Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1917-11-06

rs he really so good, wonder?"
Sophy asked pensively.
II do not know" Louise sighed 81
only know that when l first talked to
him, he seemed different from any
man l have ever spoken with in my
life. l suppose there are few temp
tations up there, and they keep nearer
to the big things. Sometimes l won
der, Sophy, if it was not very wrong
of me to draw him away from it all !"
Rubbish" Sophy declared. IF he
is good, he can prove it and know it
here. He will come to know the truth
about himself. Besides, it isn't every
thing to possess the standard virtues.
Louise, he will be here in q minute.
You want to be left alone with him.
What are you going to say when he
asks you what you know he will ask
you?"
Louise looked down at her.
Dear" she said, 81 wish could
tell you. l do not know. That is the
strange, troublesome part of i'll do
not know!"
"Will you promise me something?"
Sophy begged. Promise me that if
stay in here quietly until after he has
gone, you will come and tell met"
Louise leaned little downward as
if to look into her friends face. Sophy
suddenly dropped her eyes, and the
color rose to the roots of her hair.
There was knock at the door, and the
parlor maid entered.
"Mr. Strangewey, madam" she an
nounced.
Louise looked at John curiously as
she greeted him. His face showed few
signs of the struggle through which he
had passed, but the grim setting of his
lips reminded her a little of his
brother. He had lost, too, something
Of the boyishness, the simple light
heartedness Of the day before. In
stinctively she felt that the battle had
begun. She asked him nothing about
the supper party, and Sophy, quick to
follow her lead, also avoided the sub
ject.
Luncheon was not lengthy meal
and Immediately it's service was con-
Guided, SOphy rose to her feet with a
sigh.
II must go and finish my work." she
declared. "Let me have the den to my
self for at least all hour, please, Lou
ise. 1t will take me longer than that
to middle through your books"
Louise led the way upstairs into the
cool, white drawing room, with it's
| flower-perfumed atmosphere end it's.
delicate, shadowy air of repose. She
| curled herself up in a corner Of the
divan and gave John his coffee. Then
she leaned back and looked at him.
$50 you have really come to London,
Mr.. Countryman!
Il have followed you" he answered.
81 think you knew that / would. |
tried not to-" he went on, after a mo-
| ment's pause. 81 fought against it as
hard as I could; but in tine end 1 had
to give in. I came for you"
Louise's capacity for fencing seemed
suddenly enfeebled. A frontal attack
of such directness was irresistible.
"For mel" she repeated weakly.
"Of course" he replied "None of
your arguments would have brought
me here. If have desired to under
stand this world at all, 1t is because 1t
is your world. 1t is you 1 want-don't
you understand that? l thought you
would know it from the first moment
you saw mel"
He was suddenly on his feet. lean
ing over her, changed man, master
full, passionate. She opened her lips,
but said nothing. She felt herself
lifted up, clasped for moment In his
arms. Unresisting, she felt the fire of
his kisses. The world seemed to have
stopped. Then she tried to push him
away, weakly, and against her own
will. At her first movement he laid
her tenderly back In her place.
81 am sorry!" he said. "And yet
close up to her side. 81 am glad! You
knew that 1 loved you, Louise. You
knew that it was for you 1 had come"
She was beginning to collect herself.
Her brain was at work again; but she
was conscious of new confusion in
her senses, a new element in her life.
She was no longer sure Of herself.
Listen" she begged earnestly. "Be
reasonable! How could l marry you?
Do you think that 1 could live with
you up there in the hills?"
1--WE will live" he promised, "any-
where you choose in the world"
"Ah, mol" she continued, patting his
hand. "You know what your life is,
the things you want in life. You don't
know mine yet. There is my work
You cannot think how wonderful it is
to me. You don't know the things that
fill my brain from day to day, the
thoughts that direct my life. cannot
marry you just because-because-"
Because what?" he interrupted ca
gerly.
Because you make me feel-some-
thing / don't understand, because you
come and you turn the world, for few
minutes, topsy-turvy. But that is all
foolishness, isn't it? Life isn't built up
of emotions. What want you to I'M
derstand, and what you please must
understand, is that at present our
lives are so far, so very far, apart l
do not feel 1 could be happy leading
yours, and you do not understand
NINE"
Il have come to find out about
yours" John explained. THAT is why
1 am here. Perhaps I ought to have
waited a little time before l spoke TO
you as did just now. But viii serve
my apprenticeship. will try to get
into sympathy with the things that
please you. 1t win not take me long.
As soon as you feel that we are draw
ing closer together, will ask you
again what have asked you this after
man In tho meantime I nav H., x-or,r