The Dolores star., 1917-03-02
TIE GAIL ofxheQ QNBfRI ANDS"
csiAPrHR xxlv-c,atIasss.
<S NLYIII,[ BUCK

ehaAsvs. exospk shaa hon tss opsn
ooof of the room where her piano
Stco1 there came q soft doodine of
1ampllght-a single dash of orange
= ~ nocturne Of silver and gray.
He went ~ vssy quietly, pausing 70
arfnk q ths ffasrance OF the honey.
sockis. aAA thsre drffted out 70 him.
- he paused. the music Of the plano
md The bette9 musfc OF her voico.
me vas singing love cong.
Thoush he had ssnt nQ word Of his
coming. she was once more IN eve
ming drsss. an black savs for Grim
eoa tower at her breast and one In
her hair. But this time the sight Of
hR in costume % foreign to the
hiils did not distress him: Il was Q
night that called for wonders.
she rose a. the mans footstep
sounded on the door, and then, at
memory OF their last meeting, the
color mounted TO her cheeks and he
tack her again In his arms.
She rAissd her hands TO his shoul-
dsss and tried To- push him away. but
he held her firmly. and while she
sought to tell him that they must find
their way back to the coiorless level
Of friendship. he could feel the Wild
duttsr OF her heart.
Listen" she protested. you must
listen"
But Bad Anse Havey laughed.
Ever since the first time I saw
ye." he declared. 'T've been listenin'.
Il has been q duel always between
ycu and me. But the duei's over now.
an this time I win"
She looked mp and her pupils began
10 widen with that intense gaze which
b the drawing aside OF the curtains
from Q woman's soul. and as though
she realised that she could not trust
hsraelf to his eyes, she turned her
fAcs away. Only IN its profile could
he read the struggle between mind
and heart. and what he read filled
him with citation.
"Anse.- she said In o very low
voice. give me truce. For one hour
let me think; II involves both our
lives for always: let me at least have
the chance TO be sane. Give me an
hour
The man stepped back and 70.
leased her. and she turned and led
The way out 70 the porch, where she
sank down in the hammock with her
face buried In both hands. When at
length she looked mp she was smiling
rather wanly.
IT can't be. DEAR she said. But
while she argued with words and os-
tensible reasons, the night was argu.
ing. too-argutng for him with all it's
ssnse-steeping fragrance and alluring
cadences and appeals to sleeping ires
IN their hearts!
And while she talked he made no
response. but nat there silently atten-
tive. At last he looked at bis watch
and put II back In his pocket. He
rose and said quietly. but with Z tone
Of perfect fnality:
Your truce % ovef."
''But don't you see? You haven't
answered one Of my arguments"
Anse Havey laughed once more.
II didn't come to argue" he said;
n caine to act" He drew from his
pocket the license and the ring.
Brother Anse Talbot 10 waitin' over
q my house to marry NJ. win you
90 over there or shall 60 back an
fotch him herey-
She took an involuntary step to-
ward him with lifted arms. and then,
with strong effort, a. II struggling
against q spell. she drew back again.
and her voice came very low and
broken.
Fl can't-f cant!" she pleaded.
"But wish to God could"
Then Anse Havey began to speak.
''Ye've talked. an I've listened to
ye. Ye've taken my life away from
me an made It little scrap OF your
own life -ye've let us both come to
needin' each other more than food an
drink an breath. For me there's NO
life without ye. In all the earth there's
Just -you-you! For every true
woman in the world day comes when
there's Just one man. an for every
man there's just one woman. When
that day comes nothin' else counts
That's why all them reasons Of yours
don't mean anything"
His voice had the ring OF triumph
~ he added: You're goin' TO marry
me tonight. Comet
He raised both arms and held them
ont, and though for q moment she
hung back. her eyes were still irresist-
IDLY held by his and the magnetism
that dwelled In them. With a>gasp-
ing exclamation that was half surren-
der and half echo OF his own triumph
she swept into Ais embrace.
AZ she locked her fingers caressing-
" behind his dark head she wished
for words fine and splendid beyond the
ordinary to tell him OF her love- But
no phrases Of eloQuence came.
Then she felt his arms grow ab-rpt-
~ rigid and he was pressing her from
him with gentle insistence, while his
face turned to peer into tho moonlight
with the tensity Of one who 10 listen