The Kadoka press and Kadoka reporter. [volume] (Kadoka, S.D.) 1910-1923, 1917-10-05

too clamOrOuS. somewhere DeyOHH
that tangled mass Of chimneys and
telegraph poles, somewhere on the 9th
er side Of the gray haze which hung
about the myriad roofs, John and
Louise were working out their destiny,
speaking at last the naked truth 10
each other
She started suddenly back into the
room. There was knocking at the
door, something quite different from
her landlady's summons. She wrapped
her dressing gown around her. pulled
the curtains around the little bed on
which she had striven to rest, and
! moved toward the door. She turned
the handle softly.
"Who is that?" she asked.
John almost pushed his way past
her. She closed the door with nerve
less fingers. Her eyes sought his face
her lips were parted. She clung to the
back OF the chair.
"You have seen Louise?" she ex'
claimed breathessly.
81 have seen Louise" he answered
at is all overw
She looked a little helplessly around
her. Then she selected the one chair
in the tiny apartment that was likely
to hold him, and led him to it.
"Please sit down" she begged, "and
tell me about it, You mustn't despair
like this all at once. l wonder if
could helpw
"No one can help" he told her grim
! ly. at is all finished and done with
| would rather not talk any more about
! ii. | didn't come here to talk about
it. came to see you. SO this ''
where you live"
| He looked around him, and for mo
ment he almost forgot the pain which
was gnawing at his heart. 1t was sucf
a simple plainly furnished little room
/ so clean, so neat, so pathetically eio
quent of poverty. She drew closer 10
/ gether the curtains which concealed
the little chints-covered bed, and came
and sat down by his side.
She clasped her hands tighter
around his arm. Her eyes sought his
anxiously.
''But you mustn't climb down. John
she insisted "You are so much nicer
where you are, so much too good for the
silly, ugly things. You must fight this
in your own way, fight 1t according u
YOUR own standards. You are too goot
to come down"
"Am too good for you. Sophy?"
Ii hnr NNrh n
face seemed to soften. The light ir
her blue eyes was sweet and wistful
A bewildering little smile curled he
lips.
Don't be stupid" she begged. -
few minutes ago I was looking out o
my window and thinking what a poo
little morsel Of humanity / am, ant
what a useless, drifting life have led
But that's foolish. Come now! Wha
I want to persuade you to do is {
90 back to Cumberland for time
and try hard-very hard indeed-t
realize what 1t means to be woma
like Louise, with her Temperament
her intense intellectual curiosity, he
charm. Nothing could make Louis
different from what she is-a deal
sweet woman and great artist. Ant
John, l believe she loves you "
His face remained undisturbed eve
by the flicker of an eyelid.
"Sophy," he said, II have decide
to 90 abroad. Will you come wit
me?"
She sat quite still. Again her fac
was momentarily transformed. All /
pallor and fatigue seemed to have val
Iished. Her head had fallen little bac
She was looking through the ceilir
into heaven. Then the light died ava
almost as quickly as 1t had come. HI
lips shook tremulously.
"You know you don't mean 1t, JohI
You wouldn't take me. And If you di
you'd hate me afterward-youd wa
| to send me back"
| He suddenly drew her to him, h
| arm went around her waist. She HI
| lost all power Of resistance. For {
first time in his life of his own del
/ crate accord, he kissed her-feveris
| ly. almost roughly.
| "Sophy," he declared, II have been
fool! l have come an awful cropp
but you might help me with wha
left. I am going to start afresh.
am going to get rid Of some of the
er ideas of mine which have brought
er nothing but misery and disappoi
,g ment. don't want to live up to tn
It any longer. I want to just for
h them. I want to live as other n
live--just the simple, ordinary L
lis Come with mel I'll take you to
ke places we've talked about together.
nm always happy and contented W
he you. Let's try it,"
Her arms stole around his neck.
ly. "John," she whispered, hiding
an face for a moment. "What can S
he What could any poor, weak little Ct
ct. ture like me say? You know
ac fond Of you'll haven't had the pr
ed even, to conceal it,"
He stood up, held her face TO
The moment between his hands, and kis
her forehead.
"rhen that's all settled" he
clared. T am going back to my ro
now. I want you to come and I
her with me there tonight, at e
| zolx