The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1917-08-18


rible. shocking! And yet 1 look be-
yond the immediate and see in it a
| blessing. So must you To me it
| spells the promise OF my unspoken
longings, my whispered prayers Not
ing his hearers growing bewilderment,
he laid a hand Familiarity upon her
ARM mo matter how tell you, it will
be a blow, for death is always sud
| den; it always finds US unprepared-"
Death? Who's dead?"
Restrain yourself. Allow for my
| clumsiness.'
"Who? Please tell mel"
Someone very close to you and very
dear to you at one time. My knowl-
edge of your long unhappiness alone
gives me courage to speak"
Alaire raised her 1uttering fingers to
her throat; her eyes were wide as she
said: you don't mean-Mr. Austin %
Yes" Longorio scrutinized her
closely, as if to measure the effect of
| his disclosure. "Senora, you are free ~
Alaire uttered q breathless exclama-
ton; then, feeling his gaze burning in
to her, turned away, but not before he
had noted her sudden pallOr, the
blanching of her lips.
This unexpected announcement
dazed her; it scattered her thoughts
and robbed her of words, but just what
her dominant emotion was at the mo-
ment she could not tell. Once her first
giddiness had passed, however, once
the truth had borne in upon her, she
found that she felt no keen anguish,
and certainly no impulse to weep.
Rather she experienced q vague horror,
such as the death of an acquaintance
or OF familiar relative might evoke.
Ed had been anything but a true hus-
band, and her feeling now was more
for the memory Of the man he had
been, for the boy she had known and
loved, than for the man whose name
she bore.
So he was gone and, Longorio said,
she was free. 1t meant much. She
realized dimly that in this one moment
her whole life had changed. She had
never thought of this way out of her
embarraSSments; she had been pre-
pared, in fact, for anything except this.
Dead 1t was depIOrable, for Ed was
young. Once the first shock had passed
away, she became conscious of Il deep
pity for the man, and a complete for
giveness for the misery he had caused
her. After time she faced the news
bearer, and in a strained voice in
CURED:
How did it happen? Was it-be-
cause of me?'
mo, no! Rest your mind on that
score. Seel 1 understand your con-
Germ and I share your intimate
thoughts. No, it was an accident, or
dained by God. His end was the result
of his own folly, a gunshOt wound
while he was drunk, 1 believe. Now
you will understand why I said that
bore tidings both good and evil, and
why I, of all people, should be the one
to impart them"
Alaire turned questioning eyes upon
him, as if to fathOm his meaning, and
he answered her with his brilliant
smile. Failing to evoke a response, he
went on:
Ever since 1 heard of it 1 have re-
peated over and over again, 1T is a
miracle; it is the will of God Come
then, we know each other so well that
we may speak frankly. Let us be hon
est and pretend to no counterfeit emo
tons. Let US recognize in this only
your deliverance and the certainty of
that blessed happiness which divine
providence offers US both"
''BOth?" she repeated, DULY.
Need be palmer? You know my
heart. You have read me. You under
stand how 1 have throttled my long
ings and remained mute while all my
being called to you
Alaire withdrew a step, and her
cheeks coIored with anger. General ~
she exclaimed, with some difficulty, 81
am amazed. This is no time" Her
indignation rose with the sound of her
own voice, causing her to stammer.
Taking advantage of her loss of
words, he hurried on: You must par
don my impetuosity, but am man of
tremendous force, and my life moves
swiftly. l am not shackled by conven-
tiOns-they are less than nothing to
me. If it seems to you that my eager
ness carries me away. remember that
war is upon US and that affairs of mo-
ment press me so that 1 am compelled
to move like the lightning. With me,
sonora, a day is a year. The past is
gone, the present is here, the future
rushes forward to meet u.s."
Indeed, you forget yourself" she
said, warmly. Then, changing her tone:
Il too must act quickly. I must go
back at once"
'Oh, but I have told you only a part
of what came to say
surely the rest can watt Her
voice was vibrant with contempt. I'm
in no condition to listen to anything
else"
But LongoriO insisted. Wait! 1t is
impossible for you to leave here"
Alaire stared at him incredulously.
TT is true. Mexico is q seething cal
dron of hate; the country is convuIsed.
1t would be unsafe for you"
do you mean to say that war has
been declaredT'
Practically"
what? You are telling me the
truth?' A moment, then Aiaire con-
tinued, more calmly, IF that is so,
there is all the more roaSO1 1u-bx- 7