Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1917-03-29
CHAPTER FIFTEEN.-(continued)
eft doesn't at ALL

cit doesn't at all"
"But | hear it everywhere!
Mrs. Grover told me-and Colonel
Grimshaw--and Mrs. Ellis-and
that Miss-oh, what's her name?
She single, but at the same time
doubleminded-Miss Tevers-Carc
RE levers. And Elizabeth Beaure-
man-and-and the whole of
Washington"
This time Edith smiled.
"Really," she said, cit doesn't
annoy me in the least"
edith Mallon, do you mean to
tell me you'd think of marrying a
reformer = this agitator?" Mrs.
Kane's astonishment was stupen-
dous.
"He hasn't asked me, Nellie"
Edith gave her the information
with a little laugh.
"But if he does ask you?"
eff tell you, you won't tell?"
NO.
IF he asked me, I'd marry him
tomorrow = this minute - any
time"
"But you don't know who he
isl"
IT don't care"
"And you love him?"
"Don't you think 500"
Mrs. Kane began to laugh, and
changed her mind. She leaned far
back in the ri%diculously large
chair and looked at Edith with a
glance that, for once, was prefer
naturally solemn. Something like
tears-something like the mist
after rain-came like a curtain
owe the soft blue of her eyes.
Then, impulsively, she sprang up
and went over to Edith and kissed
her.
Anyway" she said, a little
wildly, II think you've more
sense about it than anybody else
in the world. My God! | get so
tired of these imitation men with
their money and these other men
with their imitation money that I
could scream! What I'd like to
have is what [ once had-some
man to make me feel that he was
the whole world, some man with
real thoughts and real arms, some
body to laugh at. me when | tried
to tyrannize over him, somebody
to make me know that | was moth
ing but a woman--for him!"
Edith, looking up at her, was
tremendously surprised.
why Nellie" she said, taking
one of her hands, II never - ]
never dreamed you thought this
way about-things."
Mrs. Kane laughed, to cover up
the fact that she was ashamed OF
having shown so much real feel.
ing.
"Oh, you're like all the rest,
she jeered lightly. "You think
because a woman's a widow she
has solved the problem of how te
turn her heart to stone! But you
take my advice: The mans thu
thing. There isn't anything elst
in the world that matters tina,
much She snapped her finger,
by way Of illustration.
Edith patted the hand she held
NOf course she said, "you'r,
right. And now you know VIII,
/ don't like to think Of his beinl
annoyed by this crazy talk abou
an engagement"
Mrs. Kane went back to he
chair and sat down. She wore al
air Of contrition, as if she ha,
broken her code or infringed o.
her rules by exposing her owl
heart.
"Ten me-" she asked, putin,
~lightness into the query; yo1
think he's going to ask you t
marry hint"
Edith laughed intellectually
feel very sure.
Well Nellie gave it as he
critical Judgment, 81 don't kno,
what the mans past has been, bu
i will say this: he has q gloriou
future ahead Of him..
Wales lifted the hangings at th
door.
Miss Downey, he announced
Elise made her entrance exactl
"a she had builtsit up in her ow,
mind and rehearsed it before he
own bedroom mirroW. There wa
la It only one flaw : something i
her manner Indicated vaguel
that she regarded with awe th
wooden-faced Wales. She wa
Rlad, ~ appeared, ia get past min
siwanted 10 zee Miss Malion,
shSss4id her concluding high not
inpetfoct working order.
&sa 80