The Watertown weekly leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1912-1917, 1917-01-17
tive, petuiant moue: "And it's my

BiuNc, pctulhut uoue. Anu IL ny
fault?"
There's no use mincing matters, is
there? / am not heartbroken, and II
/ am bitterly disappointed 1 don't care
TON fact, lack the ability to drama
tie IT."
"You are taking it well, Hugh?" said
she, critical.
Expressionless, he waited an instant
before inquiring pointedly: "WellT
Deliberately laying aside her light
muff, her scarf and handbag, she rose:
equality Of poise was impossible if he
would persist in standing. She moved
Il little nearer.
Hugh" she said in voice of sim
cerity, I'm awfully sorry-truly 1
am -
He made no reply; waited.
Perhaps I'm wrong" she went on,
"but | think most women would have
| spared themselves this meeting"
Themselves and the man." he In
terjected dryly.
Don't be cross, Hugh. | had
| to come. l had to explain myself. /
| wanted you to understand. Hugh, L"
She was twisting her hands together
with manner denOting great mental
| strain. Of a sudden she checked and
| dropped them. limp and open by her
| sides. you see," she said with the
| apologize smile. 'Im trying not to
act"
oh" he said in tone of dawning
| comprehension-"so that's itW
I'm afraid SO. Hugh. I'm
dreadfully sorry for you-poor boy =
but I'm afraid that's the trouble with
me, and it can never be helped. l was
| born with q talent for acting; life has
made me an actress. Hugh
I've found out something" Her eyes
| appealed wistfully. I'm not genu-
| inc"
He nodded interestedly.
I'm just an actress an instrument
| for the music of emotions. I've been
| trained to respond, until now l re-
| spond without knowing it, when there's
no true response here" She touched
| the bosom of her frock.
| He said nothing.
With half sigh she moved away
| to the window.
| "Of course you despise me. I de-
spise myself mean, the self that
was me before turned from q woman
| into an actress. But it's the truth:
have no longer any real capacity for
emotion, merely an infinite capacity
| for appreciation of the artistic delinea-
ton of emotion, true or feigned. That
. that is why, when you showed
me you had grown to love me so, |
responded so quickly. You were in
| love-more honestly than / had ever
seen love revealed. 1t touched me. [
was proud to have inspired such a
love. wanted, for the time being, to
| have you with me always, that | might
| always study the wonderful, the
beautiful manifestations Of your love.
Why, Hugh, you even managed to
make me believe I was worth ft-that
my response was sufficient repayment
for your alteration.
He said nothing. She glanced fur
| lively at him and continued:
| 81 meant to be sweet and faithful
when | left that note for you on the
yacht, Hugh; / was grateful, and /
meant to be generous. But
| when | went to the Waldorf, the first
person I met was Max. OF course /
had to tell him what had happened.
And then he threw himself upon my
| compassion. 1t seems that losing me
had put him in the most terrible
trouble about money. He was short,
and he couldn't get the backing he
needed without me, his call upon my
services by way of assurance to his
hackers. And | began to think.
knew l didn't love you honestly, Hugh,
and that life with you would be liv-
ing lie. What right had l to deceive
you that way, just to crafty my love
of being loved? And especially if by
doing that I ruined Max, the man to
whom, next to you, / owed every
thing? | couldn't do it. But I took
time to think it over-truly l did.
really did go to sanatOrium, and
rested there while l turned the whole
matter over carefully in my mind, and
at length reached my decision to stick
by Max and let you go, free to win the
heart of a woman worthy of you"
| CTO BE CONTINUED0