The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1921-09-26

Answer me, Are you engaged 10
Qucrne or notf"
He looked very fierce and master.
full and yet there was something al
most patheticaily boyish about him.
too. Lillian Fame was years older
than he In things OF worldly Wis.
dom bu, for all her SELF possession
sudden splash OF color dyed her face
-Roric. you mustn't" Her voice
shook a httlc--,herc IL always Sonic.
thing In niastrrfui man that APP
peais 10 the strongest woman. You
know you mustn't. co away--go
away
Il VIII so when you save answered
me. Are you engaged to ouerna or
nor
She looked past him towards tho
door. almost timidly II seemed: then
she raised her eyes to his face.
-Yes--f am"
There was n tragic silence. Then
Rorie ioosencd his grasp Of her
wrists. lie looked a little dared. az
n he. had not quite understood lie
forced a laugh.
Lillian looked down nj her wrists
rcscntfully. There was a red mark
on tho white flesh vhcro his fingers
had gFasped her.
You've hurt me- she said. com
piainIngiy.
Rorie made no answer. lie turned
towards the door.
She watched him from under her
long iashes. and suddenly she
thought Of Bartlett ouerne. who was
neither young. nor tail. nor good TO
look AT. as Rorie was. but--onIy a
r1lilionairci and for a second her
worldly heart contracted with an
unusual pain.
''Rorier She spoke his narne
softly. She rose 10 her feet and
crossed the room rapidly. catching
HIS arm az he was about 70 open the
door. ''Rorie. don't 20 like that I
couldn't bear 10 be poor--but 4 do
love you-you know l do
Young Briton stood quite still
"ff you did--you would not mind
being poor" he said. Old Frrger.
sons words were coming hack 20
him. with their sting OF truth.
Il should" f.iIlian's soft fingers
stole down TO his hand. And 80
would youl You wouldn't love me II
I had TO wear the same frock all
day and every dGy. and cheap shoes
and ugly hats. oh. know you
think you would-that IL what all
the men say: but you wouldn't
realty You're just as selfish as
am. I know how you must have
hated u when you knew about your
fathers wiz. oh. poor Rorie.
was so sorry for you. cried myself
sick with disappointment | know
what poverty IT, I've had 10 live in
IL all my life. Mother and are In
debt for the very clothes We wear
and the food We eat. We couldn't
live at all II the horrid people didn't
believe ! WIS going TO marry Querne.
II was Just the same before your
father died. Rorie: they only trusted
us because they believed | should
marry you. and they knew you
would be a rich man. When that
dreadful viii was known they came
down on us like n lot OF sharks.
had TO encourage Qucfne In sheer
scif-defense. It's impossible. utterly
impossible. for me TO marry a poor
man"
But. supposing was no, a poor
man7'
Rorie asked this question in an
odd voice. He remembered that LII.
liam had not yet heard OF the finding
OF the second will.
She dropped his hand. and
shrugged her white shoulders.
what is the use OF 'supposinET
ity. We're not living In a fairy
story She glanced Ut him. Il
wish we were" she added.
Rorie turned: he took her face be
tween his hands and looked down
into her beautiful eyes with sudden
usefulness in his own. The scent
Of the roses she wore mounted gid.
Oily TO his head--rcal roses there.
he told himself blindly. not faded
paper limitations.
And you don't love me well
enough TO do without the money!
he asked.
She tried TO free herself; she
found his gaze disconccrting. Be
meath II she felt herself small and
mean. But--''You don't understand"
was all she said. rcstlessiy. You
don't understand"
Young Briton let his hands fan 10
his side.
IL think I undcrstand--too well.
he said. In choking voice.
He looked at her and thought OF
Resale Dean: she had been only
too willing to face the prospect OF
hardship and poverty for his sake.
For almost the first time he won.
dered II she had really cared for
him; gratitude he knew she had felt.
but had there been anything more
than that in her childs heart? He
could not bear TO think OF II: but
an at once 1t seemed as II there was
an impasssble barrier between him.
self and this woman who was TO
marry Bartlett Qucrnc. The rich