Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1917-12-11
A bewildering little smile curled her

Il
few minutes ago / was looking out of
my window and thinking what a poor
little morsel of humanity / am, and
what useless, drifting life 1 have led.
| But that's foolish. Come now! What
/ want to persuade you to do Is to
go back to Cumberland for a time,
| and try hard-very hard indeed-to
realize what 1t means to be a woman
like Louise, with her temperament,
her intense intellectual curiosity, her
charm. Nothing could make Louise
different from what she is-a dear,
sweet woman and a great artist. And,
John, believe she loves you!"
His face remained undisturbed even
by the flicker of an eyelid.
"Sophy," he said,, 81 have decided
to go abroad. VIII you come with
me?"
She sat quite still Again her face
was momentarily transformed. All its
pallor and fatigue seemed TO have van
ished. Her head had fallen little back
She was looking through the ceiling
into heaven. Then the light died away
almost as quickly as it had come. Her
lips shook TREMENDOUSLY.
"You know you don't mean it, John
You wouldn't take me. And if you did,
you'd hate me afterward-you'd want
to send me back!'
He suddenly drew her to him, his
arm went around her waist. She had
lost all power of resistance. For the
| first time in his life Of his own DELHI
crate accord, he kissed her-feverish-
ly, almost roughly.
"Sophy," he declared, ST have been a
fool! have come an awful cropper,
but you might help me with what's
left. l am going to start afresh. /
am going to get rid of some of these
ideas of mine which have brought me
nothing but misery and disappoint-
ment. I don't want TO live up to them
any longer. l want to just forget
them. i want to live as other men
live-just the simple, ordinary life
Come with me! I'll take you to the
places we've talked about together. l
am always happy and contented with
you. Let's try it!''
Her arms stole around his neck.
"John," she whispered, hiding her
face for a moment. "What can l say?
What could any poor, weak little crea-
ture like me say? You know l am
fond Of you'll haven't had the pride,
even, to conceal itw
He stood up, held her face for
moment between his hands, and kissed
her forehead.
"Then that's all settled" he de-
clared. 81 am going back to my rooms
now. l want you to come and dire
with me there tonight, at eight
o'clock"
Her eyes sought his, pleaded with
them, searched them.
you are sure, John?'' she asked her
voice a little broken. "You want me
| really? l am to conner"
81 am sure" he answered steadfast-
ly. 81 shall expect you at eight
o'clock! !"
John went back to his rooms fighting
all the time against sense Of unreal
ity, a sense almost of lost identity
He bought an evening newspaper and
read 1t on the way. He talked to
the hall porter, he talked to q neigh
Dor with whom he assembled in the
lift-he did everything except think.
In his rooms he telephoned to the
restaurant for a waiter, and with the
menu in his hand, a few minutes later,
he ordered dinner. Then he glanced
at his watch-it was barely seven
o'clock. He went down to the barber
shop, was shaved and had his hair cut,
encouraging the barber all the while
to talk to him. He gave his hands
over to manicure. and did his best
to talk nonsense to her. Then he came
upstairs again, changed his clothes
with great care, and went into his
little sitting room.
It was five minutes to eight, and
dinner had been laid at little round
table in the center Of the room. There
was bowl of pink roses-Sophy's IA
vorite f1ower-sent in from the flor
lists; the table was lighted by a pink
shaded lamp. John went around the
room, turning out the other lights I'M
til the apartment was hung with shad-
ows save for the little spot of color
in the middle. An unopened bottle of
champagne stood in an ice-pail and
two specially prepared cocktails had
been placed upon the little side table.
There were no more preparations to be
made.
He turned impatiently away from
the window and glanced at the clock.
1t was almost eight. He tried to imag-
Inc that the bell was ringing. that So
phy was standing there on the thresh-
old In her simple but dainty evening
dress, with little smile parting her
lips. The end of It ALL He pulled
down the blind. No more of the win
dow, no more looking out at the lights,
no more living in the clouds! 1t was
time, indeed, that he lived as other
men. He lifted one of the glasses to
his lips. and drained its contents.
Then the bell rang. He moved for
ward to answer Its summons with
beating heart. AS be opened it, he re-
ceived shock. A messenger boy stood
outside. He took the note which the
boy handed him and tore it open under
lamp. There were only few lines:
John. my heart is breaking. but know
you do not mean what you said. I know
1t was only a moment OF madness with
you. know you will love Louise all your
life, and will bless me all your life be-
cause am giving DIP the one thing which
could make my Ike a paradise. I shall
be in the train when you read this, on my
way to Bath. I have wired my young
man, as you call him, to meet me. am
going to ask him to marry me, IL he will,
next week.
Good-oy! I give you no advice. Some
day I think that life viii right itself with
you SOPHY.
The letter dropped upon the table.
John stood for a moment dazed. Sud-
Ia1lv ho hooan IN 1anoh Tho- -.