Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1917-02-16


wearineSs-'I don't mean that, pre-
cisely. / mean Probably / don't
know what I do mean. I'm really.
very tired. too tired to go on. just
now-to sit here with you, badgerlng
our poor wits with esoteric subtleties.
think-do you mind?-rd better go
in"
She rose quickly, without waiting for
/ his hand. Whitaker Strengthened out
/ his long body with more elaboration,
standing finally at full height, his
( grave and moody countenance strongly
relieved in the rudy glow. while her
/ face was all in shadow.
zone moment" he begged. humbly-
before we go in. I I've some
( thing else to say to you. If may"
She waited, seriously attentive.
81 haven't played fair, Tn afraid"
he said, lowering his head to escape
her steadfast gaze. 1--WE just told
you that / love you. but :"
"Well?" she demanded In an odd,
ringing voice. isn't it true?"
'True?" He laughed uunaturally.
ITS so true wish had died before
told you'll"
please explain" she urged a trace
YEARLY.
a." he stammered-"I am already
married"
She gave a little, stifled cry
whether of pain or horror or of indig-
nation he could not tell.
''I'm sorry-I-" he began.
"Don't you think you might have
thought of this before?"
Il you don't understand"
$50 IT would SEEM" she put in
cruelty.
please hear met It was several
years ago married a girl I'd never
seen before, to help her out of des-
nerate scrape she'd got into. We
| never lived together, never even saw
one another after that hour. She
had every reason to think me dead
as should have been, by rights. But
now she knows that I'm alive-is about
To sue for divorce"
After long pause. during which
neither stirred, she told him. in faint
voice: THANK you"
She moved toward the house.
''If you win forgive me-"
ooh. l forgive you, Mr.. Whi'lker
My heart is really not quite so fragile
as all this implies. / think I'll go
10 bed. I'm very, very tired. in spite
of my sleep on the sands. That didn't
rest me, really"
They returned to the kitchen.
In silence, while Whitaker fidgeted
about the room, awkward and I'M
happy, the girl removed a glass lamp
from the shelf above the sink, as
Sured herself that it was filled. and
lighted it. Then over her shoulder:
Il hope you don't mean TO stay up
all night"
'I-well, I'm really not sleepy"
"As soon as you feel the least need
Of sleep, you'll go to bedT
81 promise"
"Yery well. then"
The insistent note faded from her
tones. She moved toward the table,
put the lamp down. and hesitated in
one of her strange, unpresaged moods
of diffidence, looking down at the
finger-tips with which she traced a
meaningless pattern on the oll-cloth.
''You are kind" she said abruptly,
her head bowed, her face hidden from
him.
"Kind!" he echoed. dumfounded.
you are kind and sweet and gen.
erous to me-" she insisted in a level
voice. you have shown me your
heart-the heart of a gentleman-with-
out reserve: F2t of me you have
asked nothing
Il don't understand"
II mean. you haven't once referred
to what happened last night. You've
been content TO let ME preserve my
confidence, 10 remain secretlve and
mysterious in your sight. That
is how I seem TO you--isn't it,"
"Secretive and mysterious? But I
have TO right to your confidence; your
affairs are yours. inyiolable. unless
you choose TO discuss them"
"Eou would think that ygay-of
course," Suddenly she showed him
her face Illuminated with IT'S frank,
Sbadowy smile. her sweet eyes, kind
and as fearless as the eyes of n child.
"Other men would not, know. And
you have every right TO know"
"I-w
"You; and 7 shall tell you. {.
But not now; there's too much TO tell.
TO explain and make understandable:
and I'm too terribly tired, Tomorrow,
perhaps-or when we escape from this
weird place. when I've had time 10
tank things out
AT your pleasure" he asSented
gently "Only--don't let anything
worry YOU"
ImpulSively she caught both his