The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1917-07-12

ship" he cried out. ITS grotesque
perverslon of the facts TO say you
haven't"
She smiled at him as she shook her
head. "Ive spent too many months
trying to get 1t and seeing myself fail
5-oh, so rldlculously mot to know
what I'm talking about, Roddy."
And then, still smiling rather sadly,
she told him what some Of the expert
ments had been-some Of her attempts
to break into the life he kept locked
away from her. II was angry at first
when I found you keeping me out"
she said, "angry and hurt. 1 used to
cry about 1t. And then saw II wasn't
your fault, That's how I discovered
friendship had to be earned"
But her power to maintain that attl-
tude Of grave detachment was about
spent. The passion mounted In her
voice and In her eyes as she went on.
"You thought my mind had got full of
wild ideas-the wild Idea l was pulling
you down from something free and fine
that you had been, to something that
you despised yourself for being and
had to try to deny you were. You
were wrong about that, Roddy.
~ did have an obsesslon, but 1t
wasn't the thing you thought. 1t was
an obsession that kept me quiet, and
contented and happy, and willing to
wait in spite of everything. The OBJ
session was that none of those things
mattered because big miracle was
coming that was going to change 1t all.
l was going to have Job at last-a
Job that was just as real as yours
the Job of being a mother"
Her voice broke in q fierce, sharp
little laugh over the word, but she got
1t back in control again.
II was going to have baby to keep
alive with my own care. There was
going to be responsibility and hard
work, things that demanded courage
and endurance and sacrifice. l could
earn your friendship with that, said.
That was the real obsesslon, Roddy,
and 1t never really died until tonight.
Well, l suppose l can't complain. It's
over, that's the main thing.
sand now, here l am perfectly nor
NAL and well agaln-as good as ever.
could wear pretty clothes again and
start going out just as did year ago.
People would admire me, and you'd be
pleased, and you'd love me as much
as ever, and 1t would all be like the
paradise 1t was last year, except for
one thing The one thing Is that If I
do that, I'll know this time what l
really am"
With a dangerous light Of anger in
his eyes, he said quietly: 'It's perfect
ly outrageous that you should talk like
that, and I'll ask you never to do 1t
again."
After ten seconds of silence, she
went on: "Why, Roddy, I've heard you
describe me hundred times. Not the
you that's my lover. The other you
talking all over the universe to Barry
Lake. You've described the woman
who's never been trained nor taught
nor disciplined; who's been brought up
soft, with the bloom on, for the pur-
pose Of making her manageable;
who's never found her job In marriage
who doesn't cook, nor sew, nor spin,
nor even take care Of her own chill
dren; the woman who uses her charm
to save her from having to do hard,
ugly things, and keep her In luxury.
Do you remember what you've called
her, Roddy2
II didn't understand any of that
when you married me, Roddy; 1t was
Just like dream to me-llke fairy
story come true. But understand
now. How can you be sure, knowing
that my position In the world, my
friends, oh, the very clothes on my
back, and the roof over my head. are
dependent on your love-how are you
going to be sure that my love for you