Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1917-07-24
CHAPTER xiv.
The ONLY Remedy.

NV ~bfy sNSihG1ys
She was in the grip of an appalling
realization. This moment-this actu-
ally present moment that was going
to last only until she should speak for
the next time-was the critical mo-
ment of her life.
"Roddy :" she said
He was slumped down in a big easy
chair at the other side of the table,
swinging a restless foot; drumming
now and then with his fingers. Some
sort of scene was inevitable, he knew.
And he sat there waiting for It,
He thought he was ready for any
thing. But just the way she spoke his
name startled-almOst frighteHed him,
she said it so quietly, so-tenderly,
"Roddy," she said, 81 want RDu to
come over here and kiss me, and then
so back and sit down In that chair
again."
He went little pale at that. The
swing of his foot was arrested, sud-
denly. But, for moment, he made no
mOve-just looked wonderingly into
heI SIedts grave eyes.
Something's going to happen" she
went on, land before it's over, Pm
afraid it's going to hurt you terribly
and me. And I want the kiss for us
to remember. So that Wen always
know, whatever happens afterward,
that we loved each other" She held
out her arms to him. won't YOU
Gomez"
He came-a man bewildered, bent
down over her. and found her lips; but
almost absently, out of daze.
"No, not like that" she murmured.
''In the old way"
There was a long embrace.
81 don't believe I'd have the courage
TO do it." she said, eff it were Just me.
But there's someone else-rve made
someone a promise. / can't tell you
about that. Now please go back and
sit over there where you were, where
we can talk quietly. Oh, Roddy, love
you so NO. please go back, old man |
And-and light your pipe. Oh don't
tremble like that! 1t isn't a tragedy.
It's-for us, It's the greatest hope in
the world"
He went back to his chair. He even
lighted his pipe as she asked him to,
and waited as steadily as he could for
her to begin.
do you remember :" she be-
gan, and it was remarkable how quiet
and steady her voice was. There was
even the trace of a smile about her
wonderful mouth. "Do you remember
that afternoon of ours, the very first
of them, when you brought home my
notebooks and found me asleep on the
couch in or old back parlor? Do you
remember how you told me that ones
desires were the only motive power
he had? Well. it was a funny thing
1 got to wondering afterward what
my desires were. and it seemed L
hadn't any. Everything had, somehow,
come TO me before l knew wanted it.
Everything in the world, even your
love for me, came like that.
But I've got a passion now, Rodney.
I've had ii for a long while. It's a
desire I can't satisfy. The thing l
want-and there's nothing in the world
l wouldn't give to get it's, well, your
friendship, Roddy; that's a way of say
ing IT,"
Rodney started and stared at her.
The thing strrck him. 1t seemed, as a
sort of grotesquely irritating anticli-
max.
Gracious heaven!" he said MY
friendship Why. I'm in love with you
That's certainly a bigger thing"
II don't know whether it's bigger
thing or not" she said. But it doesn't
include the other"
He was tramping up and down the
room by now. You've got my friend
Ship" he cried out. ats grotesque
perversion Of the facts to say you
haven't"
She smiled at him as she shook her
head. I've spent too many months
trying to get ii and seeing myself fail
oh, so ridiculously mot to know
what I'm talking about. Roddy"
And then, still smiling rather sadly.
she told him what some of the expert
ments had been-some of her attempts
TO break into the life he kept locked
away from her. Il was angry at first
when | found you keeping me out"
she said, angry and hurt. I used to