Mexico Missouri message. (Mexico, Audrain County, Mo.) 1899-1918, 1917-04-19
"Ask him TO come alonE.v

Her eyes fluttered about the dinnly
lighted hall. II ought not to leave"
"Tll stay here at the door while you
CO."
Irresolute, she let her eyes rest
again for a fraction of second on his
eyes; when she drew q breath after
that pause everything was over. I'D
better give him his medicine first" she
said, looking toward the siclxrOom door.
His monosyllabic answer was calm:
'Do." Then as she laid her hand on
the knob of the door to enter the room:
"Can help any?"
"Oh, mol" she cried Indignantly.
He laughed silently: an stay here"
Nan disappeared. Lounging against
the wlndowsill opposite the door, he
waited. After a long time the door
was stealthlly reopened. Nan tiptoed
out. She closed it softly behind her;
II waited for him to go to Sleep" she
explained as she started down the cor
ridor with De Spain. Hes had so
much pain today-I hope he sleeps"
Il hope so, too" exclaimed De Spain
fervently.
Nan ignored the implication. She
looked straight ahead. She had moth
| ing to say. De Spain, walking beside
her, devoured her with his eyes; lis
tened to her footballs; tried to MAKE
talk; but Nan was silent.
Standing on the wide veranda out
Pside the front door, she assented to
the beauty of the distant illumination,
but not enthusiastically. De Spain
declared it could be seen very much
better from the street below. Nan
thought she could seeRery well where
they stood. But by this time she was
answering questions-dryly, 1t is true,
and in monosyllables, but answering.
De Spain leading the way a step or
two forward at a time, coaxed her
down the driveway.
She stood again irresolute, he drink
ing in the fragrance of her presence
after the long separation and playing
her reluctance guardedly. "Do you
know" she exclaimed with sudden re-
sentiment, ''you make it awfully hard
to be mean to your"
With a laugh he caught her hand
and made her walk down the hospital
steps. "YOu may be as mean as you
like" he answered indifferently. "Only,
never ask me to be mean to you"
81 wish to heaven you would be-"
she retorted.
"Do you remember" he asked, "whai
we were doing yenr ago today?"
"No." Before he could speak again
she changed her answer: eyes, / dc
remember. If 1 said mo- you'd be sure
to remind me of what we were doing
We can't see rs well here as we could
from the steps,"
"But from here, you have the best
view in Sleepy Cat of Music mountain
ave didn't come out here to see Mu
: sic mountain"
II come here often to look at 1t. YoT
won't let me see you-what can d.
but look at where you live? How Ions
are you going to keep me away?"
Nan did not answer. He urged hel
to speak. "You know very well it i!
my people that will never be friendly
with you," she replied. "How can
be?
They we're passing q lawn settee
He sat down. She would not follow
She stood in q sort of protest at hi
side, but he did not release her hand
''Ill tell you how you can be-" he re
turned. "Make me one of your people,
"That never can be-" she declared
4 stubbornly. "You know it as well a
1 do. Why do you say such things?
she demanded, drawing away her hand
"Do you want to known?
"No."
cts because love you"
\ She strOve to command herself
whether you do or not can't max
4 any difference" she returned steadily
| 1--WE are separated by everything
| There's a gulf between us. 1t neve
| can be crossed. We should both O
| US be wretched if it ever were crossed.
He had risen from the bench an
caught her hand. Its because W
=, haven't crossed it we're wretched," h
said determinedly. "Cross IL with m
now" He caught her in his arm:
l. She struggled to escape. She kneN
: what was coming and fought to kee
r her face from him. With resistles
s strength, and yet carefully as a mothe
e with an obstinate child, he held he
/ slight body against his breast, relent
s lessly drawing her head closer. LIE
" me go!" she painted, twisting her aver
!, ed head from the hollow of his arm
n Drinking In the wine of her frightene
a breath, he bent over her in the darl
e ness until his pulslng eagerness linke
n her warm lips to his own. She ha
e surrendered to her first kiss.
It He spoke. "The CULTS crossed. Ar
you so awfully wretchedT
e They sank together down on til
d bench. "What," she faltered, "will b.
come of me now?"
4 ivan nro hnttnr. off nnru thnn M