The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1917-09-06
He didn't c,me 10 her; just stood

He didn't c)me 10 her; just stood
there, gripping the corner If her book
case and staring at her silhouette
which was about all he could see OF
ler against the window. At last he
said, In a strained, dry voice she'd
hardly have known for his
'If you know that-if I've let you see
that-then I've done just about the last
desplcable thing there was left for me
to do. I've come down here and
made you feel sorry for me. SO that
with that-divine kin9iiness Of yours
you're willing to give me-every'
thing"
He Strengthened up and came step
nearer. "Well, won't have it, tell
you. | don't know how you guessed
If I'd dreamed | was betraylng that to
you Don't ! know-it's
burnt into me so that I'll never forget
what the memory of my love must
be to you? The memory of the hide
Gus things It's done to you? And now
after all that-after you've won your
| fight-alone-and stand where you
stand now-for me to come begging
And take a gift like that! / tell you
1t Is pity. 1t can't be anything else
There was another minute of silence
and then he heard her make little
noise in her throat, noise that would
have been a sob had there not been
something like laugh in It. The next
moment she said, "Come over here,
ROddy," and as he hestated, as If ne
hadn't understood, she added: 81 want
you to look at me. Over here, where
there's light enough to see me by"
He came, wonderingly, very slowly
but at last with her outstrctched hand
she reached him and drew him around
between her and the window.
Look into my face" she commanded.
Look into my eyes-as far in as you
can. oh, my dearest" the sob of
pure joy came again-"ls 1t pity that
you see? Don't you understand"
He did understand 1t with his mind,
but he was little dazed, like one who
has stood too near where the light
ming struck. The hope he had kept
buried alive so long-burled alive be-
cause II wouldn't die-could not be
brought out into binding glory like
this without pain-exquisite, terrify-
ing pain.
The knowledge she had acquired by
her own suffering stood her in good
stead now. She did not mistake, as
the Rose he had married might have
done, the weakness of his response for
coldness-indifference. She led him
over to her one big chair and made
him sit down in II, settled herself
upon the arm of 1t, and contented
herself with one of his hands. Pres
emily he took one of hers, bent his
face down over 1t, and brushed the
back of it with his lips.
The tlmidlty of that caress, with all
ii revealed to her, was too much for
her. She swallowed one sob, and an
other, but the next one got away. from
her and she broke out in n passionate fl
of weeping. That reused him from his
daze little, and he pulled her down
IN his arms-held her tight-comfort
ed her When she got herself in hand
again, she got up, went away to wash
her face, and, coming back in the room
again, lighted reading lamp and
drew down the blinds.
'Rose," he said presently, "what are
we going to do?"
"Shall we make 1t n real honeymoon
Roddy-make 1t as complete as we
can? Forget everything and let all
the world be :"
He supplied the word for her, "Rose'
color?"
She accepted it with n little laugh
."for a while?"
"That's what l was fumbling for,
he said, "but l can't think very
straight tonight. I've got 1t now
though. That cottage we had-befort
the twins were born-down on thu
Cape. There won't be a soul there
this time Of year: We'd have th'
world to ourselves"
Eyes" she said, 'for a little while
we'd want 1t like that. But after ;
while-after a day or two, could w
have the babies? Could the nurs
bring them on to me and then G,
straight back, so that | could hav,
them, and you, all togetherT
He said, "You darlingw But h
couldn't manage more than that.
At the entrance and just out o
range Of the elevator man, he kisse
her good night"
"But will you telephone to me a
soon as you wake up in the morning, S
that I'll know it's true?"
She nodded. Then her eyes wen
, wide and she clung to him. SIS
true, Roddy? Is it possible for thin
! '