White Bluffs spokesman. [volume] (White Bluffs, Wash.) 1907-1938, 1928-02-17

arms from about her, his face distort-
| ed with mingled resentment and an
| anguish Of hungry yearning. But he
clutched her skirt lest she get up
and run away. She only moved, how
ever, a few inches from him on the
log, her whole body trembling, her
face deathly white.
IF you touch me, I'll scream" she
gasped.
He could not find breath to answer
her.
"Can We" she asked scarcely above
whisper, stalk this here thing out,
Mr.. Creighton?"
"Whats there to say? I want you
You surely want me!-I'u amply re-
ward you"
"You mean-buy me?'
"Of course not-any more than
you'll buy me. We want each other,
Nicely! I'll reward you for the risk
you take-reward you we'll"
do you mean you'll give me-
money!"
"A pile Of it-that you can put
away for your marriage"
Nicely started-this was an amaz.
ing world that was being revealed to
her! She had not dreamed how far
some men would go, how ruthless they
could be, in degrading girl.
"For my marriage!" she breathed.
Zach, Mr. Creighton, ! didn't know
you thought that low-down of mel"
Before the look Of utter dismay that
had come into her face, he actually
felt, to his own bewilderment, a mo.
mentary embarrassment. Was she
going to be sentimental and scrupu-
lous? That would make things much
too difIicult-he had certainly not an
ticipated having to wrestle with
scruples!
II don't think 1ow-down' of you,
Nicely. We love each other"
'Love? But I'd think, Mr.. Creigh-
ton, that if man loved a girl he'd
purtect her, not hurt her!''
"But love never hurt anyone, Nicely
1t enriches and blesses-because 1t
gives ecstasy! Ecstasy, Meely!'
"Supposin' you had sister-would
you go ahead and tell her to take such
blessing and riches and ecstasy as
you're offerin' me? Would you?'
He ignored this ridiculous question.
"Meely, love should be as free and
natural to US as breathing this au-
tumn air! It's glorious adven-
ture-"
''But If it's that-'a glorious adven-
ture'-why make 1t sneakin', ugly
bargain that you gotta hide and be
ashamed of all your life?"
Ashamed? Look at those birds
and all the other wild, free thingsl
Are they ashamed? Then why should
we be ashamed when we're only yield
ing to our natures that God gave US"
He found himself reasoning with
her just as though he believed she
were seriously putting up all these
objections!
eyes, we'll, but the birds mate" she
answered, "and live in nest and
hatch young ones. That's what love
is-a home and children, living and
working together and bringing up
children. Nothing else is good enough
for me, Mr.. Creighton, thank you'll"
"Oh, Nicely, you don't realize ia
free, spontaneous love like ours can
be SO much more beautiful than the
deadly dull, stale marriage relation ~
Beautiful'l Sneakin' and hidin'
for fear we'll be found out land goin'
against the Nature you talk about =
for it's goin' against Nature when you
darsen't have a child. And you call
that love! That amt love, Mr..
Creighton. It's-well, what would you
call it? / don't know what you'd
call It'll"
eff all you see in love "a lovely
young creature like youD Is child
bearing"
"But that's what loves for, amt
tiff it's Nature you're plaguin' me
to follow. And you offerin' me money
yet for my marriage! AS If even
common man would marry me If he
knowed / was q loose woman! Even
workin' man. Mr.. Creighton, wants
his kids mother to be good woman /"
"But there's no right or wrong in
love, Meely-love is so divinely above
those superstitions! Love is"
II amt thinkin'," she broke in, $50
much about whether It's right or
wrong. It's whether it's good sense
for a girl to give herself to man
that thinks she amt good enough to
marry himl What's 1t worth to a
girl?"
(To BE CoNT1NUED.)