you"
| But if you won't understand other
wise-I must tell you, l suppose" She
checked herself, breathless, flushed,
and trembling. you remember our
talk after dinner that night-how |
asked you, what if you were to find out
you'd been mistaken in me, that l had
| deceived you; and how l told you it
would be impossible for me ever to
| marry you?"
i remember" he assented gravely.
1T was because of that" she said, i
| ran away; because | hadn't been talk
| ing idly when l said what / did; be-
| cause you were mistaken in me, be-
cause | was deceiving you, because |
| could never marry you, and because
suddenly came to know that, if l
didn't leave you then and there, |
might never find the strength to leave
you, and only greater suffering and I'M
| happiness could come of it. | had to
go, as much for your sake as for
mine"
You mean me to understand that
you found you were beginning TOTO
care a little for me?"
She made an effort to speak, but in
the end answered him only with a
dumb inclination of her head.
| "And you ran away, then, because
love wasn't possible between us?"
Again, silently, she bowed her head.
Because l had been a criminal,
presumed"
| you've no right to say that"
What else can l think? You tell me
| you were afraid / might induce you to
become my wife-something which,
for some incomprehensible reason, you
claim is impossible. What other ex-
| PLANTATION can | infer? What other ex-
PLANTATION is needed? It's ample, it
covers everything, and I've no warrant
to complain-God knows!"
Butt" she began, when he cut
her short
There's one thing l don't under
| stand at ALL" he protested eff that
were so, if it was your repugnance for
criminal association-why did you go
back to Bannon?"
She started and glanced at him fur
lively, a frightened glance.
You knew that?"
81 saw you-last night-followed
you from Wells to the Elysee Palace
hotel"
And you thought" she flashed in a
vibrant voice-'you thought l was in
such company of my own choice!"
You didn't seem altogether down
cast" he countered "Do you wish me
| to understand he had recaptured you
that you were with him against your
will?"
NO" she said slowly. mo; l re-
turned to him voluntarily. knowing
perfectly what l was about"
Through fear of him"
NO can't claim that
Rather than me-"
You'll never understand" she told
him little YEARLY. 1T was a matter
of duty. had to go back-I had to-"
Her voice trailed off brokenIy into a
little sob. But as, moved beyond his
strength to resist, Lanyard put forth a
hand to take the white-gloved one
resting on the cushion beside her, she
withdrew it with swift gesture of
| denial.
mol" she cried "PleaseI You
mustn't do that. You only make it
! harder"
But you love mel"
Il can't. It's impossible | would,
but may not!'
"Why?"
Il can't tell you"
If you love me, you must tell me. -
She was silent, the white hands
| working nervously with her handker-
chief.
LUCY" he insisted-"you must saw
!! what stands between you and my love.
It's true, l have no right to ask, as |
mad no right to speak to you of love.
| But when we have said what we have
said-we can't stop there. You will
tell me, dear?
/ She shook her head Tits i'm
possible" she declared in a choking
voice.
You leave me no alternative" he
said in a voice he hardly knew for his