The Daily Alaska empire., 1932-08-24

fSly 6C1iSiJ ilC puL lhT OdCk II the chair, standing beside her ant
 holding her hand.
 Why did you run away, Son dra9"
 The tears were raining down he, face; until this moment she hat | not known how much she wanted to see him.
 Nobody wanted me. t. thing: were so different. -. I hadn' an, where to go." You could have come to me" She shook her head.
 You didn't want me" sht whispered.
 'Not want you. .." For mo- ment he was silent, then he saic quietly. Well talk about that presently, but there is something I want to ask you first"
 Yes. ."
 Will you marry me, Sondra?"
 The silence of the world seemed to fall on the little room, and suddenly Sondra seemed once again to see a river, and Marks face bent above her own.
 She gave a little smothered cry and drew her hand away from Anderson's. "I-cant," she said.
 She looked up at him with tears in her eyes.
 This was what she had dreaded; {; this was the moment she had tried so hard to avoid, but after all there was to be no escape
 Anderson's quiet face had paled a litt.>
 Does that mean you don't want to?" he asked with a faint smile. Or are you saying it because you are angry with me? I should have asked you months ago Sondra, you know that-but I wasn't free"
 She tried desperately to take refuge in pretended anger.
 T don't know why you are say ing this-now. You haven't been near me for weeks-you never even wrote to me or told me you were coming home. If you think I can forget the way you've treated me"
 He said patiently: T kept away because I wanted you to find out for yourself if you wanted me or some other man. I think you were getting a little tired of me until I stayed away. Perhaps I was wrong, but - forgive me Son. dra-I though it was Merriman you cared for. He is a much youn- ger man than I am, perhaps more suited to you-Forgive me if I was wrong"
 She turned her face sharply away, but he saw the hot blood rush from her chin to her hair After moment he said again.
 T want to be quite honest with you Sondra, as have always trieq to be, so I am going to tell yoq that the night before Merri- man sailed away, when you told ma you were with Beatrice Taylor, I cid not believe you. Perhaps you can guess what I thought. I believe now that I was wrong and so I can only hope once agafr. that you will forgive me. It hasn't always been easy-try- ing to be just friend to you"
 She said with a little hysterical note in her voice.
 It would be interesting to know why you suddenly think you may have been wrong?"
 Anderson said quietly
 Tt was the look in your eyes that day we met in the park. I thought. -. I hoped-that per- iaps you had discovered that you liked me. just little more than as a friend"
 She laughed mirthlessly.
 "You thought, in fact, that a little neglect had done me good, is that it? That I had fallen in love with you all at once. :"
 Anderson did not answer for a then suddenly he stopped ana lifted her to her feet again, keeping his arms about her.
 Don't hurt me any more Son. dra-I love you so much. Oh. my dear, don't hurt me any more-if you knew how I've wanted you 
 She tried to fight against him, tried in vain to hold him back. Don't. !. oh, please, don't. Oh, you mustn't
 Anderson laughed triumphantly.
 Mustn't! '. when I've waited so long"
 John" but her words were siierced against her lips.
 A sudden flashing thought swept through Sondra's mind. Mark never kissed me like this. it wasn't the same. nobody has ever made me feel like this"