Evening star., 1930-12-16
INsTALLMENr XIII.

n A H, do let us get warmi" Mar
~ garet said impatiently, after
"A the silent, =. uncomfortable
Il u meal, when she and Stan
went into the living room
which was like an ice box. "I feel as
q I had not been warm for years! ]
think / must be tiredl" she said.
Stanley, in an agony of sympathy
and concern, piled the logs on the fire
gecklessly; the first heartening sap was
heard and then volley of snaps and
crackleS.
Gradually the stupid aching and
heaviness of Margarets limbs relaxed,
and some of the ice that was packed
about her heart melted, too.
''rve been doing too much today, and
yesterday I was in town." she con-
3essed. 1--WE been rushing about with
Jimmie, and then, when he mapped or
rested, Nora and I have been accom-
plishing marvels With Hang gone, one
attempts too much"
"And you cried, dear?" Stanley per-
sisted, his own heart so full Of pain OF
tt, and the tragedy of it, that he could
not spare her.
"Ah, my dear. my dear" said Mar
garet, after long look, and a longer
silence, when her blue eyes were on
the fire, you know why cried!"
TELL me-" he said, trembling.
'T cried for the moon," she con-
&eSSed. "It all came over me-" she
added, in low tone and with ges-
t1re that indicated her slender self,
outstretehed in her chair, "it all came
over me how young I am, how long
the years will be and how I-lloW
want to belong to you'll How / want
to be everything that woman can be,
beloved and needed and followed about
the farm and consulted and laughed at
and that-that-" stammered ifar-
garet, her voice suddenly thickening
with tears again-"that it can't be; it's
not for mel I'm forced to go away
to be alone-to waste all these wonder
ful years of living and loving
"And it seems to me-" she sobhed,
burying her head in her hands, 81 can't
20 away from Uplands, to be all alone
again, to try to make friends, to read
just books and to sit in the evenings,
when Jim Is in bed, remembering you
and how wonderful you've been to me
and what you've given me and taught
mel"
She sebbed brokenly for moment,
gathered her self-control desperately.
'I didn't know you were coming
down this evening" she said, in a cas-
ually conversational tone that steadied
on every syllable.
NO" Stanley answered gravely, on
exactly the same note, "I told you
wouldn't come. I didn't mean to come.
But-but saw you in town yesterday
going into the Palace and thought,
everything considered, that this might
be q good time for me to come down.
wasn't sure you were here again!"
This was anything but the truth; but
anything to calm her, he thought, in
actual terror of her tears. But he felt
ashamed when she gave him grateful
look from the blue eyes behind those
babyish, sopping lashes.
Whatever brought you" she said,
cit is most fortunate. Because Nora
and have been planning all day, and
It was our plans-Jim's and mine-that
took me into town yesterday. We go
tomorrow Yes, of course, that's all
can do" she added quickly, as Stanley
looked up. "I must go away for while,
at least, until things here are-settled. -
Until I am married" Stanley sup
piled, suddenly hoarSe,
"T suppose So" she conceded, very
low. "I wish it might have been diff
1erent, Stan." she said, not quite SO
steadily as before. zone hears Of great
love all ones life-but it has to be felt
doesn't It? My whole life, these last
few days, Is Just you"
Her voice choked, and she was still