Webster City freeman. [volume] (Webster City, Hamilton County, Iowa) 1884-1946, 1916-01-18
and turned away.

ana turned away.
With no object or destination, !
plunged into the hills, where I wan
dered for an hour with the inconse-
quent aimlessness Of moonmadness.
Tomorrow would turn her husband
over to her and go back. Finally, how
ever, Il realized that for tonight the
Marcus house was my only available
abode, and that by this time the first
tenderness Of greeting would be over.
could safely return. Decency and
ciyility demanded that I shake her
hand and give an account of my rough
nursing.
AS II drew near the house, the cracks
Of the shutters still held threads Of
light. At the threshold of the room
where had left Weighborn / hesitant-
ly knocked.
Come in" said low voce-her
voice.
I,opened the door and halted in as.
constituent.
She was sitting before the fire in
the rough chair which was usually oc-
cupied by. the old woman, and her eyes
were fixed on the faring logs and
the white ashes below them She
was leaning forward with her brows
slightly drawn in troubled and pain
ed expression.
The blaze threw shifting dashes. of
carmine on her cheeks and heighten-
ed the rose-madder of her lips. Her
slender fingers were yintertwined
across her knees, and one foot. cased
in riding boots, was tapping the floor
in evident annoyance.
Her discarded sweater hung over
the chair back, and against it's white
background her graceful slenderness
was clear-drawn despite the loose
folds of a blue flannel shirt.
must have let myself in very quiet
~, for she did not turn her head. But
what held me in pause and anger was
the discovery that Weighborne lay
asleep and breathing heavily, as
though the last hour had brought no
exciting incident.
Could it be possible that he had
slept uninterruptedly? At the thought
a wave of savage resentment swept
me. Had she come to me should have
risen to meet her, though had to
shake of the sleep of death itself!
very quietly went over to her,
without speaking, and still she did
not raise her eyes. l looked down,
cursing myself that had dared to sus-
pect she could burgeon only in the af-
huence of satins.
Slowly her gaze came up, and or
seeing me she gave little start. Then
she spoke in low voice which was \
trifle cool.
''Do you think your welcome is very
prompt"
stiffened and flushed. Could she
be so blindly Indifferent as not to
know that ! had taken myself of In
misery and loneliness only because !
was not. cad enough to intrude on
that meeting? And now she permit
ted ehrself to. grow piqued over the
only evidence Of consideration 1t lay
in my power to show her!
''Do you think I could have done
otherwise?" / inquired.
81 think II were a man, and girl
had come across the mountains
she halted suddenly and colored. Then
she added, in a totally different tone
of fiat indifference: ''It doesn't mat
ter"
al staid out there" / said bluntly.
because / could hardly be an inte--
sloper when you had ridden these in
fernal hills to be with him." Ijerked
my head savagely toward the sick
bed.
Then / went doggedly on, determin-
ed that since she had forced me this
tar we should hereafter stand in the
certain light Of understanding Il al
so stayed out there because, as 1t
happens, I'm fool. couldn't endure
witnessing a reunion between your
self and your husband"
AT the last word her face clouded
with an expression of absolute bewild-
ernent, and her eyes widened as she
gaxed at me.
"My-my what?" she demanded.
a"Your husband" I repeated. "John
Weighborne."
She contemplated me as though I
were new and rather interesting va
riety OF maniac, then her laugh vas
long and delicious. Her clouded eyes
cleared and danced like-ski in which
the sun has suddenly burst through
rain.
"Oh," she said finally, Il understand
now"
Once more her face grew grave. and
she added with catch in her voice:
"And. thank God, do understand"
"For Heavens sake" implored,
tell me what you understand As for
me, understand nothing"
"Why, you totally unspeakable idot,"
she explained as though she had
known me always and as though we
had long been close comrades" Il
haven't any husband-yet. That's my
brother. Didn't you know that2"
stood at gaze, dazed, stupefied,
open.mouthed; everything that de-
xo%o, {ho uaxUl,y foil