Iron County news. [volume] (Hurley, Wis.) 1913-1950, 1917-03-10

excitement "You don't mean you've
felt anything of the sort?"
''No, T'-her voice broke as if with
weariness-'I don't mean that. pre-
ciSely, l mean Probably l don't
know what l do mean. I'm really
very tired, too tired to go on, just
now-tO sit here with you. badgering
our poor wits with esoteric subtleties.
think-do you mind2-Td better go
IN"
She rose quickly, without waiting for
his hand. Whitaker Strengthened out
his long body with more deliberation,
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've some
thing else to say to you. If may"
She waited. seriously attentive.
= haven't played fair. Tn afraid"
he said, lowering his head to escape
her steadfast gaze I've just told
YOU that 1 love you, but -
''Weu?" she demanded IN an odd,
ringing voice. isn't 1t trueY
"True?" He laughed unnaturally.
ITS so true wish had died before
told your
please explain" she urged trace
YEARLY,
81" he stammered-"T am already
married"
She gave a little, stihed 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 before2"
II you don't understand"
$50 1t would SEEM" she put in
cruelty.
please hear me! It was several
years ago l married girl I'd never
seen before, to help her out of des-
perate 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 a divorce"
After q long pause, during which
neither stirred. she told him, in a faint
voice: Thank you"
She moved toward the house.
eff you will forgive me"
"Oh, 1 forgive you, Mr.. Whitaker.
My heart is really not quite so fragile
as all this implies. I think I'll go
to 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:
II 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 bedY
81 promise"
every we'll, 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 dffidence, looking down at the
finger-tips with which she traced a
meaningless pattern On the oil-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 q level
voice. "You have shown me your
heart-the heart of a gentleman-wlth-
out reserve; FIt of me you have
asked nothing
II don't understand"
81 mean. you haven't once referred
to what happened last night. You've
been content to let me preserve my
confidence, to remain secretive and
mysterious In your sight, That
is how I seem to you-isn't IT."
"Secretive and mysterous7 But 1
have 10 right to your confidence; your
affairs are yours, invlolable, unless
you choose to discuss them"
"You would think that way-of
course" Suddenly she showed him
her face Illuminated with its frank.
shadowy smile, her sweet eyes. kind
and as fearless as the eyes of q child.
"Other men would not, I know. And
you have every right to know"
'T-w
"You; and I shall tell you.
But not now, there's too much 10 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 TO
think things out"
AT your pleasure" he assented
gently. "only--don't let anything
worry you"
1mpulsively she caught both his