Bryan daily eagle and pilot. [volume] (Bryan, Tex.) 1909-1918, 1916-12-04
MONDAY, DEC. I, 1915.

ylr,, Anyhow 5ne nad known from
the start that the affair was a tens
porary one; he had never pretended
anything else.
There was silence for moment al
ter Sidney finished. Then:
"You are not child any longer, Sid,
ney. You have learned great deal
In this last year. One of the thing1
you know Is that almost every man
has small affairs, many Of them some
times, before he finds the woman Id
wants to marry. When he finds her,
the others are oil off-there's nothing
to them. It's the real thing then, In
stead Of the SHAM"
"Palmer was very much In love with
Christine. and yet"
"Palmer Is cad"
II don't want you to think I'm max,
Ing terms. I'm not. But II this thing
went on, and l found out afterward
that yOu-that there was anyone else,
1t would kill me-" J
| iuen you care, 0Iter allP
There was something boyish in hid
triumph, In the very gesture with
which he held out his arms, like child
who has escaped whipping. he
stood up and, catching her hands, drew
her to her feet. "You love me, dear"
I'm afraid do, Max"
"Then I'm yours, and only yours, e
you want me-" he said, and took her IN
his arms.
He was riotously happy, must hold
her or for the Joy Of drawing her I'd
him again. must pull Off her gloves
and kiss her soft bare palms.
II love you, love you I" he cried, and
bent down to bury his face In thd
warm hollow Of her neck.
Sidney glowed under his caress--was
rather startled at his passion, a little
ashamed.
Tell me you love me a little bit,
Say It,"
81 love YOU" said Sidney, and flushed
scarlet.
But even In his arms, with the warm
sunlight on his radiant face, with his
lips to her ear, whispering the divine
absurdltles Of passion, In the back Of
her obstinate little head was the
thought that while she had given him
her first embrace, he had held other
women In his arms. II made her pas
slye, prevented her complete surren-
der.
She broke the news Of her engage.
ment to X. herself, the evening Of the
same day. The little house was quiet
when she got out OF the car ut the
door Harriet was asleep on the couch
ut the foot Of her bed. and Christmas
rooms were empty. She went upstairs
TO the room that had been her moth
er's, and took of her hat. She wanted
to be alone. to realize what had hap
pened to her. A year ago her half
promise to Joe had gratlAed her sense
Of romance. She was loved, and she
had thrilled to II.
But this was different. Marriage.
that had been but vision then. doomed
large, almost mcnacing. She had
learned the law Of compensation: that
for every JOY one pays In suffering.
Women who married went down Into
|, the valley Of death for their children.
One must love and be loved very ten
derby TO pay for that. The scale must
balance.
Harriet was stirring. across the hall.
Sidney could hear her moving about
, with Hat, inclastic steps.
That was the alternative. one mar.
ried. happily or not as the case nigh,
/, be. and took the risk. or one stayed
single. like Harriet, growing little
hard. exchanging slimness for lean
ness and austcrity Of figure. fiat.chest
, cd, thin.voiced. All ut once II seemed
very terrible to her. She felt as II she
had been caught In an lnexorable hand
that had closed about her.
Harriet found her little later. face
down on her mothers bed crying as II
/, her heart would break. She scolded
her roundly.
you've been oyerworking." she said
:. "You'vc been getting thinner. YOU
! measurements for that suit showed II
have never approved OF this hospital
training. and after last January"
= She could hardly credit her sense,
= when Sidney. stlN swollen with weep
Ing. told her Of her engagement.
"But doa't understand. n you car,
for him and he has asked you to MARI,
him. why ON earth are you crying you
! eyes outf'
u II do care. don't know why cried
. II Just came over me. oil nj once. tina
l. IL was Just foolIshncss. l IN
l. very happy. Aunt Harriet"
l. Harriet thought she understood. Thu
girl needed her mother. and she. Har
rict, was n hard. mlddlcngcd womai
aud poor substitute. She pattcd Sid
ncy's moist hand.
II guess understand" she said. 1T
attend to your wedding things, sidney
Wen show this street that even Chris
the LorcnE can be outdonc." And, NJ
aa aficrihought: II hope Max WI
son will settle down now. He's beet
none too steady"
II was late when X. got home. Sid
ncy was sitting ON the low step, wal,
lng for him. With a long brcatl
of content. X. folded up his long lcngtl