The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1917-03-01
CHAPTER EIGHT.-(continued)

ut was such a brutal thing tc
dol'' she exclaimed, land SO I'm.
necessary, so inexcusable, so un.
justitiable!"
"All of us make Mistakes" he
said gently.
q did not know of it until this
morning." she explained further,
shame for her fathers discourtesy
flushing her cheeks. He told me
at breakfast what he had DONE"
q am sorry-sorry it has an
noyed you," he assured her.
i can't understand" she said,
why he did It'll" She added
Gwen if he disliked you, disap-
proved of you, why couldn't he
have made some allowance for
for the fact that | was your
friend7"
Perhaps" he smiled, that
was what he didn't exactly like
When they had swung into the
road that follows southwark along
the bank of the river, she stopped
the machine.
II think I'd Like to walk down
there and stand on the edge of the
river she informed him. "Some-
how, talking, real conversation, is
SO very difficult in a machine"
They went down the sloping
bank, the long grass pulling at
their feet, and stood on the rocks
that riprapped the bank. Behind
them was the tall, wavy curtain of
the great willows. Before them
the river, slow and heavy, was
like dulled silver except when,
here and there, the breeze moved
it to catch the whitenss of the sun
light. Beyond the water we're the
Virginia hills, all yellow and gold
and crimson, a light blue haze
hanging over them like a thin
veil. A freight train, bound south
ward, ratified across the long
bridge. And far down, below the
bridge, sounded a steamboats,
whistle.
They seemed strangely alone,
unnaturally isolated from the rest
Of the world.
What a lovely city it isl" he
said, voicing his enthusiasm. "And
what lovely places hedge it about!
1t is the loveliest city in all the
world"
Yes" she agreed absently.
She was drawing off one OF her
gloves, not knowing at all what
she did. She was regarding the
haze covered hills.
Il wanted to tell YOU she be-
gan, a little hesitant, THAT L
wanted to tell you with all the
earnestness Of which / am capable
that I always shall be-your
friend"
He was unaccountably touched
by her manner.
You are very kind he said,
making a bow which, in spite of it's
apparent lightness of gesture.
somehow emphasized his real feel
ings.
aoh!" she replied desperately,
its SO easy to be kindl''
Not altogether, / think"
But" she continued, II am
also very humble
She drew her lower lip between
her teeth, and stood a moment,
pulling slowly through her gloved
hand the glove she had taken off.
Humblel he exclaimed.
Yes" size said, her voice low
cred, humble. !"
She turned to him abruptly,
dropping her hands to her sides
so that she faced him, willowy
straight, her eyes soft and glowing
with the golden sunlight that fell
full upon her face. Her lips
trembled.
know! I know nowl,' she
said.
Inyolnntarily, he took one step
backward away from her.
Know Whatf he asked, won
dering.
She was pressing her lips to-
gether now, to imprison sobs.
1T was SO foolish of me not to
have known the other dayi', she
reproached herself, HYou cannot
tell me who you are because you
don't know.
Her eyes were a mandate that
he tell her the truth.
That is true, he said, mex
plicably calm. lido not know who
Z ams
He waitedfor her to speak and
saw that she could not.