The Clio messenger. (Clio, Mich.) 1907-current, 1917-03-23
ASK him to come aioLg."

TASK MIN 10 COuc hioLBs
Her eyes futtered about the dimly
lighted hall. II ought not to leave"
"rll stay here at the door while you
CO."
Irresolute, she let her eyes rest
again for fraction of second on his
eyes; when she drew a breath after
that pause everything was over. I'D
better give him his medicine first" she
said, looking toward the sickroom 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 any2"
"Oh, nor! she cried Indignantly.
He laughed silently: "I'll stay here"
Nan disappeared. Longing against
the windowsill opposite the door, he
waited. After long time the door
was stealthily reopened. Nan tiptoed
out. She closed 1t softly behind her:
~ waited for him to go to Sleep" she
explained as she started down the cor
ridor with De Spain. He's had so
much pain today 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, 6evoured her with his eyes; lis
tened 20 her footfaSks; tried to make
talk; but Nan was silent.
| Standing on the wide veranda out
side the front door, she assented to
the beauty of the distant illumination,
but not enthusiastically. De Spain
declared 1t could be seen very much
better from the street below. Nan
thought she could see very well where
they stood. But by this time she was
answering questions-dryly, it is true,
and In monosylIables, but answering.
De Spain leading the way a step or
two forward at 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 1t 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 indlfferently. "Oniy,
never ask me to be mean to you"
81 wish to heaven you would be-"
she retorted.
"Do you remember" he asked, "what
we were doing year ago today?"
mo" Before he could speak again
she changed her answer: "Yes, do
remember. If said mo- you'd be sure
to remind me of what we were doing.
We can't see as 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"
81 come here often to look at 1t. You
won't let me see you-what can / do
but look at where you live? How long
are you going to keep me away?"
Nan did not answer. He urged her
to speak. "You know very well 1t Is
my people that will never be friendly
with you," she replied. "How can I
be?"
They were passing lawn settee.
He sat down. She would not follow.
She stood in sort of protest at his
side, but he did not release her hand.
'I'll tell you how you can be-" he re-
turned. snake me one of your people"
"That never can be-" she declared
stubbornly. you know it as well as
l do. Why do you say such things?"
she demanded, drawing away her hand,
do you want to know?"
"No."
"It's because / love you."
She strove to command herself.
"Whether you do or not can't make
any difference" she returned steadily.
"We ere separated by everything.
There's a gum between us. 1t never
can be crossed. We should both of
us be wretched if 1t ever were crossed"
He had risen from the bench and
caught her hand. "Its because we
haven't crossed it we're wretched," he
said determinedly. "Cross II with me
now" He caught her in his arms.
She struggled to escape. She knew
what was coming and fought to keep
her face from him. With resistless
, strength, and yet carefully as a mother
with an obstinate child, he held her
Slight body against his breast, relent.
lessly drawing her head closer. "Let
: me gol" she painted, twisting her avert
A., ed head from the hollow of his arm
/ Drinking in the wine of her frightened
/ breath, he bent over her in the dark.
, ness until his pulsing eagerness linked
her warm lips to his own. She had
, surrendered to her first kiss.
He spoke. "The CULTS crossed. Are
you so awfully wretched?"
} They sank together down on the
| bench. "What," she faltered, twill be-
come of me now?"
"You are better off now than you
ever wore Nan YOlI'va poinad this