Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1919-01-30
They chatted OF sundry matters for

They chatted OF sundry matters for
n few moments.
by the way, is there any truth in
the statement that this Free Goal row
has created trouble betwee, .t.n and
yolr husband?" Vesta asked ab! uptiy.
81 dare say it's quite an impertinent
question, and you'd be we'll within
your rights to tell me it's none of my
business. But / should like to COLI
found some of these petty tattlers. /
haven't been home forty-eight hours;
yet I've heard tongues wagging. l
hoppe there's nothing in it. I warned
Mr.. Wagsta1f against Paul"
"Warned him? Why?" Hazel neg
lected the question entirely. The blunt
ness of it took her by surprise. Frank
speech was not q characteristic OF
Vesta Lorimer's set.
The girl shrugged her shoulders.
HE is my brother, but that doesn't
veil my eyes," she said coolly. Paul
is too crooked to lie straight in bed.
I'm glad Mr.. Wugstatf brought the lot
Of them up with u round turn-which
he seems to have done. If he had used
a club instead of his fists it would have
been only their deserts. / suppose the
fuss quite upset you?"
SIT did," Hazel admitted %grudgingly.
1T did more than upset me-"
y thought as much" Vesta said
slowly. 1T made you infiict an indie
1r1v1 H,,,% ~ n ~,1~ xnyh0 chN1,1d howe
had better treatment at your hands;
not only because he loves you, but be-
| cause he is one Of the few men who
deserve the best that you or any wom-
an can give"
you've said quite enough" Hazel
cried. eff you have any more insults,
please get rid Of them elsewhere. 1
think you are"
ooh, I don't care what you think Of
me-" the girl interrupted recklessly.
IF I did I wouldn't be here. I'd hide
behind the conventional rules of the
game and let you blunder along. But
l can't. I'm not gifted with your blind
egotism. Whatever you are, that Bill
Of yours loves you, and if you care
anything for him, you should be with
him. l would, if I were lucky enough
to stand in your shoes. I'd go with
him down into hell itself gladly if he
wanted me tol"
"Oh" Hazel gasped. care you
clean mad?"
"Shocked to death, aren't your"
Vesta feered. "You can't understand,
can you? I love him-yes. I'm not
ashamed to own it. I'm no sentimen-
tai prutle to throw up my hands in hor-
ror at a perfectly natural emotion.
But he is not for me. I dare say
couldn't give him an added heartbeat
if I tried. And I have q little too much
pride-strange as it may seem to you
to try, so long as he is chained hand
and foot to your chariot. But you're
making him suffer. And I care enough
to want him to live all his days hap
PLY. He is a man, and there are so
few of them, real men. If you can
make him happy, I'd compel you to do
so, if I had the power. You couldn't
understand that kind Of a love. Oh,
1 could choke you for your stupid dis
loyalty. 1 could do almost anything
that would spur you to action. l can't
rid myself Of the hopeless, reckless
mood he is in. There are so few of his
kind, the patient, strong, loyal, square
dealing men, With a woman's tender.
ness and a lions courage. Any woman
should be proud and glad to- be his
mate, to mother his children. And
you-'
She threw out her hands with a sud.
den, despairing gesture. The blue
eyes grew misty, and she hid her face
in her palms. Before that passionate
outburst Hazel sat dumbly amazed,
staring. uncertain. In a second Vesta
lifted her head defantly.
4 had no notion Of breaking out like
this when I came up" she said quiet
lY, Il was going to be very adroit.
intended to give you a friendly boost
along the right road, if I could. But
it has alp been bubbling inside me for
a long time. You perhaps think 1T very
unwomanly-but / don't care much
what you think. My little heartache
is incidental, one of the things life
deals US whether we will or not. But
If you care in the least for your hus-
band, for Gods sake make some ef-
fort. some sacrifice of your own petty
little desires, to make his road a little
pleasanter, a little less gray than it
must be now. You'll be we'll repaid
if you are the kind that must always
be paid in full. Don't be a stiff-necked
idiot. That's all l wanted to say.
Goodby!" ID.
She was at the door when she fin
ished. The click of the closing catch
stirred Hazel to speech and action.
"Vesta, Vesta J" she cried. and ran
out into the corridor.
But Vesta Lorimer neither needed
nor halted. And Hazel went back to
her room. qufvering.~ Sometimes the
truth is bitter and stirs to wrath. And
mingled with other emotions was q