Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1918-10-19
But nov ! SEQ it's more with quiet
and sunshine: and storms. too, II you
see them fromrthel door OF q home.

49, UOot 10 A1OAAA9.
."Yes?" he urged her gently. little.
seeing what was to come.
Il thought" she said slowly, II
thought I knew all about love. But
that wasn't SO, either, kid, that wasn't
so. either!"
Looking at her eyes; he read what
was coming then, the knowledge
sweeping him hot and cold, suffusing
his clear cheek w%tth-swift scarlet un-
der the tan, and he held up his hand
to ward off the words upon her lips.
But Pearl was past needing.
y didn't know anything about love
till ! met you!" she said, coming a
step nearer. ME. that thought, I'd
seen every kind! But, oh! What 1
know, what I've been through, has
laugh me not to make mistakes-not
to guess wrong. I know the real thing
when I feel 1t, andI love you'll"
It was said. Almost. he had fed
before 1t. byt not quite. In q. flash he
saw what Oil her little cares for him,
for his comfort, her careful consid-
e%rations of him. had meant. He
turned his head away with a groan.
Blind, blind! He should have seen
this before. he ought to have pre-
vented. it!
.p Don't" ne said. ehtreatinely.
II got-to!" she breathed. "I'll die
II I don't.l It'sIall been bottled up in
me here, for ponths," she beat her
breast fiercely. You got to let me
talk. I loved you from the very first
night I come here. And it's different
from anything 1 over felt in my life.
ia do anything for you. Don't you
care just a little? No! Don't answer.
i know you don't. But you do like
me, dearie, and that's enough"
She came closer, and put her hand
upon his. qasping it tightly when he
strove to withdraw 1t.
For Gods sake!" said Adam,
hoarsely. pearl, you are mad! Let
go, child"
But Pearl was not to be repulsed.
She held him faster, clinging to his
shoulder, desperate Yin her pursuit of
him, in the clutch she was making at
all that seemed to her desirable in
life.
"No, mol" she cried. Don't turn
away from me. I'll make you SO
happy, I swear to God 1 will, if you'll
only take me! I don't ask anything
of you, only a little bit of kindness,
and to beNnear you I'll be your serv-
ant. I'll die for you! You can put
me away it vol get tired of me. I
won't mind, I'll GO quietly. if only
I love you so. I want you so! Adam!
Don't turn away. Why, you don't have
to marry me, I wouldn't ask that
but care for me a little, or I will die!'
PEARL" he cried. forcing her to let
go Of him. pearl, you must not say
such things-1-I-it's too terrible.
You make me feel like a cad and a
brute. Please don't say any more!
I'm fearfully, dreadfully sorry"
THAT means o don't cart any
thing about mel" she said, suddenly
him, terribly intense with love and
pain. "Well. I'm mot worth it. No
wonder you don't!"
Look here, you mustn't say that.
either, you know!" hes protested
quickly. II do like and admire YOU a
lot. Please don't Think"
"And I'm pretty!" she burst out,
eagerly. adam! Take me, dearie!"
She threw herself upon the floor
beside him, clasping his knees. so that
he could not rise, and looking eagerly
up at him with strange depths of love
and terrible knowledge in her eyes,.
In the sitting heat Of the little. room
he could smell the stale odor of the
cheap talcum powder she used. It
was all like a horrible nightmare, and
yet there was her warm, clinging
body, fearfully. repellently real and
near, and h look in her eyes that
hurt like a knife-thrust. He struggled
t. find words. cropping through the
fog in his brain, blindly, incoher-
emily, seeking some way to make this
thing stop. He strove to loosen her
hold, but vainly. Her only response
nc q IN hyv~e% S~%e - III -. =.
terspersed with broken pleadings. It
was terrible. He felt so helpless, so
utterly incompetent, so futile, before
the %outpouring of her passionate de-
spair.
II will die!" she kept repeating.
To Adam 1t seemed she would never
be done with her outburst, and that it
was aeons he sat there, murmuring,
such words Of comfort and entreaty
as he could find. and begging her to.
arise. At last she grew quieter, and
ne was to lift her, making her
stand up, and putting an arm about
her IN support. She stood SO. quite
passive, her head resting upon his
shoulder YEARLY, her wild hair all
~disordered. and scarcely seeming to
hear when he spoke to her. His voice
was low and quiet.
Poor little friend!" he said. IT
know that you have had a bad time
of it. I wish to heaven I was worth
one-half Of what you think. Love is
a terrible thing, it Seems. Until to-
night I had not known that it was
anything but happiness. But you
have shown me that it is a bigger
thing than either Joy or sorrow. It,ts
q great wind which blows us about
at will, and doesn't mind. apparently,
where it leaves us stranded. I guess