Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1920-08-28
REPUBLICAN. IOWA, AUGUST


sunk down there as If very tired. Her
whole body dropped. All her vigor
and alert strength seemed to have de-
| parted.
Bradford stood silent for a moment.
peerins at her. trying to fathom the
problem. He caught the faint perfume
OF her. that elusive, delicate sweetness
Of her. He noted the masses of hair
drawn low and coiled on the droop-
ing neck. BY the wan light that fl
| tered In from the street, he saw that
she was very pale.
Whats the matter, Sylvia" he
exclaimed, coming toward her with
swift alarm. What's the, matter.
darling?" Are you ill?"
She shook her head: then. as he
| bent obove her, his arm encircling
her. his lips eager for her kiss, she
raised her left hand and put his face
| away.
Don't. Bradford" she whispered.
You mustn't--you mustn't, any
more!"
His answer was to kneel beside her.
draw her to him. and try to take the
kiss she would not give. Her face was
cold to his lips; It's vital. warm res
ponsiveness had all departed. DumGly
he drew back and looked at her with
uncomprehending eyes. The flowers.
escaping from his hand fell to the
floor.
What what's this?" he stammered.
What do you mean? IL mustn't"
She laid a trembling hand on his
shoulder, and looked at him with
eyes vague and sad in the half dark.
| It's all over Bradford" She forced
| herself to answer unsteadily. You
oughtn't to be here now you must
never come again. II I could have
i reached you by phone, I'd have told
! you not to come o-night-never to
come any more It's attended,"
Ended" he exclaimed. Dazed and
trembling, he peered at her. You
don't mean thatl"
Yes, Bradford, just that. It's all
over can never forget you--never
forget the wonderful dream we've
i been living thru: but now everything
has got to end
What are you talking about. Syl-
via? For Heavens sake. what's the
natter" His hand went to his fore
head. You must be sick, or dream
ing What
NO, she answered quietly. now
| her own mistress. I'm not sick. I'm
not dreaming--now. know what I'm
1 saving perfectly well. We've been
living in a fools paradise all these
! months nothing but fools para
disc. | did terribly wrong to love you,
| Bradford, and to let you love me--to
go on and on with you as I've been
going--to plan all these beautiful
things--to dream dreams and have
visions For now, after ALL"
/ She did not finish. but a gesture of
her hand said more than words could
tell him Bradford, feeling as IL
caught i'm the meshes of some night
mare. got to his feet. He leaned back
against the center table. peered down
at the dim white blur OF her face in
the gloom, and kept moments ST.
lence. Then suddenly he spoke.
Il don't know what you're talking
about, Sylvia" he said thickly.
Everything was all right yesterday.
What's happened? came here to-
night with great news for you. I've
just got FIVE hundred dollars by sell
| ing an old ring / wanted to get rid
| vi INV. w ilItl tfIdl IuoilCy anu Tic
steady Job I've got now, / was going
/ to tell you we could get married
right away-married you under
stand? Tomorrow! Tonight, If you
/ were willing. All our dreams COM
i Ing true. Everything
/ 'Oh, don't, don't, don't!" she en-
! treated, thrusting out her hands in
i supplication. You mustn't talk that
way to me, Bradford. You mustn't tell
me this. can't hear it-don't! If you
ever loved me, Bradford, II you love
me don't torture me-"
Torture you? torture you? God
| forbid" he managed to articulate.
What do You mean. Sylvia? We
must understand each other We're
rational creatures. / hope. There's
meaning to all this and cause.
! You've got to tell me the truth. You
lowe it to me-you must"
mo. no." she refused, kind of
desperate appeal in her voice. II
can't! It's irnpossible-quite. quite
! impossible. You mustn't ask mel"
rs 1t anything I've said or done?"
She shook her head in silent ne
cation.
You don't love me any more?"
"Yoll know l dol" she whispered
ALMOST inaudibly "Better--better than
anything in the world! That's why
I'm going to give you up
IN Heavens name, sylvia, for
what reason?''
ITS something you must never
know"
Never know? I will know! 1
must.'
/ Never"
/ Came silence in the little parlor
where they had spent so many happy
timesAsilence into which the chill
dren's singing. drifted up from the
street:
Dear Ivy. dear Ivy. how green the
grass grows!
I've sent you a wonderful, beautiful
| rose!'
/ .'Sylvia,"
What is it, Bradford?"
You can't do this to me. after all
! that's been between us. You-you
! can't. without a word Of explana-
tion.'3
/ There can be no explanation" she
answered quietly.
After all We've been to each other?
/ After all we've planned, all the work
| We've done and mean to do"
| MOI"
But, Sylvia" he persisted. there's
SO much still to be done! We need
each other terribly, you and I!r
Don't plead with me, Bradford"
she entreated, turning from him and
gazing wistfully out into the barren
street. which seemed somehow TO
typify the empty and laborious life
| into which he had brought hope and