Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1919-05-08
CHAPTER XIX.

When Duane anne up to the door
he greeted her with the beaming joy
usness of a rising sun. He praised
her and thanked her for lending him
her time. The elevator that took their
bodies down took her spirits up. She
noted that he had not brought his big
car with his chauffeur. He slowed
her into a powerful roadster built for
two. But she had no inclination to
protest. The a caught them away
and they sped through Central park
with lyrical, with d~ithyrambic, sweep.
"The trees how wonderful they
arc!" she cried.
They had been wonderful for weeks.
but she had thought them dismal.
They're nothing to what they are
in Westchester," said Duane. "We're
going to have a look at them and
dine up there somewhere"
"Are WEI" was all she said.
And he said, "We are"
After they left the park and re-
entered the hard streets she found the
courage to remind him "But you said
you had something important to tell
Inc. What was it?"
"Miss Kip, you've played the very
devil with me. I thought I was Inn
rune to the lover germ, but-well, /
told you the truth about going abroad
to shake off the-the fever-the
Daphnitis that attacked me. But I
couldn't get you out of my mind for
long, or out of my heart at all. I'm a
sick man, Miss Kip, a lovesick man."
Mr.. Duane, you mustn't can't al
low you-really"
"Oh, yes, you cant! he said, and
sent the car ahead with a plunge.
You're going to listen to me for once.
You can't help yourself. I'm not going
to hurt you. I just want you to help
me a little. I went up in the Berk-
shires and tried to get my sanity back,
but l couldn't! I couldn't even play
golf-or cards-or drink. People drive
me crazy. I can't get interested in
anything or anybody but you"
"Mr. Duane, please You oughtn't
to- l beg you. have no right"
"Oh, l know you're engaged to Clay
Wimburn. He's a nice kid. I'm not
one-two-three with him. I'm not try
Ing to cut him out couldn't If |
would. l like him. I'd like to help
him, and your brother, too. I don't
mean to be impertinent, either; but
well, the main thing is, I want to beg
you to let me see you once In a while.
Il want to take you out riding and
dining and dancing and-you can take
Wimburn along if you've got to, but |
want you to save my life somehow.
And, by the Lord Harry! I think it will
save yours. You don't look well, my
dear-Miss Kip. 1t breaks my heart
to see it. No, / don't believe you're
getting as MUCH fun out of life as you
ought to. There isn't much fun in the
world any more, but what Titles left
Is very precious, and l want you to get
all that's going. Won't you let me help
you go after it? Won't you?".
They swung up to a height that COM.
manded a vast reach of the Hudson.
Between its banks 1t seemed to be a,
river of wine. The western sky was
like a forest Of autumn leaves with tie
last sad red rpitlfully beautiful, since
1t must turn SO soon to rust.
In a spirit Of haste the fieetly spin
ming wheels murmured, "Why not, why
not, why not, why-notwhynotwhynotT'
Before the sunset had quite relin-
pushed the sky the moon was over
the horizon-the harvest moon, huge
and close and Of a meditative mein.
1t paled and dwindled as 1t climbed,
but its power seemed to grow,
It left Daphne more alone with