Martinsburg W Va evening journal. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1913-1920, 1918-01-23
Ncad This Slciy
Every Day In
he Journal

business In the Klappan; to complete
rhis thing I've set my hand TO. Then
I'm going to the ranch and try to get
| the bad taste out of my mouth I'm
| going tomorrow. I've no desire or In.
tention to coerce you. You're my wife,
and your place Is with me. If you care
anything about me. And / want you.
You know that, don't you? wouldn't
be begging you like this IL I didn't.
haven't changed, nor had my. eyes
dazzled by any false gods. But it's
up to you. l don't bluff. I'm going,
and if / have to go without you 1
won't come buck. Think II over, and
just ask yourself honestly IL it's worth
while"
He drew her up close to him and
kissed her on one anger-flushed cheek,
and then, as he had done the night be-
fore, walked straight away to the bed.
room and closed the door behind him. 8
Hazel slept little that night. A hor-
rid weight seemed to rest suffocating-
~ upon her. More than once she had
an impulse to creep in there where
Bill l.y and forget it all in the sweep :
of that strong arm. But she choked
back the impulse angrily. She would
not forgive him. He had made her.
suffer. For his high-handedness she
would make him suffer In kind Al
least, she would not crawl to him begt
ging forgiveness.
When sunrise laid a yellow beam,
all full Of dancing notes. across her
bed, she heard Pill stir, heard him
moving about the apartment with rest
less steps. After time she also
heard the unmistakable sound Of q
trunk lid thrown back, and the move
ments of him as he gathered his
clothes-so she surmised. But she did
not rise till the maid raped on her
door with the eight o'clock salutation:
breakfast, ma'am."
They made a pretense Of eating.
Hazel sought chair in the living
room. A book lay open In her lap.
But the print ran into blurred lines.
She could not follow the sense Of the
words. An incessant turmoil OF
thought harassed her. Bill passed
through the room once or twice. De.
ter1ninedly she ignored him. The final
snap of the lock on his trunk came
to her at last, the humping sounds of
its passage to the hail. Then buriy
expressman shouldered it into hts
wagon and drove away TSFs n
A few minutes after that Bill came
in and took seat facing her.
what are you going to do, Hazel7"
he asked soberly.
Nothing" she CURLY replied,
"Are you going to sit down and fold
your hands and let our air castles come
tumbling about our ears, without maxi
ing the least effort to prevent? he
continued gently. Seems to me that's
not like you at all. never thought
you were quitterp
SIN not quitter." she flung back
resentfully. II refuse to be brow,
beaten, that's all. There appears to
he only one choice--to follow you Ike
lamb. And I'm not lamblike. I'd
say that you are the gutter. You
have stirred up all this trouble here
between us. Now you're running away
from it. That's how 1t looks. to me.
Go onl can get along" 81
Il dare say you cam" he comments
cd YEARLY. Most of us can muddld
along somehow. no matter what hap
pens. But 1t seems a pity, little per-
son. We had all the chance in tho
world. You've developed an abnormal
streak lately. If you'd just break
away and come back with me. You
don't know what good medicine those
old woods are. Won't you try It a
| whileY
Il am not by nature fitted to lead
the hermit existence" she returned
sarcastically sssa r.s
And even while her lips, were utter
| ing these various unworthy little Bit
tcrnesses she inwardly wondered Mt
| her own words. 1t was not what she
would have said. not at all what she
was half minded 10 say. But a devil
OF sperverseness spurred her. She was
| full Of protest against everything.
Il wish we'd had a baby" Bill muir.
| INJURED softly. You'd be different.
! You'd have something to live for be-
| sides this frothy, neurotic existence
| that has poisoned you against the
| good, clean, healthy way of life. !
] wish we'd had kiddie. We'd have
fighting chance for happiness now;
something to keep US sane. something
| outside of our own ego to influence
| u.s." ....s
"Thank God there isn't onel' she
| muttered.
All, WE'LL, Bill sighed, Il guess
there is no use. guess we can't get
| together on anything. There doesn't
seem to be any give-and-take between
! us any longer"
He rose and walked to the door.
With his hand on the knob, he turned.
II have fixed things at the bank fer
you," he said abruptly.
Then he walked out. without walt
i ing for an answer.
She heard the soft whir Of the ele-