Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1918-02-01
Margaret CARROTS
uebond
THE QUESTION.
CHAPTER CXXV,
X By JANE PHELPS
X X X X \ 4 \ X \ X X X X

/ W
"Bob, dear, will you send Donald
away9 want to talk to you" said al
found them together in the library.
90 Run away like good little man,
he told Donald who seemed about to oD
ject. Daddy will play with you by and
lby."
He spoke SO gently 1 had to swallow
hard to keep the tears back. But tears
had no part to play in my life at that
time. had exhausted their power years
before.
J "What rs it, Margaret" still he used
the same gentle tone he had used when
speaking to Donald.
''Our year is nearly up, Bob. -
He gave start showing how unex-
pected was what L had to say.
"Yes.V
81 love you, Bob, as you know. 1
shall always love you. But L have learn
ed many things the last year; one of
them is my own selfishness. | love you
so well that l will not stand in the way
| of your happiness. Do you understand,
Bob? [ am not asking you to stay-if
you viii be unhappy with me; or if
| you will find happiness elsewhere. -
his face. His hands twitehed, as, with
out speaking, he took a cigar from his
pocket and lighted it.
will you answer me truly, Bob?'
"What do you want to know!" his
tone was so low l could scarcely catch
the words.
81 want to know if there is some one
Ielse-whom you-love9"
The silence was so tense, so fraught
with possibilities for me that scarce
ly breathed.
81 will never let my wishes stand
in your way-now, Bob,' l went on
when l could endure the silence no lon
ger, "there was time when L only
thought of myself, my happiness. That
time is past. Your happiness is in all
respects the chief concern of my life. -
"The time ism It up, Margaret. Why
didn t you waltz"
GA few weeks. What difference
would they make? No earthly power, 1
scarcely think heavenly, can kindle a
love once dead. A love whose fire has
gone out. l am convinced that it is
utter folly to seek it in the ashes, gray
and cold. A loyeless, even if only love
riage at all. 1t is almost unholy. 1t is
ohIy lately L have come to know this
Bob, only very lately. / know too, dear
that you never have loved me; that as
Elsie said L caught you on the rebound,
when your heart was sore from the loss
of your mother. 1t is my fault that [
didn t win your love then l might have
When L woke up, it was too
laJe. L waited. Bob had bowed his
head on his hands but neither moved
nor spoke.
"'Wlll you answer my question now,
Bob? Is there some one else!"
-Margaret-the is. y And
his answer was almost a groan.
How | wished he would raise his head.
How | wanted to look into his eyes, to
know if the lOve-ight caused by the
thought of her-that other woman, lin
gered in them. But he still shaded them
with his hand.
May | ask who it is, Bob, or do | |
know9 is it Charlotte Keating3" pro- |
nounced her name in steady voice al
though my heart was pounding, and my |
hands were like ice as l waited.
4" Yes-it is Charlotte, " he said, then |
raising his head he looked at me. ''You
must believe me, Maragret, when 1 say |
had no intention of caring for another; |
that it came to me SO gradually, that
Jared as L never supposed a man COULD
care, before l was aware of my feelings.
She was so pure, so unspoiled, such
understanding companion
hat | had given my love before either t
knew | had done so. Then it was too
ate; although l too have tried, Margar-
It. l have seen your efforts, you brave
girl; and 1 have honestly tried to put
mis- love from my life. But it has been
useless. l have failed"
''Then dear we better end it,. Why
should all three suffer when one of us
IAN make the other two happy. When
he suffering of only one means the
happiness of the majority"
Don t Margaret Your-I can't take
advantage of your generosity. 1 viii
stay, and we will be as happy as we can.
We, and the boys"
- No, not even for the boys is it your
luty, Bob. They will always be your
,oys-she wont object to your seeing ]
hem when you want to. 1 viii bring
hem up the best 1 can. They must be
eft with me, dear, That must l de-
nandl"
A stifled groan was my only an
wer.
Glove, Bob, is a vagrant, - went
IN, 81 tried to catch him and failed.
t is not your fault. l cannot in fair
less hold you any longer. Think it over
Bob, then we II talk about the details.
md with a binding pain in my heart
walked from the room.