Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1918-10-22
ADAMS GARDEN.
a MOVEL.
By NINA WILCOX PUTNAM

" notr, he stahmered. THAT is, not
."sut today you dol" she said.
sharply; anticipating 5the answer.
Tho truth IL r.m-1've got-rm
going" he began. lamely.
That other woman!" Pearl burst
olt nercely. "oh, L knew 1t. ! knew
They HAD stopped on the edge OF
the Drive, under q clump OF hemlock
trees. She stood still. barring his
progress. her head hung back. all the
remaining hre In, her struggling to one
last, desperate explosion. She seem-
cd to have completely forgotten they
servatton; Me ferceness Of her jeal-
,ousy making her for the moment al.
most an imperial figure.
Tell mol" she demanded. Are
you going to meet herr"
That IL my affair. / think" Adam
replied quietly. but with distress.
Please don't make a scene here!"
"1t's a free country; I'll make a
scene II I choose!" she answered,
every nerve tense. "But you'll an
swer me before you go another step.
AAN O0 N0AO4Ol w1ldk yVV h1lSWCIs ~
whole lot 10 going to depend on It. IT
you hurt me. you'll be responsible for
whatever I do"
said Adam, frmly. III I am concern
ed Mith-Hith someone else, you must
concede that 1t is my right. Yes, !
have an engatement. Now. please let
me Eo-alone!"
She put her hands together and
twisted them painfully for a moment.
Then. she gasped and nodded her
struck.
"All right, I'm beaten" she said.
Go to her. Good-by!"
She turned and started toward the
shack. For a moment he stared after
her. and then called her name.
"Pearl!'
She did not hear, and presently he
entered the park.
At. the corner she stood irresolute,
and then, turning to look, back, saw
that Adam was gone.on his quest, and
gave a low moan
mo use, no use!" she said to her
don't matter now!"
And meanwhile. Adam, all unknown
ing. forgetful, from the moment he
entered the cool walk, of anything
save the goal toward which his face
was set. sang his little song under his
breath, Fastening as he drew nearer
the appointed spot.
Away to MY love I would fly!
I'd fly right over the mountain top,
In the coils Of her hair for to lie!"
Others might love and fail, poor
wretches; but that was because their
love was not strong enough, their
courage not high enough, to win.
Surely no lover with such a glorious
turmoil Of passion. such a wild
ecstasy ever went down to defeat!
This love was like a whirlwind sweep
ing all before, it. like a tidal-wave, an
earthquake. Like anything trenaen-
dous. inevitable. When a fellow felt
like that. nothing could stop him. not
even himself! People didn't love as
aspect Of hiss situation was against his
winning her; that he had neither
name. nor money, nor position left:
that he had a formidable rival; all
these were Is nothing in the face of
his love. They crumbled to dust, to
oblivion at contact with his fiery i'm
%aginings. He felt that If a solid wall
Of granite, high as the clouds, strong
as a fortress. were to spring up be-
tween Them he could tear it down
with his bare hands.
And so, with his heart on tiptoe. he
passed down the sun-dappled path.
swiftly. with sure stride. eager, dream
enwrapped. to where the little knoll
and its screen Of blooming syringa
marked the place of meeting.
7 A1Dnos$ hoFarn ~ ho,-I>A ,,. it,
slope. and. parting the fragment
shrubs, glimpsed her whitehead fig
ure, he knew that she was there.
There ahead Of him, waiting for Him!
1t was almost too good to be true, and
yeti he felt nc real amazement at the
fact; only a delicious shock, as when
a dream. long unused upon and nursed
within the heart, comes true. She
was seated where she had found him
sleeping that time before: on the very
spot. as though by careful choice, and
she was looking over at the river, fol-
lowing far into its alluring may dis
lance with that seeing look Of hers.
She had taken off her close-ftting hat
"a small fragile thing-a mese
wreath of white flowers it was-and
1t lay upon the turf beside her like a
garland. The light wind had gently
'ruffled her ordinarily smooth hair, be-
traying it into curling just a trife over
the ears and at the nape Of her
creamy neck. Above her-the syringa
nodded gently, sending down a petal
or two upon her dark head. where
they trembled like poised butterflies.
To Adam it seemed no mortal man
could gaze at her another second and
refrain fyon crushing her madly in
his arms. Then, just at the breaking
poirt, she sensed him, and turned. a