Iron County news. [volume] (Hurley, Wis.) 1913-1950, 1924-11-15
The Mystery Road
Bye. PHILLIPS OPPENF1EIM
intraN Ruwn4

Of It. Mostly 1t is a little company "
pleasure seekers, come to cast aside
for time the serious side of life and
gamble with their pleasures as they
do with their money"
But some must be In earnest Myr-
tile protested.
zone of them who is not in earnest
is Gerald, and l tell you so, although
Gerald is my friend" Christopher said
HE is here to amuse himself, and he
would prefer to amuse himself with
out giving anyone else pain. If that is
impossible, however, he Is sufficiently
reckless not TO count the cost where
the other person is concerned"
She drew a little away
THAT does not sound like the
speech Of friend" she reminded him
reproachfully.
but l can assure that / am his
friend. although candid one" Chris
TOPPER declared. "All that have said
to YOU have said to him. and a great
deal more. You viii let me fnish?"
She made no reply. Her eyes were
fixed upon the exact spot where the
sea seemed to melt into the clouds.
The grace OF her slim body lent
beauty even to the bunch OF her
shoulders.
you are ike a child who has been
let out OF a dark ROOM" Christopher
went on. Everything seems beaut-
full, but you don't see clearly-your
eyes aren't strong enough yet. What
you imagine to be love is a worse
thing. Gerald does not love you. He
can never marry you. He belongs to
that world at which you are looking
with blurred eyes. MYRTLE, don't yoT
want to be good2"
81 want to be happy" MYRTLE re
piled. II shall always be good"
How do you know tlntr
Because l am all good inside" she
said. II couldn't do any OF the things
that wicked people do"
Christopher sat for a moment in
puzzled thought.
Look here" he went on, "lf you
love Gerald, and Gerald doesn't lovs
you, and you are content with the
pretense Of his love, ahd you go on low
| ing him, and you know that you can
not be his wife, then you are not good
any longer"
She shook her head.
"There is only once in my life" she
said, that / have ever come near sin,
and that is when l thought of staying
at the farm and marrying Pierre Les
champs. l love Gerald All that l
need 10 be happy and good Is that he
should love me-"
But Gersld does not love you and
never will" Christopher declared
bluntly. Gerald, at the present mo-
ment, at any rate, Is incapable of
stable affection, and If he were ca
puble Of IL, his people would not allow
him 10 marry you"
~ do not wish him TO marry me-"
she declared, with little choke IN her
| voice
Perhaps not" ne replied. "In that
| case you should listen to me more
patiently. l want you to leave this
| place and go to some friends OF nina
! In England"
what. alonel"
| Alone"
She shook her head.
| christopher" she said, suddenly
slipping her arm through his, 81 think
| you want to be kind to me. believe
that you are very good-perhaps you
are better than Gerald. But so long
| as Gerald wants me near, l shall stay.
/ Even If he goes about with otheR
people, ne thinks of me- He has told
me so, and he has promised to take me-
to one OF his supper parties this week.
| / am looking forward to 1t more than
! to anything else In the wsrld."
Christopher's face hardened.
You VIII not go TO one Of those sup
per parties. AIsrtile." he insisted. Il
/ would rather tabe you back to the
farm"
She turned hen head and looked at
! him. There was soulSthlng In her eyes
/ fNom which lie Misunderstanding very
/ much like hate.
| She saw the pain IN his face and she
was suddenly remorsefCt. She cling
TO his arm again. Her cheek almost
/ touched his.
Christopher b dear Christopher"
/ she pleaded. II did not mean to hurt
you know how good you are, but
/ Just think how wonderful it would be-
for me to 90 with. Gerald, TO meet other
girls. to laugh and talk, TO sit by his
| side. his guest. 10 dance. perhaps-oh,
/ II would be paradise! Everybody elsa
! goes to parties, Christopher"
81 will take you to ths opera, he
/ promised.
+ Her eyes glowed.