The Ordway new era., 1916-11-24
ont being IN lovs With you because Jon
did believe I had tried to marry your

ont being IN lovs With you because Jon
did believe I had tried to marry your
brother. and"
MARY, l only kncw-for the nrst
time-that you--that you were
Were desperately poor" she saiu.
"You can't even say that! Bipos' =
was true: did try TO make Jim wah'
to marry me. did" And she sahh
down into the chair. weeping bitterly
again. Bibbs was agonized.
"Mary." he groaned. II didn't know
you could cry!
Listen" she said. Listen tlli u
through-I want you TO understand
We were poor and we weren't n'teu "
be. We never had been, ana we u'un
know what to do. We'd been almost
rich; there was plenty. but my ta'her
wanted TO take advantage or the
growth of the town; he wanted 10 oe
richer. but instead-well. JUST ABOUT
the time your father finished DuiluinE
next door we found we hadn't any
thing. People say that, sometimes
meaning that they haven't anything III
comparison with other people OF t'cIr
own kind. but we really hadn't any
thing-we hadn't anything at all
Bibbs, And we couldn't DO ahyIilihS'
You might wonder why didn't try 10
be a steuographcr'-and ! WONDER my
self why, when family loses its
money. people always say the uhush
ters ought to so and be stcnoGraphers'
It's curious!- as If a wave OF the manu-
made you into n stenographer. NO, Il
been raised to be either married COM
fortably or wcll-to-do old maiu, II '
chose not to marry. The poverty came
on slowly. Bibbs. but at last 1t was !
there-and | didn't know how TO De
stenOgrapher. ! didn't know now 10
be anything except well-to-uo o'u
maid or somebody's wife-and
couldn't be wcll-to-do old maid.
Then. BIbbs, | did what I'd been raised
to know how TO do. | went out TO D."
fascinating and be married. did IL
openly, at least. and with kind or ue-
cent honesty. | told your brother /
had meant 10 fascinate him and that
was not in love with him, but let MN
think that perhaps | meant to marry
him. think | did mean to marry him.
| had never cared for anybody. and
thought II might be there really WASH |
anything more than kind OF excited
fOndness. | can't be sure. but thlnk
that though | did mean to marry hln
| never should have dO''e it, because
that sort OF n marriage is-its sacri
lege-something would have stopped
me- Something did stop me: 1t was
your sister-in-law. Slbyl. She meant
no harm-but she was horrible, and
she put what was doing into such
horrible words-and they were the
truth-oh! | saw myself! She was
proposing miserable compact with
me-and | couldn't breathe the air OF
the same room with her. though I'd so
cheapened myself she had right to
assume that | would. But couldn't.
| left her, and | wrote to your brother
just a quick scrawl. told him just
what I'd done: asked his pardon, and
| said | would not marry him. post
ell the letter. but he never got II. That
was the afternoon he was killed. That's
all. Bibbs. Now you know what | did
and you know-me" She pressed
her c,enched hands tightly against her
eyes. leaning far forward, her head
bowed before him.
Blbbs had forgotten himself long
ago: his heart broke for her. Couldn't
yoo-- Isn't there Won't you" he
stan oered. Mary. I'm going with ia
-her- Isn't there some way you could
Ese the money without-without-"
Shs gave a choked little laugh.
You gave me something to live for. ="
be said You kept me alive. | think
and I've hurt you like this!"
Not you-Oh nor
You could forgive me, Mary?"
'-Oh. thousand times!" Her right
hand went out in a faltering gesture,
and just touched his own for an in
stant. But there's nothing to for
give"
And you can't-you can't"
Cant what, Bibbs?"
You couldn't
Marry you?" SIZE said for him.
YES"
mo, no. no"' She sprang up, facing
him. and. without knowing what she
did. she set her hands upon his breast.
pushing him back from her little. ~
can't, | can't! Don't you see?'
MARY"
mo. no! And you must go now.
Bibbs: can't bear any more
please"
Mary"
Never. never, never!" she cried. In
passion of tears. You mustn't come
any more. | can't see you, dear! Never.
never. neverg'
Somehow. in helpless, stumbling obe-
dience to her beseeching gesture, he