The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1916-12-21
gone a year-probably MORE" he

Gluck. 1t is the opportunity Of
lifetime. Gluck is to the world
of medicine what Edison is to the
world of electricity. 1t is a won
derful opportunity, "a"
Won Gerhard's face was very in
distinct and uncertain to my eyes,
but l managed to say: $50 glad
congratulate you-very happy-no
doubt Fortunate"
The strong hands grasped my
wrists.
ma, l did not mean to brighten
you, Dawn. How your hands trem-
BILE. So, look at me. You would
like Vienna, Kindchen. l ask you
in the name of all that is reason
ing, and for the sake of your hap
piness and mine, to divorce this
man Peter Orme-this man who
for almost ten years has not been
your husband-who never can be
your husband. / ask you to do
something which will bring suffer-
ing to no one, and which will
mean happiness to many. Let
me make you happy-you who can
laugh like girl in spite of your
woman's sorrows"
But | sank into chair and hid
my face in my hands so that |
might be spared the beauty and
the tenderness of his eyes. l tried
to think of all the sane and COM
monplace things in life. Some
where in my inner consciousness a
cool little voice was saying, over
and over again: Now. Dawn, care
full! You've come to the crossroads
at last. Right or left? Choose!
Now, Dawn, be CAREFUL" and the
rest of it all over again.
When lifted my face from my
hands at last it was to meet the.
tenderness OF Own Gerhard's gaze
with scarcely tremor.
"You ought to know I said,
very slowly and evenly, that a
divorce, under these circum
stances, is almost impossible, even
If | wished to do what you sug-
gest. There are certain state
| laws"
An exclamation Of impatience
broke from him. Laws! In some
states, yes. In others, no. 1t Is a
mere technicality-a trifle! A few
months residence in another state,
perhaps. These American laws,
they are made to break"
Yes; you are quite right
said, and l knew in my heart that
the cool. insistent little voice with
in had not spoken in vain. But
there are other laws-laws of hon.
or and decency, and right living
and conscience-that cannot be
broken with such ease. l cannot
marry you. l have husband.
man there in the barred room
"You can call that unfortunate
wretch you husband! He does
not know that he has wife. The
At that took his dear hands In
mine and held them close as
miserably tried to make him hear
what that small, still voice had
told me.
There! That is It'll If he were
free, If he were able to stand be-
fore men that his actions might
be judged fairly and justly, !
should not hesitate for one single,
precious moment. But, Ernest,
can't you see? He is there, alone,
in that dreadful place, quite in
capable, quite at our mercy. The
thing is inhuman! No state laws,
no red tape can dissolve such a
union"
You still care for him!"
Ernest"
"You do care for him still. But
yes! You can tell me that you
would not hurt him, not for your
happiness, not for mine. But me
you can hurt again and again,
without one twinge of regret
There was silence for a moment
in the little bare dining room-a
miserable silence on my part, q
bitter one for Ernest. Then Won
Gerhard smiled one of the rare
smiles that illumined his face with
such sweetness.
Come. Dawn, almost we are
quarreling- You will think of
what l have said, will you not?
Perhaps I was too abrupt, too
brutal. Ach, Dawn, you know not
how L Very well, will not"
With both hands | was clinging
to my courage and praying for
strength to endure this until l
should be alone in my room again.
"As for that poor creature who
is bereft of reason, he shall lack
no care, no attention. The burden
you have borne so long shall take
now upon my shoulder"
He seemed SO confident, so sure.
l could bear 1t no longer. Ernest,
IL you have any pity, any love for
me, stop! / tell you I can never do
this. Why do you make 1t SO ter
ribly hard for me?"
II say again. and again, and
again, you do not care"
1t was then that | took my last
vestige of strength and courage to-
gether and, going over to him. put
my two hands on his great Shout
ders. looking into his drawn face
as l spoke.
ERNEST, look at mo. l care so
much that I could not bear to have
the shadow of wrong fall upon our
happiness. should hate myself,
and you would grow to hate me.
1t always is so. Dear one. ! care
SO much that l have the strength
to do as / would do II l had to
= n y