The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1920-03-04

20
ST guess I'm all right" he managed
to answer, 'fbut got job on-an i'm
portant job on. 1 must get it done.
There is not time"
But her woman's Intuition had gone
far below his idle words. There is
something wrong. Dave" she said
''You never looked like this before.
Tell me what it is. Tell me. Dave.
Perhaps I-can help"
Dave was silent for a moment
watching her. Suddenly 1t occurred
to him that Edith Duncan was beauti-
full.
If she had not quite the fine features
of Irene she had q certain sOftneSS of
expression, a certain mellOwness, even
tenderness, Of lip and eye; a certain
womanly delicacy-
Edith" he said, you're white. Why
is 1t that the woman a man loves will
fail him, and the woman he only
likes-stays true?"
"Oh!' she cried, and he could not
guess the depths from which her cry
was wrung. ST should not have
asked you. Dave" she said. 'Pm
sorry"
They stood q moment, neither wish
ing to move away. You said you had
something that must be done at once. %
she reminded him at length.
'Yes,'' he answered. 81 have to kill
a man. Then I'm going to join up
with the army"
Her hands were again upon him.
''But you mustn't, Dave" she pleaded.
you can't fight for your country then.
You will only increase its troubles in
these troubled times. Don't think I'm
pleading for him. Dave, but for you,
for the sake of us-for the sake Of
those care"
He took her hands in his and raised
them to his shoulders and drew her
face close to his. Then, speaking very
slowly, and with each word by itself,
''Do you really carer" he said.
ooh. Dave!"
"Then come to my room and talk
to me. Talk to me! Talk to mel For
Gods sake talk to mel 1 must talk
TO someone"
She followed him. Inside the room
he had himself under control again.
He told her the story, all he knew.
When he had finished she arose and
walked to one of the windows and
stood looking with unseeing eyes upon
the street. For the second time in
his life Dave Elden had laid his heart
bare to her. and again after all these
years he still talked as friend to
friend. That was it. She was under
no delusion. Dawes eyes were as
blind to her love as they had been
that night when he had first told her
of Irene Hardy. And she could not
tell him. Most of all she could not
tell him now. She had waited
all these years, and still she must
wait.
Dawes eyes were upon her form.
silhouetted against the window. 1t oc-
Cured to him that in form Edith was
very much like Irene. He recalled that
in those dead past days when they
used to ride together Edith had re-
minded him of Irene.
When she stood silent so long he
spoke again.
''I'm afraid haven't played very
heroic part" he said, somewhat
shamefacedIy. 81 should have buried
my secret in my heart: buried it even
from you; perhaps most Of all from
you. But-you can advise me, Edith.
1 will value whatever you say"
She trembled until she thought he
must see her. and she feared to trust
her voice, but she could delay a reply
no longer.
'Dave," she said at length, why
should you take Conward's word in
such a matter as this?"
ST didn't take Conward's word.
That's why I didn't kill him at once
It wasn't his word, it was the insult
that cut. But she tried to save him.