The Arvada enterprise., 1924-02-07
CHAPTER vI-continued.

| H.
| Prosper smoked und stood there
looking, now ut her. now ut the fire
| Al last. with difficulty he smiled
You are not going to make 1t easy
| for me, are you. .1oan?"
For her part she was not looking nt
him. She kept her eyes on the fire and
this averted look dlstre ssed and irri
tuted his nerves.
II am not trying to make II hnr1.
she said: II want you to say whut
you came to say and go"
Did you ever love me. JoanT'
He had said 1t to force a look from
her. but 1t had the effect only Of max.
Ing her more still. II possible.
II don't know" she said slowly, an
swering with her old directness. IL
thought you needed me. I was alone.
I was scared of the emptiness when
went out and looked down the valley.
I thought Pierre had gone out OF the
world and there was no living thing
that wanted me. l came back and you
met me and you put your arms round
me and you sald"-she closed her
eyes and repeated his speech as
though she had just heard it-"'Don't
leave me, JOAN"
Her voice was more than ever be-
fora moving and expressive. Prosper
felt that haif-forgotten thrill. The
muscles Of his throat contracted.
"Joan. I did want you. I spoke the
TRUTH" he pleaded.
She went on with no impn tIeEce but
very coldiy. "YOu came to tell me
your side. VIII you tell me. plense?"
For the hrst time she looked into
his eyes and he drew In his breath
at the misery Of hers.
II built that cabin. Joan." he said.
"fOr another woman"
"YOur' 'wifer' asked Joan.
"No."
"For the one I said must have been
lIke 4 t,l: chIld2 She wasn't your
wife? She was dead?"
Prosper shook his head. "No. Did
yo1 think that? She was q woman
loved at that time very dearly and she
was already married to another man."
"You built that house for her? I
don't understand"
"She had promised to leave her hus.
band and to come away with me. l
had everything ready. those rooms.
those clothes, those materials. and
when I went out to get her. had q
message saying that her courage had
failed her. that she wouldn't come"
''She was q better woman than me"
said Joan bitterly.
Prosper laughed. "Isy Cd. she was
not She sent me down to HI. l
couldn't go back to the East again.
I had laid very careful and elaborate
plans. was trapped out there In
that horrible winter country :"
ut was not horrible" said Joan
violently; "it was the most wonderful.
beautiful country In all the world"
And tears ran suddenly down her face.
But she would not let him come
near to comfort her. "Go on" she
said presently.
Before you came, JOAN" Prosper
went on. at was horrible. 1t was like
being starved. Everything In the house
reminded me of-her. I had planned 1t
all very carefully and we were TO
have been-happy. You can fancy
what II was TO be there alone"
Joan nodded. She was just and she
was honestly trying to put herself in
his place. Eyes" she sad. III had
gone back and Pierre had been dead,
his homestead would lave been like
that TO me"
at wns because I was so miserable
that | went out TO hunt I'd scoui
the country all day and half the night
70 tire myself out. that | could gel
some sleep. was pretty far from
home that moonlight night when
heard you Scream for help
Joan's face grew whittier. Don't tel
about that" she pleaded.
re pnused. choosing another open
Ing. AFTER had handagcd you nn,
told YOU that Pierre was dend-ant
! honestly thought he was-I dldn'
know what to do with you. Yo,
CpuINu |" lclt. WUu IlleT" WIS III
ncighhor nearer thnn my own house
besides. I had sho, u man. and. per
haps-I don't know. maybe I was In
Nucnced by your beauty, by my owl
rrnzy loneliness. You wer,
very beautiful and very desolnfe.
was in u fury over the bru'es treat
mcnt of you :"
"lnsh !" said Joan: 'you are not t,
| talk about Pierre"
Prosper shrugged. ~ decided I,
take you home with me. wanted yo,
desperately, Just. | believe. TO taxi
.are Of. Just 10 be- kind to-truly. Joan
| I was lonely TO the point OF madness
Some one 10 care for. some one I,
talk fo, was absolutely necessary I,
snvc my reason. So when was lead
Ing you out. IL saw plcrrc's han,
move -"