The circle banner. [volume] (Circle, Mont.) 1914-1939, 1917-09-21
golden day which looked neither TO-

4
1t was not until, pretty ruefully
| they acknowledged this, tore up theil
artificial resolution not to look at the
/ future, and deliberately set themselves
to the contemplation of a life thai
would have to take into account com
pick and battling considerations, thai
| their honeymoon became success
1t was well along in their month that
| this happened.
Rose had spent maddening sort OF
| day, day that had been all edges
| trying not to let herself feel hurt over
fantastic secondary meanings which il
was possible to attach to some of the
things Rodney had said, trying to be
cheerful and sensible, and to ignore
the patent fact that his cheerfulness
was as forced and unnatural thing
as hers. The chiIdren-as a rule the
best-behaved little things in the world
had been refractory. So, after their
supper, when they'd finally gone off to
sleep, and Rose had rejoined Rodney
in the sitting room, she was in state
where it did not take much to set her
off.
It was not much that did; nothing
more, indeed, than the fact that she
of the fire, and that the smile with
which he greeted her was little too
quick and bright and mechanical, and
that 1t soon faded out. The Rodney
of her memories had never done things
like that. If you found him sitting in
a chair, you found him reading book.
When he was thinking something out
he tramped back and forth, twisted his
face up, made gestures. That habit
couldn't have changed. 1t was just
that he didn't care to be natural
with her. Couldn't feel at home with
her! Before she knew it, she was cry
ing.
He asked, in CONSERVATION, what
the matter was.
Nothing" she said. Absolutely
nothing. Really"
"Then it's just-that you're not hap
by, with me, like this" He brought
that out graveiy, word at time,
as though they hurt.
"Are you happy, with me-like
this?" she countered.
1t was a question he could not an
swer categorically, and she did not
give him time for anything else.
whats the matter with US, Roddy?"
she demanded. eve ought to be hap
py. We meant to be-" Her voice broke
In sob over that. Sand here we are
like thisl''
at hasn't all been like this" he
said. "There have been hours. a day
Or two, that I'd go through the whole |
thing for, again, if necessary"
She nodded assent to that "But the |
rest of the time!" she cried. "Why |
can't we Uncomfortable together?
Why Roddy, why can't you be |
natural with me? Like your old self.
Why don't you roar at me, any more? |
And swear when you run into things? |
I'VE never seen you formal before
lot with anybody. Not even with
strangers. And now you're formal
With me-"
LhC dCl III GIN Will WhlNh uC az
the truth of this indict-
nent was more like him, and it cheered
Ter immensely. She answered it with
me of her own, dried her eyes, and
sked again, more collectedly:
swell, can you tell me why?"
"Why, it seemed to me-" he said,
that it was you who were different.
Ind you have changed, of course,
own inside, more than have. You've
cen through things in the last year
nd half, found out things that I
now nothing about, except as I have
cad about them in books. So, when l
emember how things used to be be-
yeen us, how I used to be the one who 1
new things, and how I preached and
Douted, get to feeling that the man
gu remember must look to you now,
ke-well, like a schoolboy showing !
r."
She stared at him incredulously. 6
But that's downright morbid" she
lid. "It's horrible that 1 should make |
,u feel like that" she concluded. l
II ISL yOu, lie tOlu uci. ~ .
lst the situation. I can't help feeling
lat I'm taken on approval. Oh, it's c
1t to be like thatl There are things L
at, with all the forgiveness in the u
orld, you can't forget. And until 7
III have seen that am different, that q
have made myself different. :" S
She gave a shaky laugh. "On ap-
oval" Her eyes filed again. "Rod- "
:, you can't mean that" She came
er and sat down in his lap, and slid u
r arm around his neck. "This is u
here we'll begin!" she said. "That Y
| never-whatever happens-walk u
t on you again. Whether things d
well or badly with us, we'll work it ~
t, somehow, together" W
It was not until she heard the long, -
uddering sigh he drew at that, and w
t him go limp under her, that she !"
llized how genuine his fear had W
perfectly preposterous fear u
IT if their new experiment didn't pa
ne up to her anticipation, she'd tell W.
a so, and leave him once more. This :"
lie, for good. no
t was a good while before they
T. 49, rot;o,oJ d;corrccion opoir | I'll