Tombstone epitaph., 1917-12-16

| thing that had to be earned. And you were right about that, as you were about so many other things. Well. I'm going to try to earn it." ''ls that-all you want?" she asked, and then. hearing the little gasp he gave. she swung around quickly and looked at him. It was pretty dark in the room, but his face in the dusk seemed to have whitened.
 ''ls friendship all you want of me. Roddy?" she asked again. She stood there waiting. a full minute, ia silence. Then she said: You don't have to tell me that. Because I know. Oh oh. my dear. how well I know," He didn't come to her; just stood | there, gripping the corner of her book case and staring at her silhouette. which was about all he could see of her against the window. At last he said. in a strained. dry voice shed hardly have known for his:
 If you know that-if I've let you see | that-then I've done just about the last lespicable thing there was left for me to do. I've come down here and made you feel sorry for me. So that with that-,livine kindlineSs of yours. you're willing to give me-every- thing"
 He straishtened up and came step nearer. Well. l won't have it. I tell you. I don't know how you guessed. | If I'd dreamed was betraying that to you Don't 1 know-it's burnt into me so that I'll never forget what the memory of my love must | be to you? The memory of the hide ! ous things it's done to you? And now. after all that-after you've won your ! fght-alone-and stand where you stand now-for me to come begging, And take a gift like that, I tell you 1t is pity. It can't be anything else" There was another minute of silence. and then he heard her make a little noise in her throat, noise that would have been a sob had there not been something like laugh in it. The next moment she said. Come over here, Roddy." and as he hesitated. as if he hadn't understood. she added: T want you to look at me. Over here, where there's light enough to see me by" He came. wonderingly. very slowly. but at last with her outStretched hand she reached him and drew him around between her and the window. Look into my face" she commanded. Look into my eyes--as far in as you i can. Oh. my dearest-" the sob of pure joy came again-''iS it pity that you see? Don't you underestimate" l. He did understand it with his mind, but he was a little dazed like one who has stood too near where the light ming struck. The hope he had kept buried alive so long-huried alive be- cause il wouldn't die-could not be brought out into q blinding glory like this without pain-exquisite, terrify ing pain.
 The knowledge she had acquired by her own suffering stood her in good stead now. She did not mistake as The Rose he had married might have | done. the weakness of his response for | c"ldneSS-indilTeren She led him over to her one big chair and made | him sit down in It, settled herself | upon the arm of it. and contented | herself with one of his hands. Pres ently he took one of hers, bent his | face down over it. and brushed the back of 1t with his lips
 The timidity of that caress. with ali it revealed 10 her, was too much for | her. She swallowed one sob. and an- | other. but the next one got away from ' her and she broke out in passionate fit of weeping. That reused him from his .daze a little. and he pulled her down ! his arms-held her tigh,-comfOrt- ed her. When she got herself in hand again. she got up. went away to wash | her face. and. coming back in the room i again. lighted q reading lamp and { drew down the blinds.
 Rose" he said presently. "what are we going to do:"
 Shall We make it real honeymoon, Roddy-inake it as complete as we can? Forget everything and let all the world be -
 He supplied the word for her, Rose color:"
 She accepted II with a little laugh |. flor whiie?"
 That's what I was fumbling for" he said. but I can't think very straight tonight. I've got it now, though. That cottage we had-before 1 the twins were born-down on the Cape. There won't be a soul there this time of year. Wed have the world to ourselves"
 Yes" she said. flor little while. wed want it like that. But after a whlle-after a day or two. could we | have the babies? Could the nurse bring them on to me and then go straight back. so that I could have them. and you, all together?"
 He said. "You darling" But he couldn't manage more than that.
 At the entrance and just out of range of the elevator man, he kissed her good night"
 But will you telephone to me as soon as you wake up in the morning, so that I'll know it's true?"
 She nodded. Then her eyes went
 wide and she clung to him. "Is 1t