The Bottineau courant. (Bottineau, Bottineau County, N.D.) 1895-1929, 1919-04-17
CHAPTER Xxx.

CHAPTER Xxx.
Duane did not speak till miles and
miles Of black road had run backward
beneath their wheels. Then he
grumbled, "What a fool T was to
dream Of such a thingl"
More miles went under before her
curiosity led her to say, family,
"What were you dreaming of"
He laughed, and did not answer for
another while. Then he laughed
again. .- $50. So.
"Do you really want to knowT"
II think So"
"Well you couldn't, hate me any
more than you do, SO I'll tell you.f I
said to myself that I would never be
the sIave of~any woman.
'1t's not that I am stingy about my
money, not that I wouldn't take the
greatest pleasure in pauperizing my.
self Tor. the woman } loved, but that
l want her to take my gifts as gifts.
no as a tax or a salary. Some of
these women think they r doing q
man a tremendous favor by letting
MIN support them. That doesn't get
me a little bit. l believe a man does
q woman just as much honor as she
does him, and sacrifices a blamed
sight more. He gives up his freedom,
and If she gives up hers she's only
giving up something she doesn't know
how to use anyway"
Daphne had rarely found q man
who would talk to her with Duane's
fankness, and If there is anything
that interests a woman more than an
other 1t Is to hear womankind an
alyzed, ever satirized. She was eager
Tor more vinegar.
"You won't be shocked and angry2"
he asked.
II don't think So"
You don't know how pleasant It Is
to talk life and love to a woman who
doesn't rear up and feel insulted at
everything. At first you gave me q
couple Of how-dare-you's, but they
don't count. And If you do hate me
a little more, why, so much the better.
When I thought you had broken with
Wimburn / said to myself, She's the
one girl in the world for me. I'm go
Ing to ask her to marry me- But I
was afraid to, for I was afraid Of mar
rage. And then-I- Well, I'd better
not Yes, I will. I said, she be-
Ieves that men and women are equal
md have equal rights, 1nd she's GO
ing 70 get out and hustle for herself,
like a little man. Maybe she could
learn to love me well enough to go
into a partnership Of hearts, That's
what I said to myself. You mustn't
think it's because I don't want to
cleave to n woman; it's because I
do. But I hate handouts. Do you
see? And now you know what I was
dreaming Of. What do you think of
it9''
The answer to his long grafton was
complete silence. Duane waited for
his answer, and, not getting 1t, laughed
harshly: "Well, that's that. The next
number on program will be a bal
lad entitled Z Never Dream but I
Bump My Head Go on! Marry Clay
Wimburn on nothing a year and live
miserably ever after"
She said nothing to this, either.
Duane was in a wretched state Of baf-
Element. He put the ear to its PAGES,
and It ripped through space at fifty
miles an hour. Daphne had a new
terror added to the load Of her
nerves.
The car went bounding up a steep
incline toward the swerve Of q head
land cut In rigid silhouette by the far
reaching searchlight Of a car ap-
preaching from the other direction.
Duane kept well to the outside Of the
road. but just as he met the other
motor and WINGED in the dazzle OF its
lamps, a third car trying to pass Il. on
the curve hurtled into the narrow
space with q blaze like lightning scar
ing the eyes. There was a yelling and
hooting Of horns and q sense Of dis
aster.
Daphne bent her head and prayed
for life, but without faith. Duane,
half-blinded, swung his front wheels
OF the road and grazed q wall. The
rear wheels were not quick enough.
The other car smote them, crumpline
the mudguard and slicing OF the rear
lamp.
Daphne was thrown this way and
that, and It seemed that her spine
must have snapped In q dozen places.
When she opened her eyes again the
car was standing still. Duane turned
70 her with terrified questions, and
his hands visited her face and her
arms and shoulders. He held her
hands fast and peered into her eyes
while she promised him that she waa
not dead.
The car that had bested his did not
return. but the other did, Offering help
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