Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1916-04-08

the agate head. described a long curve
through the air and plunged into the
brush far down the mountain side.
THAT" Glen cried, her eyes flashing
into his, "for the beacon. kept 1t for
you. 1t was too good for you; you
would not take 1t, so there 1t goes"
Her lips trembled and she snapped her
fingers. at is not worth that to me-"
"Clem" cried Alan, protesting.
Don't speak," said Glen; you have
said what you had to say. Now listen
to me. You are blind, Alan, or worse
than that, asleep. I'm not a thin
legged elf with skirts bobbing above
my knees any more. You can't make
me swallow my protests today with.
Glen, you mustn't this and you
mustn't that There's one thing you've
closed your eyes on long enough. I'm
a woman, Alan, bone, spirit and
great deal of flesh. / love you, and
you say you love me-"
Alan started forward, but Clem held
him off with a gesture. "What do you
think / love in you? The things you
have spent? The things you have
thrown away? Has a woman ever
fallen in love with a man because he
was perfect?" Glen made a despond-
ing gesture with both hands as though
she sought words that would not come.
Some men clap q wife on to them
selves" she went on, las you clap
lid on to hot fire. If the fire grows
cold quick enough the lid cracks. Some
just let the fire burn out and take the
dross with it. A woman knows that
there is always something left in the
man she loves. And even If she did
not know 1t, it would be the same. She
would rather give all for nothing than
never give at ALL"
Clem's voice fell into a lower kew.
1.-THE things you know that l do not
know! What child you are among
men. A half-witted woman is born
with more knowledge than the wisest
of you ever attains and the first thing
she learns is that life laughs at knowl-
edge"
Clem stopped speaking and her eyes
that had wandered came back to Al
ans face. She drew a quivering breath.
Her face had been pale, but now the
sudden color surged up over her throat
and into her cheeks. She put up her
hands to her forehead. "Oh," she
gasped, you have driven me too far.
1 am mean thing in my own eyes as
/ am in yours"
AT first Alan had stood stunned by
the words in which she had poured out
her overburdened heart. but as she
went on pitilessly laying bare her sub
lection a fame lit up his eyes and fred
his blood. Now he sprang forward and
dragged her hands from her face.
Mean, Glenn? Mean in my eyes?"
Then his tongue failed him. He sank
to the wet grass at her feet, took her
knees in his arms and hid his hot face
in her skirt. "My God. my God" he
cried. II am mean, but what there
is Of me has knelt to you by night and
worshiped you by day. When you
were little you were in my heart and
you have grown up to 1t. When you
were little there was room there for
other things, but now that you have
grown up you have filed it-ali of it
every nook and Granny"
A tremor went through Clem's body.
She rested the fingers of one hand on
Alan's head and tried to turn up his
face. But he held it close to her knees
IF you want me. Glen, II you want
me, then there must be things left
things / have never-could never give
to anyone else. But am ashamed
to pour them into your lap-I must
pour them at your feet"
NO" said Glen gravely, "I do n
want you to pour things at my fee
It's got to be eye to eye or nothing,
and If there's any man left in"
"Clem," broke in Alan, there is
enough man left in me If you'll only
give me time. Time to groom him.