Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1917-04-05

when he re-entered. He showed her
tin basin outside filled with icy water
for her face and hands. And then they
sat down in silence to breakfast
Il told you that you would find out
some day." Barbara murmured finally.
Il warned you you would wake sud
denly and see how shallow l am
"Waking has been no sudden thing
with me. l finished with dreams u
long time back, but you are what you
have been always in MY thoughts. It's
conditions I've walked to, not you"'
With unwilling gruffness he had
sometimes spoken to her, but never
with such constrained vehemence.
"Why should | find fault in anything
you have done or failed to do!" he
demanded Of both her and himself
"Why should you be apologize or re-
gretful? Such thing as | had to do
two days ago has held no place in
your world and never could, but |
can't find it in myself to be apologize,
either, because it is a part Of mine. l
meant to kill him-Wanted to kill him
because | was certain of your ScOrn!
That was vindictive; that was foolish
for man. But as for the rest of it
[ know | may have it all to do over
again any day. 1t WIS a vulgar braWl
to you; to me-
Not just braWl." she r0ntradicted
quickly. anxious to be understood
"Just-oh, so needIessly brutal At
first it left ne only dazed and nause-
ated, but after had lad time to think
[ made myself see Your side of it.
You must crush characterization And
still it seems as though there might
have been less horrible way"
He had baked my work" he told
her sternly. He has fired upon me
from cover when he dared not come
out into the OPEN He has been taking
money for his work from a man who
was bent on beating me at any cost
Could ask him please not to spoil my
bridge? Is that your idea Of mans
way? This is my work, and while |
continue in it men who oppose me with
their brains | will fight with my BRAIN
But men who force me to meet them
with fists | must beat with like weap-
ons. There is no alternative. | have
no chOice-unleSS | quit And that is
the reason | know that this is the end
for you and me! Ny ways would have
had to be your ways, and We have
learned at last what l have feared for
long and long. They lie too far apart
for them ever to meet.
Il promised to teach you to love me,
and I've failed. And knowing that
my failure is not all my own fault is
not going to make it any easier for me.
You've taught me loneliness I'm never
going to forget as long as | live, but
don't love you any the less for that. |
dreamed big dreams for both of u.s."
His voice was dreary of a sudden. Il
promised I'd make those dreams come
true, because | thought my life could
be your life. I've not done So That
thing could never be- I've talked big
not going to help my self confidence
any, but as it stands now can earn it
back | couldn't have done that if
had married you and walked some day
to find you shrinking from me- 1t
would have killed it and my self re-
spect, too, to have learned too late that
YOU believed still in your own greater
fnepesS.'
Il tell you it is not THAR she cried
out. Cant I make you underestimate
"You have made me understand till
| am Sure,' he stated Il am no longer
yeXing myself with trivial things. You
have been uncertain. [ have seen that.
You are certain now. And the funda-
mental thing remains unchanged. In
me there is that man who once man
handled Harrigan-and you didn't
want me to touch you! You don't have
to tell me any more that you can't love
me. When you drew away from me,
that was enough"
She sat and watched him put the
room in order. and that hurt her more
than anything else, for he would not
let her help. He made her change her
high heeled boots for moccasins which
he brought and laced upon her feet.
But the remainder of the day it was
the cid Steve who helped her over the
bad bits Of going and talked discon-
nectedly Of many things meanwhile.
And yet no longer the old Steve who
had been so entirely her own Hers
was the sad face when they entered
the clearing at Thirty Mile, and
hoarse shout saluted her return In
her fathers embrace she clung and
wondered that she did not cry. And
two pages had turned for her that day,
for she sent Wickersham back his ring
the same night the private car rolled
down to Morrison
Harrigan was with Archibald Wick
ersham when the package, unaccom-
panied by explanation, reached the lat
ter in his hotel room in town.
go out and get him. said Wicker
sham. And see that you get him
for good
CHAPTER XXI.