Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1920-06-18
By HOLWORTHY HALL

/
heels every minute It's what 1 am,
now but. if I went much further
back than that, you and the doctor
would both think just what do about
myself Il. and I'd have to say good
by to you anyway 49,. just rs I'm do
ing tonight, / hope you can see that
I'm not telling all this to you from any
other motive except to be quite honest
with you. Quite honest-for once.
care too much about you to let you
| live another day without knowing that
I can't go on-it's over. -. I. I'm not
fit to be evcn your friend. That's
ALL"
She sat motionIess. billiard had
turned back to the fireplace.
'sWere you as bad -. as that?'' she
whispered.
"Once," he said bitterly, over his
shoulder, Il used to be gentleman.
But that was long time ago."
She raised her head. Nothing
could ever make me believe she said
''that you haven't always been just as
I've known you-since July. Nothing
can, and nothing will. What you may
think about yourself makes no differ
ence to me. T."
"Don't!" he said, and his tone was
agonized "Don't you see"
II don't believe you," she said stead
lily.
billiards voice was unstable with
his great bitterness of failure. "You
flatter me- he said harshly. "And be-
sales.--future wrong"
She was up, and beside him, smiling
bravely into his eyes, and he was fog
ging his will to keep his hungry arms
from snatching her, from sweeping her
close to him, and So.
"What do you think women are?"
she demanded, with sweet imperious-
ness. 'sNothing but marble statues
or putty ones? Just made to stand
/ around and let the world go past,
/ without having anything to say about
it?"
He retreated to the wall in self-de-
Tense. "Don't! Don't! I'm the one
who's driven myself into this corner
not your
.But you don't have to stay in it
always. do your"
He stared at her in justification.
"Don't be silly" she said, "and don't
be unreasonable; I'm mott" She
touched his sleeve; his expression was
unchanged. Don't make me think you
are unreasonable !" she said compass
sionately. 'sIf you're not satisfied, why
can't you make yourself what you
want to be? Instead of brooding over
the past that you can't help, why don't
YOU think about things you can help
Living is about all there is to live for
isn't it," '~~--,.~s'esas-' ''''4' s's>''t'S,.'
He drew in his breath perilously
"But I'm letting you co." he said
dazed.
She stamped her foot in tremulous
severity. mo, you're not; won't al
low It'll Can't you see why? Do
have to tell you that? Well
because / want you for friend even
if you don't want me-"
"Want you'll" he cried, and remem
bered himself, and froze to immobility
"Oh-as a friend!"
Surely, as a friend-what else die
you think / meant?"
The young man shook his head.
II don't know. Only came up here
to tell you haven't any right to your
friendship. can't tell you why
1 haven't as much callousness as all
that but if did tell you, your
last atom of faith in me would be
gone. And you can't afford to have me
even for a friend-now that I've said
that, can your"
EYES," she said steadfastly, Il can
afford it."
'When when I've told you
;" His lips were parted in
amazedness, his eyes roved DULY. 81
can't under I'm telling you
I'm not worth the powder to blow me
to hades." He laughed oddly. "That's
proved already. over and over again.
| Don't you understand?
i Carol :" His voice broke. "Why,
Carol I'm not fit to talk to you.
InaC s proved, lOO. Ii proving
it now! I'm saying it--don't you hear
me? I'm saying it now. And you
He put his hand to his forehead, and
brushed back his hair, which was
strangely wet. II can't make it any
palmer" he said, with helpless finality.
mo matter what's happened" she
said earnestly, 81 can't believe it isn't
coming out all right. So If you'll just
keep on living, and working, and try
ing and Here her
eyes were so appealing that his own
dimmed to behold them. sand you
haven't been so very dreadful after all,
have you?"
! billiard retreated once again, not
trusting those hungry, lawless arms of
his.
SIN Just wondering" he said. with
terrible smile, which was entirely
devoid Of mirth, 'if man happens to
be in sort of transition
period. you know-half-way between
/ wonder what's coming to him.
l wonder what is coming to him. :.
wonder if the whirlwind doesn't get
him both ways"
After the street door had closed be-
hind him. Carol went slowly along the
corridor to the doctors study and
knocked. out Of sheer habit. His pleas