The Tucumcari news and Tucumcari times. [volume] (Tucumcari, N.M.) 1907-1921, 1917-07-05
CHAPTER xV--continusd.

As CONSCIOUSNESS returns AFTER q
swoon. so did realization return to
Alaire Austin. Family, uncertainty at
first, hen with n swift, strong effort,
she pushed herself out Of Dawes reluc-
tant arms. They stood apart, fright
ened. Dawes gaze was questioning.
Alaire began to tremble and to struggle
with her breath.
"Are we-mad?' she gasped. what
have we doneT"
There's no use fighting. 1t was
here-it was bound to come out. Oh.
Alaire-lV"
"Don'tl" She shook her head. and.
avoiding his outstretched hands. g
to the edge OF the vernnda and leaned
weakly against a pillar, with her head
in the crook OF her arm. Dave fol-
lowed her. bu. the words he spoke
were scarcely inteillgible.
Finally she raised her face 10 his:
moi 1t is useless to deny it-now
that we know. But didn't know, I'M
til a moment ago"
ave known all the time-ever since
the first moment / saw you" he told
her, hoarsely. ITO me you're all there
Is; nothing else matters. And you love
me! I wonder II I'm awake"
"Dream-man." she repeated. more
slowly. "oh, why did you come so
later
$50 late?"
"Yes. We must think II out, the
best way we can. wonder what you
think Of mef"
"You must know. There's no need
for excuses there's nothing to explain,
except the miracle that such great
happiness could come to a fellow like
me"
"H%appiness7 II means anything but
that. l was miserable enough before,
what shall ! do nowT
"why, readjust your life," he cried,
roughly. surely you won't hesitate
after this?"
But Alaire did not seem to hear him.
She was staring out into the night
again. "what a failure I must be :"
she murmured. finally. II suppose ]
should have seen this coming, butt
didn't. And in his house, too! This
dress Is his. and these ~jewels-every.
thing! !" She held up her hands and
stared curiously Mt the few rings she
wore, as IL seeing them for The first
time. How does that make you feelT'
Dave stirred there was resentment
In his voice when he answered Your
husband has sacrificed his claim To
You, as everybody knows. To my mind
M hng Lost htS rinhts Nntt'r4 nina
mine :" He waved n vigorous gesture
Of defiance. "Ill take you away from
him at any cost. I'll see that he gives
you up, somehow. You're all ! have
"Of curse the law provides n way,
but you wouldn't, couldn't, understand
how | feel about divorce" The mere
mention OF the word was difficult, and
Were both too shaken TO talk sanely
now, so let's walt"
There's something you must under
stand before we 90 any further Dave
insisted. I'm poor; / haven't II thing
| can call my own, so I'm not sure !
have any right to tnke you away from
all this" He turned a hostile eye upon
their surroundings.
money means so little, and it's so
easy to be happy without IT," Alaire
old him. But I'm not altogether poor,
OF course everything here Is Eds, but
| have enough. All my life I've had
everything except the very thing you
offer-and how I've longed for that
How I've envied other people! Dc you
thInE TN ~. uIlzpral aA.,ahNur IN haye
itf'
Yes! I've something TO say about
that. You gave me the right wheI
you gave that kiss"
Alaire shook her head. I'm not %
sure. II seems easy now, while yet
are here, but how will II seem later
I'm in NJ condition at this minute Il
reason. Perhaps, as you say, 1t is al
a dream; perhaps this feeling | have
is just a passing frenzy"
Dave laughed softly. confidently
IT'S too new yet for you to under
stand-hut whit. II is frenzy, witch
ery-yes, and more. Tomorrow, anC
every day after, II will grow and grow
and grow! Trust m @ I've watched /
In myself"
s you cared for me from the yer.
firstT' Alaire questioned. II wal III
woman's curiosity, the woman's hunge
TO hear over and over again hat trutl
which never falls to thrill and ye
never fully satisfies.
"Oh. even before that, I think whel
you came to my fire that evening Il
the chaparral, I knew every line o
your face, every movement Of you
body. every tone Of your voice. as
man knows and recognizes his idea
But II tool time for me to realize al
that you meant to me-"
Alaire nodded. Yes. and II mus
have been the same with me-" Sh
met his eyes frankly, but when h
reached toward her she held him ava,
mo, dear. Not yet, not again. nc
until we have the light. 1t would b
better for us both II you went ava
now