Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1920-09-17

4
Its all so futile" she answered.
$50 futile and SO full of paint why
open UP old wounds that try to
heal? / hoped this place would be
| my sanctuary. ! dreamed Of peace
| and safety. here, in ths!" She
dropped her hands sweepingly along
| her nurses costume, as If it had been
nuns robe. How did you ever
find me. here?"
TT would take too long to tell you
that Sylvia. No matter: have
found you--thats enough"
But what possible good can come
of this? What will 1t bring to either
OF us, Bradford? What. but Just
more heartache and more painP"
You won't listen to me, then ?" he
appealed.
| LISTEN, What have you to say?'
IF you know the work I've been
doing, Sylvia, and am doing"
| II know everything. Bradford. It's
wonderful! Nothing must ever stop
| it, now. Nothing must ever come
between you and that labor"
you knew about The Little Hav-
en-? Knew--and didn't tell me?'
Yes. I have ways OF finding out
things. here. The dregs of the un-
derword seep thru the wards:
learn much I've had almost daily
! news of you. But didn't let you
know. Again ! ask, what good could
ii have done?"
Good 2" He stretched out appeal
ing hands Couldn't we have worked
| together, Sylvia? Couldn't we have
co-operated? Couldn't we have--?'
NO" she denied. Shaking her
head. It'd only have been a handi-
cap on you In innumerable ways.
After the horrible charges made
against me-
| "Damnable lies, as l know now"
he interrupted savagely. "All the
time, from the very beginning, I
knew they were lies, lies. lies. I
knew 1t. Now I've got the proof"
Yes. It's all open to me. now. as
a book, the villainy that drove You
away. My fathers conspiracy with
Irwin Stage. and"
When did you find out. Brad
ford?"
Just few hours ago. from a
dope fiend I'm trying to cure"
Sylvia smiled oddly.
II only learned, last night, myself"
said She "E'rom dying woman of
! the streets Strange. isn't 1t, how
things happen in this world?"
You know" he demanded eager
~. You know the whole story,
too?" He grasped the back of a
chair with trembling hands, as he
stood facing her, and peered at her
with eager burning eyes.
"Shhh, Brndfordl Not so loud"
she cautioned him. ..Yes, J know the
whole story now--everything."
"Sylvia."
| what is it?"
why not-why not come back to
me, now? Now that we both under
stand the barbarous brutality that's
been put over on you? Why mott
Come back to me--lets start all over
again. YOU and I. with mistaken
faith and trust in each other--with
eyes blind to the past and seeing
only the future
He drew step nearer: but she re-
PEELED him, still. with her uplifted
hand.
"Don't, Bradford she entreated.
.'It's impossible" -
you mean you don't love me any
more. Sylvia? 2"
| ITS lust my love for you that's
speaking, now. as it did the night l
left home. It's just my love for you.
Rrad that tells me nothing can
ever change my decision--nothins'
that is, which lies within the bounds
Of the possible" 8
He laughed bitterly.
"Words ARE so cheap" said he.
It's trpe, tho, what I'm telling
you." she insisted, with terrPle
earnestness Listen. Bradford. She
/ came to him. took him by the hand
and looked steadily and honestly into
his eyes. "It's just because do love
1 YOU. boy and always shall, that I'm
putting away from me all the sweet
est holiest, noblest things OF wom-
ans life. For your sake, Bradford;
all for your sake :"
At can't believe that. Sylvia"
Nevertheless it's true. Our love
| has been so much, and meant SO
! much, to us, that nothing now must
ever sully or besmirch it. Even tho
| it comes to no fruition, we must Keep
it always. We must have 1t to look
| back on In the years to come, as
some very precious jewel wrapped
and put away in the inmost sanctu-
Iaries of our souls. We must keep its
memories to dwell upon with tender
ness and holy thoughts, even when
we both are old, Bartholomew
when all the fires of our lives shall
have burned away as tho to the
ashes of blessed roses"
Eyes, Sylvia-but I want you now
now, now!"
| "Don't-for Gods sake, DON'T" she
| whispered, dropping his hand and
covering her face with both of hers
Nothing can come of emotional APP
i peals." Again she looked at him
with strange eyes. This isN some.
thing to be solved by reason, not by
emotion. BY the head, not the heart
Even tho every accusation against me
were technically disproved, I'd be g
drag on you, all your life. Nothing
really is disproved, in the public
mind. Once a charge is made, some
of it always sticks. Always some
faint remains, especially in the case
of a. woman. One breath can SO be-
smirch woman that never, so Ions
as she lives, can she get clear of Il
again. My name has been banded
about the lowest cutters of the uh.
-derworld 1t has"
what does that matter, since it's
false, all <false?" he passionately
cried. "Is that the only valid objec.
\ ton you can raise?"
ITO be continually