Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1917-07-12

y
to think that you might not be it,
after all. But came out here this
morning to talk about something else.
What are you going to do when You
are able to leave Sunrise Gulch?"
''The one straightforward thing
there Ia for me to do. shall 70 back
to Lawrenceville and take my medi-
cine"
"And after that7"
'That is for you to say, Corona.
Would you marry a convict?"
"You are not guilty.
"That is neither here nor there. They
will probably send me to prison, just
the same, and the stigma will be mine
to wear. for the remainder Of my life.
can wear it now, thank God! But to
pass It on to you-and to your chill
dren. Corona IL I could get
my own consent to that, you couldn't
get yours"
Eyes, could, John; got 1t the first
time colonel-daddy brought me out
here and let me see you. You were
out Of your head, and you thought you
were talking to Billy Starbuck-in the
automobile on the night when you were
going with him to the fight at the dam.
It made me 60 down on my two knees,
John. and kiss your poor, hot hands,"
He slipped his one good arm around
her and drew her close.
Snow I can 80 back like man and
fight it through to the end" he exulted
-soberiy. "Jibbey win take me; know
he IL wearing himself out trying to
make me believe that he can wait, and
that Verda understands. though he
/ won't admit it. And when 1t is all
over, when they have done their worst
to me-
Witha quick little twist she broke
away from the encircling arm.
John, dear" she said. and her voice
was trembling between laugh and a
sob, "pm the wickedest, wickedest
woman that ever lived and breathed-
s and the happiest |! /, knew what you
would do, but I, couldn't resist the
temptation to make you say it. Lis.
ten: this morning colonel-daddy got a
night-letter from Billy Starbuck. You
have been wondering why Billy never
came out here to see you-it was be-
cause he and Mr.. Stfl1lngs have been
in Lawrenceville, trying to clear you.
They are there now, and the wire says
that Watrous Durham has been arrest
ed and that he has broken down and
confessed. You are a free man, John /;
you"
The grass-cropping pony had
widened its circle BY a full yard, and
the westward-pointing shadows Of the
frs were growing shorter and more
clearly defined as the August sun
swung higher over the SUBMITS of the
eastern Timanyonis. For the two .on
the house bench, time, having all its in.
terspaces filed with beatiflc silences,
had no measure that was worth record
ing. In one Of the more coherent in.
tervals It was the man who said
sSome things In this world are very
wonderful, Corona. We call them hap
penipgs, and try to account for them
az We may by the laws Of chance. Was
It chance that threw us together at
your cousins house In GuthrievilIe a
year ago last June?"
She laughed happily. Il suppose 1t
was -though I'd like to be romantic
enough to believe that it wasn't"
'.Debritt would say that it was the
Absolute Ego" he said, half musingly.
"And who Is Mr. Debritt?'
sHe IL the man I dined with on my
last evening In Lawrenceville. he had
been Joking me about my various
little smugnesses good Job, good
clothes, easy life, and all that, and he
wound up by warning me to watch out
for the Absolute Ego"
@What IL the Absolute EgoT' she
asked dutifully.
/, John Montague Smith, with his curl
ing yellow beard three weeks un-
trimmed, with his clothes dressing the
part Of neglected camper, and with
q steel-jacketed bullet trying to encyst
itself under his right shoulder blade,
Rrinned exultantly. Is l
sDebritt didn't know, himself; but
know now It's the primitive man
soul; the r that is able to refuse to
be bound down and tied by environ
ment or habit or petty conventions, or
any Of the things we misname 'limita!
TONS It's asleep IN most Of us; It
wasn't asleep In me. You made 1t sit
up and rub, its eyes for minute or
two that evening In Guthrieville, but
1t dozed 6n again, and there had to
be an earthquake at the last to shake
1t alive. Do you know the FIRST thing
It did when 1t took hold again and
began to drive1"
no" n
Z Here Is where tho law Of chances
falls to pieces, Corona. Without tell
Ing me anything about It, this newly
emancipated man-soul Of mine made .
Decline Tor the only Absolute Ego
woman itshad ever Known. Ind It
found her. ~
Again the young woman laughed
happily. .f you are going to call me
names. Eso.man, you'll have to, make
1t up to me some other way" she said.
3 Whereupon, the moment being strict
" elemental and sacred to demonstra-
tons Of the absolute, he did.
tTHE END)
ut Keep Fit and Feel Fine.
Z Foley Cathartic Tablets are well
come physic that thoroughly cleanse
i. %1o s.<a nh