Gilpin observer. (Central City, Colo.) 1897-1921, 1916-11-30
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Maple House was riding the crest of
q happy wave. In q body It advanced
on the lake to picnic and supper by
moonlight and In q body 1t returned:
the little ones excited and wakeful, the
grown-ups tired and reminiscent Days
followed that were Hlled with laziness
and nights that rang with song. The
cup Of life was filled to the brim with
little things. Sudden peals of unrea-
soning laughter. shrieks Of children at
play. Q rumble Of the plano followed
BY . 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 IN
dsrtone. When Joy paused to take
breath 1t found Alan half aloof and
Glenn wistful behind her unvarying
tweetness.
One evening Alan found himself
alone with Nance. She had frankly
eornered him. then as openly led him
OF down the road towards Elm House.
"Alan." she said, you've turned into
q great fool or a great coward. Which
u itT'
I Alan glanced at her. what do you
meant" he stammered.
You know what I mean. Glenn.
You're breaking her heart"
She felt Alan's arm stiffen. For q
moment he was silent, then he said
Don't worry. Nance. You're wrong,
NJ hrpf hov a.
going to come to Glen through me.
I'm going away. I've meant to go for
ever SO long. but somehow 1 couldn't.
Something seemed to hold me- tried
to think 1t was just the Hill. and that
it would be all right for me to stay on
until the general breakup. But you
have Weakened me up. and the proof
that I'm not quite a coward yet is
that I'm going to get up and rum"
They came 10 the entrance to The
Films. but Nance led him on down the
road. run? Why are you going to
run? Alan, don't you love herr"
A tremor went through Alan's body.
II don't know" he said, whether l
love her or not II l ever loved any
one before, then I don't love her, for
the thing that has come over me Ii
new-newer than anything that has
ever happened to me. I would rather
see her come down from her room in
the morning than to have watched the
birth Of Aphrodite. and yet 1 would
rather see myself damned, once and
for all. than touch the hem Of her
frock."
"whyr
Because II Is not for me. Once
AK called her glorious I don't know
whether that was bit Of hyperbols
on her part or not, but to me she II
Just that. There 10 q glory about
Clem--the glory of pure light Do you
think dare walk into It? Me, with
my Scared life, my blemished soul and
the moral rags that only half hide tn,
two? That would be cowardly. Tn
not coward enough for that"
Nance sighed. I'm disappointed In
you. / thought that II ever man lived
that knew q little about women 4
must be you. l won't say any OF tn,
things i was going to say. Instead,
Just tell you that you don't know
women"
They walked back in silence. Name,
went into the house. but Alan sale
good night and stared thoughtful,
down the road. His step quickened
and. walking rapidly, he passed ovel
the moonlit brow OF the hill and down
down into the shadows of the valley
Hard Is the battle that has to be wor
twice. but when in the small hours o.
the morning Alan returned and crep
noiselesslv to his room, he felt tina
he had won, that he had put the finn
seal on the remuneration Nance's word
had well-nigh recalled. Still wakeful
Alan started packing. He left out hi,
riding kit.
That day awoke to clouds that low
sred and hung about waiting for tn,
futeful hour of seven when they nigh
with all due respect to atmosphere,
tradition start in with an all-day rain
but long before the hour struck Alar
had foraged for biscuit and a glass
Of milk and was mounted and ava,
Tor last ride.
Alan rode with the ease of one borI
q the saddle. There was nothing O
the cowboy In his get-up He used ,
mere patch Of n hunting saddle iittet
IKE glove 70 his horses back, an,
Tods On ths saa1as with Q light hand