The Irish standard., 1917-01-13

~ Love Yon". Said Sidney
don't want YOU to think I'm maxi
iEg terms. I'm not. But if this thing
went on, and found out afterward
that you-that there was anyone else,
1t would kill me-"
''Then you care, after all !"
There was something boyish in his
triumph, in the very gesture with
Which he held out his arms, like child
Who has escaped a whipping. He
stood up and, catching her hands, drew
her to her feet. "You love me, dear"
"I'm afraid do, MAX"
''Then I'm yours, and only yours, if
you want me-" he said, and took her in
his arms.
He WAS riotously happy, must hold
her off for the joy of drawing her to
him again. must pull off her gloves
and kiss her soft bare palms.
II love you, love YOU. he cried, and
bent down to bury his face in the
warm hollow of her neck
rather startled at his passion, n little
ashamed.
"Tell HE you love ne little bit.
Say it,"
Il love you," said Sidney, and flushed
scarlet.
But even in his arms. with the warm
sunlight on his radiant face, with his
lips to her ear, whispering the divine
absurGities of passion, in the back of
her obstinate little head was the
thought that while she had given him
her first embrace, lie had held other
women in his arms. 1t made her pas
Sive, prevented her complete surren-
der.
She broke the news Of her engage
mcnt to Il. herself, the evening of the
same day. The little house was quiet
when she got out Of the car at the
door. Harriet was asleep on the couch
at the foot of her bed, and Christine's
rooms were empty. She went upstairs
to the room that had been her moth
er's, and took off her hat. She wanted
to be alone, to realize what had hap
pened to her. A year ago her half
promise to Joe had gratitied her sense
Of romance. She was loved, and she
lad thrilled to it.
But this was different. Marriage,
that had been but vision then, doomed
large, almost menacing. She had
learned the law Of compensation: that
for every joy one pays in suffering,
Women who married went down into
the valley of death for their children,
One must love and be loved very ten
derby to pay for that. The scale must
balance.
Harriet was stirring, across the hall
Sidney could hear her moving about
with flat, inelastic steps.
That was the alternative. One mar.
ried, happily or not as the case might
be, and took the risk. Or one stayed
single, like Harriet, growing little
hard, exchanging simpess for lean
ness and austerity Of figure, flat-chest.
cd, thin-voiced. All ut once it seemed
very terrible to her. She felt as if she
had been caught in an memorable hand
that had closed about her.
Harriet found her little later, face
down on her mothers bed crying as if
her heart would break. She scolded
her roundly.
you've been ovcrwOrking," she said.
"You've been getting thinner. Your
measurements for that suit showed it.
I have never approved Of this hospital
training, and after last January"
She could hardly credit her senses
when Sidney, still swollen with weep.
ing, told her Of her engagement.
"But I don't understand. If you care
for him and he has asked you to marry
him, why on earth are you crying your
eyes out?"
II do care. don't know why cried.
It just came over me, all at once, that
T. It was just foolishness. I am
very happy, Aunt Harriet"
Harriet thought she understood. The
girl needed her mother, and she, Har-
riet was a hard, middle-aged woman
and poor substitute. She patted Sid
ney's moist hand.
II guess 1 understand" she said. "I'll
attend to your wedding things, Sidney.
Well show this street that even Chris
tine Lorenz can be outdone." And, as
an aftcrthought: II hope Max Will
son will settle down now. He's been
none too steady"
It was late when X. got home. Sid
ney was sitting on the low step, watt
ing for him. With a long breath
Of content, X. folded up his long length
on the step below her.
"Well, dear ninistering angel" he
said, chow goes the world?"
Things have been happening, K"
He sat erect and looked at her. Il
was moment before ~ spoke, BE
.1nfIloo1 rinG ahaaid IT 1Iil G1tII 1Rhan,