The Glenwood post., 1916-08-05

Wuhl lueTe lS VI Iue 10 youIe oNSA oAo
over again, and then I've got to tel
you why you can't have it." A light
came into Clem's eyes, trembled, flick
cred, and then settled to steady
fame.
you've seen people smile everyone
has smile of Sorts" went on Alan
"Did you ever think that a smile had
body and soul? To me it has. II
starts out in life like virgin with 9
body to keep pure and soul to guard
unstained. There are smiles that illu
mine face, that shine with essentia
purity, that glorify. Nobody has tc
tell you that they have never pandered
to ribald Jest or added cruelty to de
nial. They are live smiles and they
are rare among women and rarel
among men. For one such you'll dnG
a thousand living faces with dead
smiles smiles that have scattered
their essence like rain on the just and
the unjust, that have rolled in fllth and
wasted their substance on the second
best. You'll and them iickering out
in the faces of young men and at the
last gasp in the faces of lost women
whose eyes hold the shadows Of unfor
gotten SINS"
"Well?" said Clem.
Alan sighed. Between the lines OF
my words you must read for yourself
My smile is dead-I killed It long ago
Yours is alive-alive. You have kept
1t pure, guarded its fame and you
shall hold 1t high like beacon. You
are ready to give all and you have all
to give. have nothing but the empty
shell. have kept nothing. l have
gained the whole world-and lost it.
The little strength left to the pinions
Of my soul could carry me up to clutch
your beacon and drag it down, but
Clem-dearest of all women-I love
you too much for that. You've got to
trust me. The things know that you
do not know shove the duty Of denial
on to my shoulders. could give you
an empty shell, but I won't"
Alan had not looked at Glenn. He
had talked like one rehearsing a les.
son, with his eyes far away in the gray
world. He dropped the bit of bush,
and his hands, locked about his knees,
gripped each other till the knuckles
and fingers showed white against the
tan of his thin wrists. When he
stopped speaking Glen turned curious
eyes upon him. Els that all?" she
asked.
Alan sprnng up and faced her "All:
All?' he cried. isn't 1t enough?"
Glen rose to her feet. In her uplift.
ed right hand she held her agate.
headed riding whip. Alan's eyes fas,
tened on 1t as she meant them to do.
Then. with a full, free swing she flung
It from her. The whip, weighted by
the agate head, described long curve
through the air and plunged into the
brush far down the mountain side.
"That," Glen cried, her eyes flashing
into his, "for the beacon. l kept 1t for
you. 1t was too good for you; you
would not take it, so there 1t goes"
Her lips trembled and she snapped her
fingers. "It is not worth that to me"
"Clem!' cried Alan, protesting.
Don't speak," said Glen; you have
said what you had to say. Now listen
to me. You are blind, Alan, or worse
than that, asleep. I'm not thin
legged elf with skirts bobbing above
my knees any more. You can't make
me swallow my protests today with,
Glen, you mustn't this and you
mustn't that There's one thing you've
closed your eyes on long enough. I'm
woman, Alan, bone, spirit and a
great deal of flesh. I love you, and
you say you love me-"
Alan started forward, but Glen held
him of with gesture. "What do you
think I love in you? The things you
have spent? The things you have
thrown away? Has q woman ever
fallen In love with q man because be
was perfectr Glen made despond.
ing gesture with both hands a. though
she sought words that would not come
Some men clap q wife on to them.
selves" ahe went on, ''as you clap Z
lid on to hot fire. II the IRE growi
cold quick enough the lid cracks. Some
Just let the IRE burn out and take the
dross with It. A woman knows that
there il always something left In the
man she loves. And even II she did
not know 1t, 1t would be the same. She
would rather give all for nothing than
never give at ALL" 4.k ~ r. U4
Clem's voice fell into 4 lower key
"The things you know that do moi
know! What q child you are among
men. A half-witted woman ID born
with more knowledge than the wisest
of you ever attalns and the flrst thing
she learns is that life laughs at knowl
edge" Ia l
Glen stopped speaking and her eyel
that had wandered came back to Al
ans face. She drew q quivering breath
Her face had been pale, but now the
sudden color surged up over her throat
and into her cheeks. She put up hel
hands to her forehead. "oh," she
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