Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1919-01-23

one couIu not IoIIow the sense Of the
words. An incessant turmoil of
thought harassed her. Bill passed
through the room once or twice. De-
terminedly she ignored him. The final
snap Of the lock on his trunk came
to her ut last. the humping sounds Of
It's passage to the hall. Then a burly
expressman %shouldered it into his
wagon and drove away.
A few minutes after that Bill came
in and took a seat facing her.
"What ore you going to do, Hazel?"
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 ears, without max
ing the least effort to prevent?" he
continued gently. "Seems to me that's
not like you at all. 1 never thought
you were a GUTTER"
I'm not a GUTTER" she flung back
resentfully. II refuse to be brow
beaten, that's all. There appears to
be only n choice-to follow you like
a 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 on! I can get along"
II dare say you can," he comment.
ed YEARLY. "Most of us can muddle
along somehow, no matter what hap
pens. But it seems a pity, little per-
son. We had all the chance in the
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 q
while?"
81 am not by nature fitted to lead
the hermit existence" she returned
sarcastically.
And even while her lips We're utter
ing these various unworthy little bit.
ternesses she inwardly wondered al
her w words. 1t was not what she
would have said, not at all what she
was half minded to say. But a devi
of perverseness spurred her. She wa
full of protest against everything.
II wish we'd had a baby" Bill mur
INJURED softly. you'd be different
You'd have something to live for be
sides this frOthy, n%eurotic existence
that has poisoned you against thu
good. clean, healthy way of life.
wish we'd had Il kiddie. We'd have
Il fighting chance for happiness now
something to. keep us sane. something
outside OF our own ego to influenc,
u.s.
"Thank God there isn't one!" sh,
muttcred.
"-Ah, WELL" Bill sighed, II CUES.
there is no use. l guess We can't &c
together on anything. There doesn'
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
Il have fixed things at the bank To-
you he said abruptly.
Then he walked out, without wait
Liz lol Cll uliSN VI.
She heard the soft whir of the ele
vatOr. A minute later she saw him or
the sidewalk. He had an overcoat OF
his arm, Il suitcase in his hand. Sht
saw him lift a finger to halt Il pass
ing car.
Ii seemed incredible that he slouh
go like that. Surely he would com
; back ut noon or at dinner time. Sht
| had always felt that under his gentle
ness there was iron. But deep in hel
heart she had never believed him sc
implacable of purpose where she was
concerned.
She waited wearily, stirring will
nervous restlessness from room tt
room
Luncheon passed. The Afternoon
dragged by to a close. Dusk fell
And when the night wrapped Gran.
: Vile in it's velvet mantle, and the street
lights blinked away in shining rows
she covered, sobbing, in the big chair
by the window.
He was gone.
Gone, without even saying good-by