Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1917-09-19
only rules | know"

"Oh. | know" he said haltingiy. IL
know its got To be that way | have
10 90 my road and leave you to yours.
Oh, the blank h0pelessness of II, the
useless misery of It, We're made for
each other. and we have to grin ant.
say goodby, go along our separate
ways trying to smile What IL devilish
state Of affairs, But | love you, dear.
and no matter ah"-
His voice ilattened out. His hands
released hers. He Strengthened quick
ly. stella Turned her head Jack Fyfe
stood In the doorway. His face was
fixed in It's habitual mask. He was
biting the end off IA cigar. He struck
match and put it to the cigar end
with steady fingers ~ he walked slow
Is across the big room.
II hear the Kid peeping," he said to
Stella quite casually, "and | noticed
Martha outside as came in. Better
20 see what's up with HIM
Trained 10 repression, schooled IN self
control. Stella rose 10 obey, for under
the smoothness OF his tone there was
the iron edge IF command. Her heart
apparently ceased to hlat. she tried
10 SMILE. but she knew that her face
was tear wet. She knew that Jack
Fyfe had seen and understood. She
had done no wrong. but terrible ap-
mysterious power to strike them Off. u
wasn't thing you undertook lightly.
1t isn't thing marriage, ! mean-
that you hold lightly. That being the
case you would have been wise to try
making the best Of 1t instead OF max
ing the worst Of it. But you let your
self drift into a state Of mind where
you well, you see the result. / saw 1t
COMING. l didn't need to happen In
this afternoon tn know that there were
undercurrents Of feeling swirling about.
And so the way you feel now is in It.
self penalty. If you let MohOhan cut
any more figure in your thoughts you'll
pay bigger in the end
say, my feelings" she said YEARLY.
"You think you love him. Fyfe made
low reply. "As matter Of fact Vot
love what you think he is. l dare say
/ that he has sworn his affection by al
that's good and great. But IL you were
convinced that he didn't really care
that his hOwery protestations had a
double end in view would you still love
him.
II don't know" she murmured. but
that's beside the point. do love him
| know it's unwise It's a feeling that
has overwhelmed me in n way that
didn't believe possible, that l had hoped
to avoid. But-but l can't pretend
Jack. l don't want you to misunder'
stand. | don't want this to make us
both miserable. don't want it to gen
crate an atmosphere of suspicion and
/ jealousy. ! never cheated ut anything
in my life. You can trust me still
can't you?'
Absolutely" Fyfe answered without
hesitation.
Then that's all there is to it, she
replied, unless unless you're read!
to give me up as hopeless case and
let me go away and blunder along the
best | can"
IL haven't even considered that" he
said. Very likely it's unwise of INT
to say thisit will probably antasonizt
| you--but | know Monohan better thar
you do. ia go pretty far to keep YOU
two apart-now-for your sake
1T would be the same IL it were any
other man." she muttered. II can un
derstand that feeling In you. It's So
50 typically masculine"
mo, You're wrong there, deat
wrong" Fyfe frowned. I'm not
self sacrificing brute by any means
Still, knowing that you'll only liv'
with me on sufferance, If you wer'
honestly in love with man that
felt was halfway decent, I'd put m,
feelings in my pocket and let you go
II you cared enough for him to bredl
every tie, to face the embarrassment
of divorce, why, I'd figure you wer
entitled to your freedom and whateve
happiness 1t might bring. But Mono
han-h-, ! don't want to talk abou
him. | trust you, Stella. I'm banking
on your own good sense. And alon
with that good natural common sense
you've got 50 many illusions. Abou
life In general and about men. The
seem to have centered about this on
particular man. can't open your eye
or pat you on the right track. That
job for yourself, All l can do Is t
sit back and wait"
His voice trailed Off huskily.
Stella put hand on his shoulder.
DO you care SO much as all thai
Jack" she whispered, "eyen in spit
Of what you know"
"For two years now" he answered
you've been the biggest thing In IN
life. I don't change easy. don
want to change. But I'm getting hop,
less"
I'm sorry, Jack" she said. ~ can
begin to tell you how sorry l am.
. didn't love you to begin with
And you've always resented that
he broke In. you've Rugged thu
ghost Of a loveless marriage to yor
bosom and sighed for the real romano
vnu,I ,oios.I Wall rnnvLo vou az,