The Celina Democrat. (Celina, O. [Ohio]) 1895-1921, 1917-08-10

jealous of her. want to be everything
to her. want her to think nobody else
could be right and l be wrong. And
want to be able to think the same of
her." He thought it over bit longer,
and then went on: mo, I've been in love
with women 1 thought were lying to
me, cheating me; women I've hated ;
women I've known hated me. But I've
never been In love with woman who
was my friend" He had been tramp
ing along, cOmmuning with his pipe,
thinking aloud. If he'd been watching
Roses face he wouldn't have gone so
far.
"Well, If It's like that" she said,
and the quality of her voice drew his
full attention instantly-'if love has to
be like that then the game doesn't
seem worth going on with. You can't
live with it, and you can't live-with-
out It," Her voice dropped little, but
gained In intensity. "At least I can't
don't believe can" She stopped
and faced him. "What can one doY
she demanded. She turned away with
a despalring gesture and stood gazing
out, tear-blinded, over the little valley
the hilltop they had reached COM
manded
"You want to remember this" he
said at last. 1--WE been talking about
myself. might have been different
If my first love affair had been an al
together different thing. And I'm not,
thank God, a fair sample"
"My love affair brought me home
and-kids," she said. "There are two
of them-twins-a year and half old
now; and 1 went off and left them;
left him. I thought that by earning my
own way, building life that he didn't
surround, as you say, could win his
friendship. And have his love be-
sides. don't suppose you would have
believed there could be such fool in
the world as l was to do that"
He took while digesting this truly
statement of hers. But at
last he said: mo, wouldn't call you
a fool. call a fool a person who
thinks he can get something for moth
ing. You didn't think that. You were
willing to pay--a heavy price it must
have been, too-for what you wanted. |
And I've an idea, you know, that you
never really pay without getting some
thing"
II don't know" she said raggedly.
Perhaps :"
There was seven-thirty train to
town, and they finished their walk at
the station. She got back to her apart
ment about nine. Two corners of
white projected from under her door,
4 visiting card and folded bit of
paper. 1t was Rodney's card, and on
t he'd written: "Sorry to have missed
you. I'll come back at eight"
Her shaking fingers fumbled pitt
'ully over the folds of the note, but
The got 1t open at last. 1t was from
lim, too. 1t read:
Dear Rose: This is hard luck. I sup
)ose you're Off for a weekend some
where. want very much to see you.
When you come back and have leisure
or me will you call me up? know
low busy you are, SO I'll wait until
rear from you. RODNEY.
When the telephone girl switched
Ter to the information desk, and the /
clerk said. "Mr. Rodney {
Aldrich? Just a moment" and then
Mr.. Aldrich is in fifteen naught FIVE" {
he dry contraction in her throat made !
/ impossible for her to speak. She {
ouldn't answer his first Hello" and
e said 1t again, sharply, "Hello, what
J it?"
And then suddenly her voice came {
ack. A voice that startled her with
is dlstinctness. 'Hello, Rodney" she
aid, ''this is Rose"
There was a perfectly blank silence !