The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1922-01-05
Rankin Proves
His Fidelity |:
By MARVIN ST. JOHNS


Copyright. 1921. Western Newspaper Union
IF you can love me without seeing
me or hearing from me for q whole
year, then l will marry you," she had
said; and the year had passed and
Rankin still loved her.
He was standing by the same Ad.
irondacks lake where they had met
twelve months before. It was a cool
day in July; the wind was skimmine
over the surface Of the water, the
pines rustled, a loon was crying fal
away. Everything in nature had con
tributed to make that day one fol
perfect remembrance. And it was the
same today as it had been.
She was secretary of the president OF
a corporation, Rankin had learned
and she was recovering from serious
illness.
Those days of meeting! That de.
lirious happiness of love confessed
This was no filtration. They were
made for each other. But she would
not tell him her name, nor let him
come to her hotel.
II have very good reason" she
answered when he protested. "You
must not try to find out anything
more about me now. But If you can
love me for a whole year, then I will
marry you"
"And never know who you are?''
he cried.
'Oh, I'm nobody mysterious, just q
plain workaday woman" she answered
smiling.
"And when the year has passed.?
~ shall be here next year. shall
wait for you here-let me see, today
is July %. A year from today"
And all his pleas were unavailing
IF you could love mel mean me-
apart from these external things" she
sighed.
II adore you," insisted Rankin. That
was on their last day together. He
gathered her into his arms and, kiss
ing her, knew that his love was truly
returned.
A trout leaped in the lake among
the lily pads, and Rankin drew q
length Of line from his reel.
II believe I'll have a cast for that
fellow" he said, and raised his rod
and threw it forward. The line caught
behind him. Rankin heard stifled
cry and turned. Upon the barbed fly
was the girls hat, and under it a
complete toupee Of hair.
Before he could stir, the girl, with
low cry, pressed her hands to her
mead and darted into the underground.
He understood now what she meant
by her disparagement of his praises,
and the remembrance, the rising pity,
made his love truer and more intense
than before. During the year that
followed, throughout the fall and the
long, cold winter months he dreamed
perpetually of a lakes studded with
sunshine, and girl who stood beside
him on it's brink. He stood upon the
wooded point of the same lake year
later and waited. And then-she stood
before him.
"Yo:::" ne exclaimed, catching her
by the hands and looking at her with
utter incredulity.
"You!" she answered, and the Joy
in her face reflected that upon his
own. ooh, I never dreamed that you
would come"
"rhen why did you Gomez" asked
Rankin.
because had pledged my word"
she answered.
II have come back to prove that 1t
was no jest" Rankin answered.
"No," she cried, and her cheeks
grew scarlet. you can't want to
whispered.
"But I do want you," he answered,
taking her by the hands, If you had
never told me. but married me, and
I had discovered it afterward, I should
have been just as glad"
She faced him squarely, looking full
into his eyes. "Suppose I put you
to the test" she said. "Dare you
look upon me now-as I am-and
then say that you wish to marry me?'
quietly.
For answer she unpinned her hat
and placed it on the ground Then
she shook out her hair, and swept
it back carelessly and looked taunt-
ingly at him.
'Take it," she said, and held out the
glitterirg strands Rankin stood
watching her, his arms folded; it was
indeed the supreme test Of a mans
love, to see his sweetheart disigured.
shorn, her beauty suddenly become
grotesque.
Suddenly, with an impetuous motion
she flung her arms round him.
20 my dear, believe in you now"
she cried. Listen! I told you I had
been very i'll with typhoid last sum-
mer. They cut my hair when I was
unconscious. Then I came up here
to get well. and-and wore a wig.
And when you discovered my secret I
thought I would die of modification.
That, too, was why I wouldn't tell
you anything then. But now, my dear,
I don't have to wear toupee, because
my hair is mine-do you understand?
I can't cause you any humiliation or
regrets because"
Because I love you," answered
Rankin: and the looms distant laugh
seemed less ironical than of usual.
A Sense Of Power,
Aren't your chauffeur and your
cook trif1e overbearing In their man