Bonners Ferry herald. [volume] (Bonners Ferry, Idaho) 1904-current, 1918-07-16


81 am very WELL" she admitted, I'M
perturbed. Her glance embraced the
room. you're very comfortable here"
81 have BEEN"
81 hope that doesn't mean I'm in
the way"
ITO the contrary; but I sail day
after tomorrow for Australia"
"Oh? That's very sudden, isn't It?
You don't seem to have done any pack
ing. Or perhaps you mean to come
back before a great while"
81 shant come back, ever"
'Must I believe you made up your
mind this morning?"
81 have only just read the announce
ment of your opening tomorrow night"
"Then l am driving you out
Of the country?"
Her look was impersonal and curl
Gus.
His shoulders moved negligently.
mot to rant about it," he replied: II
find 1 am not needed here"
"Oh, DEAR" Her lips formed a fu-
gitive, petulant moue:- "And it's my
fault?"
There's no use mincing matters, is
there? l am not heartbroken, and IL
l am bitterly disappointed / don't care
ton fact lack the ability to drama
tie it."
'You are taking it well, Hugh?" said
she, critical.
Expressionless, he waited an instant
before inquiring pointedly: "Well?"
Deliberately laying aside her light
muff, her scarf and handbag, she rose:
equality of poise was impossible If he
would persist in standing. She moved
a little nearer.
Hugh" she said in a voice Of sim
certify, I'm awfully sorry-truly I
!"
He made no reply; waited.
Perhaps I'm wrong" she went on,
but 1 think most women would have
spared themselves this meeting"
themselves and the man." he in
terjected dryly.
Don't be cross, Hugh. had
to come. 1 had to explain myself. I
wanted you to understand. Hugh, L"
She was twisting her hands together
with a manner denoting great mental
strain. OF a sudden she checked and
dropped them, limp and open by her
sides. "You see," she said with the
apologize smile, "Pm trying not to
act"
"Oh," he said in a tone of dawning
comprehension-"so that's It'll"
I'm afraid so. Hugh. I'm
dreadfully sorry for you-poor boy =
but I'm afraid that's the trouble with
me, and it can never be helped. l was
born with a taient for acting; life has
made me an actress. Hugh 9.
I've found out something" Her eyes
appealed wistfully. I'm not genu-
ine."
He nodded interestedly.
I'm just an actress, an instrument
for the music of emotions. I've been
trained to respond, until now / re-
spond without knowing it, when there's
no true response here" She touched
the bosom of her frock.
He said nothing.
With a half sigh she moved away
to the window.
"Of course you desplse me. l de-
spise myself mean, the self that
was me before l turned from woman
into an actress. But it's the truth: I
have no longer any real capacity for
emotion, merely an infinite capacity
for appreciation of the artistic delinea-
ton of emotion, true or feigned. That
that is why, when you showed
me you had grown to love me so,
responded so quickly. You were in
lOve-mOre honestly than l had ever
seen love revealed. 1t touched me.
was proud to have inspired such a
love. l wanted, for the time being, to
have you with me always, that might
always study the wonderful, the
beautiful manifestations of your love.
Why, Hugh, you even managed to
make me believe l was worth it-that
my response was sufficient repayment
for your alteration. :"
He said nothing. She glanced fur
lively at him and continued:
81 meant to be sweet and faithful
when l left that note for you on the
yacht, Hugh; l was grateful, and I
meant to be generous. But
when 1 went to the Waldorf, the first
person l met was Max. OF course
had to tell him what had happened.
And then he threw himself upon my
compassion. 1t seems that losing me
had put him in the most terrible
trouble about money. He was short,
and he couldn't get the backing he
needed without me, his call upon my
services, by way of assurance to his
hackers. And 1 began to think. I
knew didn't love you honestly, Hugh,
and that life with you would be liv-
ing lie. What right had 1 to deceive
you that way, just to crafty my love
of being loved? And especially if by
doing that / ruined Max, the man to
whom, next to you, / owed every
thing? l couldn't do ii. But 1 took