Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1917-03-29
CHAPTER xix-continuca.

-l5-
"You are not a Child any longer. Sid
hey. You have learned n great dea
IN this last year. One of the thing
YOU know Is that almost every ma!
has small affairs. many Of them some
times, before he finds the woman IL
wants to marry. When he finds her
the others are all off--there's nothin:
TO them. It's the real thing then, In
stead of the sham"
Palmer was very much in love will
Christine. and yet
palmer Is a cad"
Il don't want you to think TIN NAL;
ing terms. Pm not. But if this thin.
went OH, and l found out afterwart
that you-tlat there was anyone else
Ut would kill me-"
Then you care, after ALL"
There was something boyish in lii
triumph. in the very gesture viii
which he held out his arms, like a child
WHO has escaped Il whipping. LIE
stood up ana, catching her hands, drew
her TO her feet. "You love ne, dear"
I'm afraid ! do, Max"
Then I'm yours, and only yours, II
you want me-" he said, aud took her In
his arms.
II" was riotously happy, must hold
her Off for the Joy of drawing her Il
him again. must pull OFF her gloves
and kiss her soft bare paims.
II love you, love your he cried. and
bent down to bury his face i'll the
warm hollow of her neck.
Sidney slowcd under his caress-was
rather startled at his passion, Il little
ASHAMED.
"Te'l me you love me u 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
absurdities of passion, in the back of
her obstinate little head was the
thought that while she had given him
Iier first embrace, he had held other
wuluhn in his arms. Ii made her pas
.siye, prevented her complete surren-
der.
She broke the news Of her engage
mcnt to X. herself. the evening Of the
same day. Tho little house was quiet
when she got out of the car ut The
door. Harriet was asleep on the couch
ut the foot Of her bed, and ChrisIine's
rooms were empty. She upstairs
to the that had been her moth.
er's, and took off her hat. She wanted
ITO be alone. to realize what had hap.
pencd to her. A year ago her half
promise to Joe had gratitied her sense
.Of romance. She was loved. and she
had thrilled to 1t.
.f, But this was different. Marriage,
That hId been hut Il vision then. doomed
large, almost menacing. She had
learned the law Of compensation: that
sor every Joy II pays In suffering.
Women who married went down into
tie valley Of death for their children.
One must love and he loved very ten.
alcrly to pay for that. The scale must
.balance.
Harriet was stirring, across the hall.
Sidney could hear her moving about
with fiat. inelastlc steps.
That was the alternative. One mar
ricd, happily or not AS the case might
be, and took the risk. Or one stayed
single. like Harriet. growing n little
hard. exchanging slimncss for lean
Mess anu austcrity Of figure. ~tlut-chest.
ssl, t%hin.voicnd. All at once 1t seemed
very terrible to her. She felt as II she
s,ad been caught in NJ memorable hand
that Ind closed about her.
Harriet found her a little later, fnce
wiown on her mothers bed crying as II
iler heart would break. She scOlded
a,cr roundly.
"You've been overworking." she satd.
NYou'vc been getting thinner. Your
measurements for that suit showed II.
I have never approved Of this hospital
trainin.. and after last January"
She could hardly credit her senses
when Sidney, stiil swollen with weep
sng. told her Of her engagement.
but I don't understand. II you care
for him and he has nsked you TO marry
Iin. why Oh enrth IRE you crying your
eyes outr
II do care. I.don't know why I cried
It Just cNtne oyer mic. oil 1t once. tina
IL II was Just ~fOoilshness. ! Gu
very happy, Aunt Harriet"
Harriet thought she understood. Thu
a1ei needed her mother, and she, liur
tiet, was d hard, mlddle-nged woinal
and a poor substitute. 0hc patted Sid
ney's moist iiand.
~ guess | understand" she said. "fI
attend t. your wedding things. Sidney
We'll show tlils street that even Chris
ttno Lorefs Gun be nutd0ne." Aud, a
a a~ftcrthooGht: II hops MIX wi
~ witt settle down now. He's beei
uone TOO steady"
&c was late when K. got home. Sid
auey was Citing on tie low step, walt
} lng Tor liitn. With long breatl
~ eontent, x. folded up biz long lsngtl
1optbe Step below her.
4 sSxsll, dear nlinlstsfing anesl,~ b
s-Asw 80 ~ Wpsldfs
oNet es1 tsBpsninos ~.
11ss- =