The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1916-08-26

can all be- but my knees bend in spite of
me when speak of it
He stopped and looked at her.
You boyw said Mary, not very
clearly.
'Oh, yes" he returned. But it's
true especially my khees!'
You boy" she murmured again.
| blushing charmingIy. You might read
ever saw you. Bibbs. you were look
ing into mirror. Do it again. But
you needn't read it can give it to
you: "A little Greek slave that came
from the heart of Arcady?"
CT I'm one of the hands at the
Pump works-and going to stay one.
unless I have to decide to study
plumbing"
mo" She shook her head. "You
love and want what's beautiful and
delicate and serene; it's really art that
you want in your life, and have always
| wanted. You seemed to me, from the
first, the most wistfuI person I had
ever known. and that's what you were
wistful for"
Bibbs looked doubtful and more
/
or two the matter seemed to clarity
itself to him. why. no." he said; 81
wanted something else more than that.
I wanted you
"And here I amp' she laughed, COM
pletely understanding. Il think we're
| like those two in 1.-The Cloister and
the Hearth I'm just the rough Bur
| gundian crossbow man, Denys. who
followed that gentle Gerard and told
everybody that the devil was dead"
''He isn't, though said Bibbs, as
hoarse little bell in the next room be-
gan a series Of snappings which
proved to be ten. upon count. He
gets into the clock whenever I'm with
you" And, signing deeply. he rose
to go.
you're always very prompt about
leaving me-"
There's one little time in the twenty
four hours when I'm not happy. It's
now, when I have to say good night.
But now's the bad time-and 1 must
go through it, and so-good night
And he added with a pungent vehe-
mence of which he was little aware.
81 hate it!''
do your she said. rising to go to
the door with him. But he stood mo-
tionless, gazing at her wonderingly.
"MaryI Your eyes are So" He
stopped.
"Yes?" But she looked quickly away.
''I don't know he said. 81 thought
just then"
what did you think?''
ST don't know-it seemed to me that
there was something I ought to under
stand-and didn't
She laughed and met his wondering
gaze again frankly. MY eyes are
pleased" she said. I'm glad that you
miss me little after you co.
But tomorrow's coming faster than
other days, if you'll let it. he said.
She inclined her head. Eyes. PHI
let itr'
"Going to church." said Bibbs. cit is
going to church when 1 go with your
She went to the front door with him
she always went that far They had
formed a little code of leaYe-taking
by habit, neither of them ever speak.
ing of it; but it was always the same
She always stood in the doorway until
he reached the sidewalk, and there he
always turned and looked back, and
she waved her hand to him. Then he
went on, halfway to the new house
and looked back again, and Mary was
not In the doorway, but the door was
open and the light shone 1t was as
If she meant to tell him that she would
never shut him out; he could always
see that friendly light of the oper
doorway-as if it were open for him tt
come back, If he would. He could see
it until a wing Of the new house came
between, when he went up the path
The open doorway seemed to him the
beautiful symbol of her friendship-ot
her thought of him: symbol OF her
self and of her ineffable kindness.
And she kept the door open-eve1
: tonight, though the sleet and fine snow
| swept in upon her bare throat and
arms. and her brown hair was strewr
with tiny white stars. His hear
leaped as he turned and saw that she
: was there, waving her hand to him, as
: II he did not know that the storm
touched her. When he had gone on
Mary did as she always dfd-she went
into an unlit room across the hall from
that in which they had spent the eve
ming, and. looking from the window
watched him until he was out Of sight
The storm made that difficult tonight
but she caught glimpse of him under
: the street lamp that stood between the
two houses. and saw that he turned &c
look back again. Then, and not before
she looked at the upper windows Of
Roscoe's house across the street. They
were dark. Mary waited, but after {
D little while she closed the front dool
> and returned to her window. 4
; moment later two OF the upper win
z dows of Roscoe's house flashed int
light and a hand lowered the shade O
: one Of them. Mary felt the cold theT
!; lit was the third night she had seer
those windows lighted and that shad'
: lowered. just after Bibbs had gone
A stricken George, muttering hoarse
~, admitted him. and Bibbs becam,
: aware OF paroxysm within the house
e Terrible sounds came from the Il
, brary: Sheridan eursing as never be
fore: his wife sobbing. her voice risin: