The Dolores star. [volume] (Dolores, Montezuma County, Colo.) 1901-current, 1918-01-11

beating in her brain was too insistent,
too ciamorouA Somewhere beyond
that tangled mass Of chimneys and
telegraph poles, somewhere on the 9TH
er side Of the gray haze which hung
about the myriad roofs, John and
Louise were working out their destiny,
speaking ut last the naked truth to
each other.
She started suddenly back into the
room. There was q knocking ut the
door, something quite different from
her landlady's summons. She wrapped
her dressing-gown around her. pulled
the curtains around the little bed on
which she had striven to rest, and
moved toward the door. She turned
the handle softly.
''who In that7" she asked.
John almost pushed his way past
her. She closed the door with nerve
less fingers. Her eyes sought his face.
her lips were parted. She chung to the
back Of the chair.
"You have seen LouiseT she ex-
claimed breathlessly.
II have seen Louise" he answered.
1T is all overt"
She looked a little helplessly around
her. Then she selected the one chair
in the tiny apartment that was likely
to hold him, and led him to II.
"Please sit down." she begged, "and
tell me about 1t. You mustn't despair
like this all at once. I wonder II I
could helpw
"No one can help" he told her grim
ly. ut is all finished and done with.
I would rather not talk any more about
1t. didn't come here to talk about
1t. came to see you. So this is
where you liver .......
He looked around him, and for mo-
ment he almost forgot the pain which
was gnawing Mt his heart. It was such
n simple, plainly furnished little room,
SO clean, SO neat. 30 pathetically elo-
Quent Of poverty. She drew closer to-
gether the curtains which concealed
the little undiscovered bed, and came
and sat down by his side. a.
She clasped her hands tighter
around his arm. Her eyes sought his
anxiously.
Dul yOu uO"ut JOuus
she insisted. "You are so much nicer
where you are, SO much too good for the
silly, ugly things. You must fight this
in your own way, fight it according to
your own standards. You are too good
to come down."
"Am I too good for you, Sophyr
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 curled her
lips.
Don't be stupid 7" she begged. "A
few minutes ago I was looking out of
my window and thinking what a poor
little morsel Of humanity am, and
what useless. drifting life 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
realize what it means to be 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 great artist. And,
John, I believe she loves youl"
His face remained undisturbed even
by the flicker Of an eyelid.
"Sophy," he said, II have decided
to 60 abroad. Will you come with
met"
She sat quite still. Again her face
was momentarily transformed. All its
pallor and fatigue seemed to have van
ished. Her head had fallen 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 It, John !
You wouldn't take me. And If you did,
you'd hate me afterward-you'd want
to send me backw
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 her-feverish-
ly. almost roughly.
"Sophy," he declared, II have been a
fool! have come an awful cropper.
but you might help me with what's
left. I am going to start afresh. I
am going to get rid Of some of these
ideas of mine which have brought me
nothing but misery and disappoint-
ment. don't want to live up to them
any longer. I want to just forget
them. I want to live as other men
live-just the simple, ordinary life.
Come with mel I'll take you to the
places we've talked about together. 1
am always happy and contented with
you. Let's try It'll"
Her arms stole around his neck.
"John," she whispered, hiding her
face for a moment. "What can say7
What could any poor, weak little crea-
ture like me sayf You know I am
fond Of you'll haven't had the pride,
even. to conceal It'll" ...-.
He stood up. held her face for q
moment between his hands. and kissed
her forehead.
'.Then that's all settled" he de-