Omaha daily bee., 1916-09-03

She hung her head and muttered
brokenly that il was silly to give way
like that, but she could not help il
He placed hand gently on her Shout
der.
/ Wont you conhde in me, dear9
he said.
1t was the first time he had ven
tured on any real tenderness in word
or act, and the girl lifted her stream
ing eyes to his.
There are some things which a
woman cannot tell man, even a
friend whom she prizes" she ,sobbed
Then John knew that he was face to
face with the great adventure. He
took her by the shoulders and hall
raised her from the bench where she
was sitting.
THAT is so, Mary" he said softly
Perhaps you cannot confide in one
who Is little more than stranger,
but you might find it possible to take
your husband into your confidence"
what are you saying" she almost
screamed, though she trembled vio-
lently, and did not seek to extricate
herself from his, embrace.
"Ill put it quite clearly, dear" he
cooed. will you marry me-"
She dropped as if he had struck
her
"Oh. no, no." she walled. ANY
thing but that! 1t is impossible
He knelt by her side and endeav-
ored to soothe her.
Listen, Mary he whispered y
love you, and | begin to hope that l
am not altogether indifferent to you,
You are pure and good woman, !
know, and | shall be honored beyond
measure
"Stop!" she screamed in frenzy.
Must ! even sacrifice one OF my
few friends? Marriage between us
would be crime. Our poverty would
crush US. Don't you realize what it
means? | am ambitious, love my
art, and would sell my very soul tor
the wherewithal to prosecute it.
want to see the great wide world
the world which l have read about
and dreamed OF, but which seems to
be a mere mirage of the ever more
distant shore of the morass OF my
daily life"
Now, John, in his wooing, had
managed to lose sight of the all-im.
portant fact that he was supposed
to be desperately poor, and Mary
passionate refusal to bear poverty
handicap came as shock. Yet he
was strong minded enough to hold
back, even in that tense moment, the
explanation that would have cleared
the horizon and led the girls stumb.
ling steps into the firm, sure road Of
happiness.
1--WE are both young, Mary" Johr
urged. II have every confidence o.
being able soon to place you in TAI
better position than we both occupy
at this time. Don't send me ava,
/ from you because | am only work
ing man"
He was astounded by the hard ane
defiant glitter which shone suddenly
in those beautiful eyes. The melting
blue in their depths turned to the colo
sheen OF steel, She plucked note
from her breast.
Read thatr" she said, Almost harsh
Nv. There you will find the problem
confronting me. God help me, have
to choose between honest love OF
poor man and the temptation OF
wealthy oneg
Hardly grasping the true senee o
the words, John opened the crumplee
letter. 1t was signed Evan ane
bore that days date A glance at III
concluding passage sufhced;
$50 must go abroad, TO Paris
Will you go with me! Think OF thu
opportunities you will have for study
And don't you care just little fol
me, Unhappily, ! can't offer yot
marriage. That, as you know is Out
OF the question in present conditions
| want YOU to weigh this proposition
fairly and reasonably. iand will come
for my answer this evening
A dawning horror showed in John''
face. He had met Evan Parker be
fore, and deemed him decent sort o
| fellow. Yet the man had the callous
ness to admit, an infamy oyer his-yery
signature. Mays tortured soul barec
itself in wild cry.