Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1917-02-15

isn't that SOP"
Minute after minute passed, while
she sat plating the cloth tight stretch
ed over one knee. Lips softly a-quiver,
she waited, earnest, eager that he un-
derstand from her explanation that
which she did not yet understand at
all herself Again she wished that he
would turn. She wanted greatly to
see whatever there might be behind
his heavy silence.
isn't it?' she faltered timidly.
And We. when his head Gid come
around she found she couldn't face
him.
els it my turn now?" he asked
Her answer was barely audible.
tiff you have to-have it. But
I've told you how useless it is"
would you mind looking at me just
minute?" said Steve
The brown head dropped even lower
over the restless fingers. 1t shook ever
so family.
"I'd rather not. I'm listening"
His laugh tilted recklessly in sheer
joy at her refusal.
"Then I'll have to tell you," he stat
ed, that I'm smiling in spite OF the
hopelessness. I'm smiling, even though
my throat is aching and my lips pretty
dry.
you've just finished trying to argue
my mans case from your WOman'S
point Of view, one Of the hardest, least
satisfactory things that could be at
tempted, no doubt And if it were pos
sible l know I'd be loving you right
now even more than I did before just
because you've been so entirely I'M
successful at it. Maybe I could straight
en- out q point or two that must have
been not quite clear to you; maybe
but don't want to argue back at you
now
'You say my telling you all l must
tell you can't help my case little bit.
All right; We'll let it stand like that
for the moment. And you say you are
going to marry Mr.. Wickersham. All
right again, but better prophets than
either of us have made mistakes be-
fore now! If he hadn't forced on me
one condition which I would have liked
to be different I'd rather have had to
mention no other man at all. This
isn't the way I'd have chosen to tell
you how much / care. I'd rather have
told you a little at a time, but there
isn't time for that now. So maybe
it'll sound crude to you. I've not re
see. And if it does sound that way it
won't help me much, either will it
But you're going to believe what say!
"YOu started back a dozen years or
SO in order to make your explanation
clear. I'm starting there myself so
I'll be sure you understand. You've
been grieving because you hurt me-
hurt me twice. Will you stop now if
tell you that / wouldn't exchange
those two-shall we call them wounds
for all the kindnesses of all the other
women in the world? l did believe
that you didn't think me good enough
that first time. That was why I was
cut deeper than you'll ever know, be-
cause 1 knew it was only the truth. I
admitted it-remember? / admitted it
when I said I was coming back. Well,
I'm back now, and I'm still not good
enough, and not because I haven't
tried to be, either. Pm just not adj
hitting any man alive could be that.
But I'm telling you, too, in the same
breath that the man who takes you
will have to prove he's a whole lot
better before l stand aside!'
For the first time since he had begun
the girl moved. Her head leaped back.
She half lifted one hand in protest,
but the very gladness in his face 81
fenced her.
"My turn" he reminded her quiz
zically. you've just finished a rather
involved bit Of reasoning concerning
the way other women love, a lot of
which I'll have to confess / didn't at
tend as closely as I should have Per
haps that's because no mans method
of caring has ever interested me
great deal, except my own
81 loved you when you were a little
bit of a girl-because I loved you!
And I love you that way now. Your
face was the first woman face | ever
looked on and-really-saw. And since
that first morning it's been with me-
been with me a lot of times when I
didn't have anything else to look up to.
I've been less hungry for thought of
you, less thirsty when the road got
pretty long at times. II worshiped
you. Do you hear? Why, I've prayed
to you, Gumbly, wordlessly, out Of
black bitterness, when it seemed that
any other divinity must be too busy to
give any heed toto the ragged little
tad was. Now, do you think haven't
known what it was long before this
to go on when there wasn't any hope"
He waited Her breath came in a long
and quiveT;lg gasp. 'T-I don't think
that I want to-listen any more" she
faltered.
His face went white at that, and
then he was smiling again.
81 told you I'd have chosen to tell
Won diffo?nnt1v" tho dra w1ino oontfp-