Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1918-01-03

"PleaSe sit down." she begged. "and
tell me about It. You mustn't despair
like this all at once. I wonder II I
could help"
mo one can help" he told her grim.
ly. ut Is all finished and done with.
I would rather not talk any more about
II. I didn't come here to talk about
1t. I came to e you. So this is
where you live!"
He looked around him. and for a mo.
ment he almost forgot the pain which
was gnawing ut his heart. 1t was such
a simple. plainly furnished little room.
SO clean. SO neat. so pathetica!ly clio.
quent Of poverty. She drew closer to.
gether the curtains which concealed
the little undiscovered bed, and came
and sat down by his side.
She clasped her hands tighter
around his arm. Her eyes sought his
anxiously.
"But you mustn't climb down, john"
she insisted. "You are so much nicer
where you are, 70 much too good for the
silly, ugly things. You must fight this
in your own way, fight 1t according to
your own standards. You are too good
to come down." ~
sam l too good for you. Sophy?"
She looked at him, and her whole
face seemed to soften. The light In
her blue eyes was sweet and wistful.
A bewildering little smile cnrled her
lips.
Don't be stupld!" she begged. "A
few minutes ago l was looking out Of
my window and thinking what a poor
little morsel of humanity l am, and
what a useless, drifting life I have led.
But that's foolish. Come now! What
I want to persuade you to do Is to
60 back to Cumberland for a time,
and try hard-very hard indeed-to
realize what it means to be a woman
like Louise, with her temperament,
her intense intellectual curiosity, her
charm. Nothing could make Louise
different from what she is-a dear,
sweet woman and a great artist. And,
John, I believe she loves you!"
His face remained undisturbed even
by the flicker Of an eyelid. 49,.
"Sophy," he said. II have decided
to 90 abroad. VIII you come with
meY
She sat quite still. Again her face
was momentarily transformed. All its
pallor and fatigue seemed to have van
ished. Her head had fallen a little back.
She was looking through the ceiling
into heaven. Then the light died away
almost as quickly as 1t had come. Her
lips shook TREMENDOUSLY.
"You know you don't mean 1t, John
You wouldn't take me. And II you did,
you'd hate me afterward-you'd want
to send me back"
He suddenly drew her to him. his
arm went around her waist. She had
lost all power Of resistance. For the
first time In his life of his own DELHI.
crate accord, he kissed h~er-feverish-
ly, almost roughly.
"Sophy." he declared, II have been a
fool! / have come an awful cropper,
hut you might help me with what's
left. l am going to start afresh. !
am going to get rid of some Of these
ideas Of mine which have brought me
nothing but misery and disappoint'
ment. l don't want to live up to them
any longer. I want to just forget
them. I want to live as other men
lve-just the simple, ordinary life
Come with me! I'll take you to the
places we've talked about together. ]
nm always happy and contented with
you. Let's try It'll"
Her arms stole around his neck.
"John," she whispered, hiding he,
face for a moment. "What can I say,
What could any poor, weak little crea
| ture like me say? You know I an
fond Of you'll haven't had the pride
. even, to conceal itw
He stood up. held her face for (
moment between his hands, and kissed
her forehead.
"Then that's all settled" he de
clared. II am going back to my room.
, now. / want you to come and din.
, with me there tonight, Mt eigh,
o'clock"
Her eyes sought his, pleaded witt
them, searched them.
"You IRE sure, John" she asked, he
voice a little broken. "You want m,
renlly3 ! am to Gomez"
II am sure" he answered steadfast
. ~. Il shall expect you at eigh
o'clock"
John went back to his rooms 1ghtin,
. NIL the time against a sense Of unreal
ity, a sense almost Of lost identity
He bought an evening newspaper nm,
read 1t on the way. He talked t
the hall porter, he talked to a neigh
Dor with whom he assembled In tn
lift-he did everything except think.
!. IN his ooins he telephoned to tn
t restaurant for a waiter. and with tn
3 menu In his hand, a few minutes later
!, he ordered dinner. Then he glance,
1 ut his watch-it was barely sevel
4 O'clock. He went down to the bnrbe
+ shop, WINS shaved and had his hair cut
+ encouraging the barber all the Will
to talk to him. He gave his hnnd
;, over to q manicure. and did his bes
o to talk nonsense to her. Then be can,
upstairs again, changed his clothe
. with great care, and went Into hi
. little sitting room.
\ Il was i've minutes TO eight. an
dinner had been laid at q little rounv
table In the center Of tho room. Their
. was q bowl of,pink roses-Sophy'sTfs