Plentywood herald. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1908-current, 1929-04-11
By
Kate O'Brien

Robert had come back. Past it, to its
implications, she did not trouble tc
look.
Felix was talking to Robert.
You're making me remember things
Forder," he was saying. 1T was an
awfully good summer. that last one
before the war, wasn't it?"
Robert agreed.
You were a great swimmer" Felix
went n. Faster than any of us" He
turned to Nan, seeking her help in his
amused "reminiscences. There was a
rock, wasn't there, that you and Fordei
used to race to every EVENING""
Yes" said Nan. THE Sleeping
Lady"
And then it all broke up suddenly
with the war news"
Yes" said Robert. II was in Pen
zance. When came back you were
all gone away"
Nan leaned forward then, and spoke
as II giving a message that she wanted
TO deliver long ago.
I'VE were simply rushed to town at
an hours notice, by the grownups," she
said. I'VE hated not seeing you to say
good-by. l wrote to the cottage from
London about five days later"
Robert smiled at her gratefully.
I'VE left two days after you," he said
Never went near the place again.
Redland was getting tired of remin-
iscences in which he had no share.
I'm afraid l must be going, Forder
It's getting on for eleven"
Robert stood up. Redland said good
night to Nan, and then engaged Felix
in some battle of wits. Robert spoke
to Nan.
Il wonder-if you could lunch with
me tomorrow"
Mans eyes were troubled.
I'm sorry" she said haltingly, 81
promised Felix"
An echo rang in their hearts.
20, we'll" said Robert, another time
perhaps"
Another time"
He went away then with Redland.
Felix fingered to say good night. But
Nan was tired now, and very soon he
left, too, feeling unhappy for one in
his light hearted life, far more I'M
happy than a newly accepted lover
ought to feel.
Nan sat by the fire for a long time
Exaltation had given place in her tC
sadness. She loved Robert, Robert
who had always held her back from
loving any n else. After thirteen
years he had come back. If he had
come today at six O'Clock it would have
been all right, but he had come at
half-past nine, foolish fellow. and by
then she had promised to marry Felix
She did not know that Robert wanted
to marry her; probably he was married
already.
But whether he cared or not was not
the point. What mattered was that
cbn hnd r,0dn I'M hnr MIND RI inpnvc
and bury this Robert business and
that being settled, to marry Felix. She
had felt that she must become mOre
than a match for a ghost, once she
gave her mind to coping with one. But
the man who had come back to her to-
night was no ghost, and at the first
meeting with him all her defenses hao
fallen.
Colby now and without exaggeratior
she told herself that there could be nc
safety for her, and no honesty, in mar
riage with Felix. And here tonight
she had said that she loved him, thai
she would marry him.
She did not sleep. WEAKNESS hac
followed exaltation, and torment nov
followed both.
The hours crept back to daylight
When Felix rang up at breakfast time
she told her maid to say that she was
still asleep.
Suddenly, when the sun flashed into
the room, she wrote a letter.
Dear Felix: I gave you a promise
last night which I should not have
given, because I cannot keep it. ]
have always kept my promises to you
but l cannot marry you, because l de
not love you enough for that. ! failed
you last night when I said that / did
but 1 should be failing you hopelessly