Mexico Missouri message. (Mexico, Audrain County, Mo.) 1899-1918, 1916-05-04
Is


Maple House was riding the crest Of
a happy wave. In body 1t advanced
on the lake to picnic and supper by
moonlight and in a body 1t returned;
the little ones excited and wakeful, the
grown-ups tired and reminiscent. Days
followed that were filed with laziness
and nights that rang with song. The
cup of life was filed to the brim with
little things. Sudden peals of unreal
soning laughter, shrieks of children at
play, q rumble Of the piano followed
by a rollicking college song, ready
smiles on happy faces, broke like COM
mas into the page of life, and turned
monotony into living phrases. But be-
meath the gayety ran the inevitable I'M
dertone. When joy paused to take
breath 1t found Alan half aloof and
Glen wistful behind her unvarying
sweetness.
One evening Alan found himself
alone with Nance. She had frankly
cornered him, then as openly led him
OF down the road towards Elm House.
"Alan," she said, you've turned into
"A great fool or a great coward. Which
is it2"
Alan glanced at her. "What do you
mean?" he stammered.
"You know what mean. Glen.
You're breaking her heart"
She felt Alan's arm stiffen. For a
moment he was silent, then be said
"Don't worry, Nance. You're wrong
of course, but, anyway, no harm is
going to come to Glenn through me
I'm going away. I've meant to go fol
ever so long, but somehow 1 couldn't
Something seemed to hold me. tried
to think 1t was just the Hill, and that
1t would be all right for me to stay on
until the general breakup. But you
have wakened me up, and the proof
that I'm not quite a coward yet is
that I'm going to get up and run"
They came to the entrance to The
Films, but Nance led him on down the
road. "Run7 Why are You going tc
run? Alan, don't you love herr"
A tremor went through Alan's body
81 don't know" he said, whether
dove her or not. If ever loved any
L
the thing that has come over me Is
uew-newer than anything that has
ever happened to me. l would rather
see her come down from her room ir
the morning than to have watched the
birth of Aphrodite, and yet I woulC
rather see myself damned, once ant
for all, than touch the hem Of hel
Crock"
"WhyP'
Because 1t Is not for me. Onct
AK called her glorious. don't know
whether that was a bit of hyperbol
zen her part or not but to me she i
just that. There is a glory abou
'Clem-tsle glory of pure light. Do yo1
think dare walk into it2 Me, wit
my Scared life, my blemished soul ant
the moral rags that only half hide tn
two? That would be cowardly. IN
not coward enough for that"
Nance sighed. I'm disappointed i
you. l thought that If ever man live
that knew a little about women
must be you. won't say any of tn
things l was going to say. Instead,
Just tell you that you don't kno1
women"
They walked back in silence. Name
went into the house, but Alan sal
lgOOd night and stared thoughtful
down the road. His step quickene,
land, walking rapidly, he passed Ovt
tiIe noonlit brow of the hill and dow
down into the shadows of the vale
Hard is the battle that has to be VIC
ttwice. but when In the small hours
,the morning Alan returned and ere
Snoiseiesslv to his room. he felt tn
She had won, that he had put the fin
seal on the remuneration Nance's wor
had well-nigh recalled. Still wakefl
Alan started packing. He left out b
riding kit.
That day awoke to clouds that To-
,ered and hung about waiting for
Hateful hour of seven when they mig
with oil due respect to atmosphel
tradition start in with an all-day ra
but long before the hour struck AL
had foraged for a biscuit and a gl0
of milk and was mounted and aw
for a last ride.
Alan rode with the ease of one DO
to the saddle. There was nothing
the cowboy In his get-up. he used
mere patch Of a hunting saddle. fit
like glove to his horses back, a
rode on tbs snaftie with a light hal