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About The Alliance herald. (Alliance, Box Butte County, Neb.) 1902-1922 | View Entire Issue (Feb. 10, 1910)
Pv - - 'in- MMAMMNtlliM .gmrwmmmm&mmimmiti nmmm II II i!l n it i , i ' Hi ! II W ill i jFrj&& - (" tesZr- JUS- vv Aov c WrAJ ". cofi'liKHXitoe, by JO ir,veorr re ML erJJtfy SYNOPSIS. " CIIAPTKn I.--Ilk:iard Dorrlnff, returning- from a winter In tho woods to his mother' farm home, Is overtaken by his uncle, accompanied by Ills eccentric wife, coming to pay a visit at tho farm. CHAPTER H.-Ajnt Jarusha'ii ques tions about Emily Fulton, supjioned to be lllchnrd's sweethonrt, bring out tho fact that she la to marry a merchant, Ed ward. CHAPTEIt IU.-DorrlnB'B disappoint ment stimulate his ambition and un der tho advice of Beth Kinney, a hermit of tho woods, ho resolves to fit himself for collide. KInnoy promises to teach him Greek. CHAPTKU IV. Derrlns tells his moth er his rcsolvo, and In his grandfather's old lnbriralory bculns the study of Greek. CHAPTER V.-Beth KInnoy hears Rich ard's Greek recitation In tho woods while lie and Tom Bishop ply the cross-cut aw. CHAPTER VLDenlng learns that he can look Indifferently upon tho loss of Emily. He visits Aunt Jorushn, who vol unteers to help him through college, mak InK him a Rift of $100. CHAPTER VII. The Greek learned In tho woods carries Richard triumphantly tlirouch entrance' examinations, wins ap proval ffom tho profpesor nnd insures his popularity anions his fellows. CHAPTER VIII. Four years In college obliterates the memory of Kinlly. Der rlng begins his Jouvwtllstlc work In Chl curo. CHAPTER IX. DerrlnB meets Helen Gordon In her Rtudlo, where he kocs to fill an assignment. CHAPTER X. DcrrlnR's promotion to art critic on his paper makes him moro eecuro financially. He makes rapid prog ress in comradeship with Helen. The dis covery of nn old love eplsodo In her life reveals to him that ho loves her. CHAPTER XI. He sought hor tho noxt day In the studio rind found her occupied with a pupil. Ho had forgotten it was her day for pupils. Slio would- bo busy until four o'clock. "I will come around and walk homo with you if I may." "Very well," she assented. They otood in the doorway, Just out ef sight of the pupil. He was watch ing her face anxiously. Ho fancied that sho looked palo and worn, as if elm had not slept. "You aro tired 7" ho questioned In a low tone. Sno admitted that she was "a lit tle." "PcrhapB I would bettor not come for you to-night." "No. Come. It will rest mo to have some one to talk to." "But If I como, I shall Bpeak," ho in sisted. Sho Old not ralso her eyes to his as tie had b.ilf hoped. Sho hesitated for a monrnt, and then only said, as she turned Uwnrds tho studio, "I will wait for you." Ho left the building, a tumult of Joy and doubt in his heart. She had given him permission to speak, but she seemed to have refused his demand before it was made, He dared not bopo. Ho hoped in spite of fear. As tho day wore on tho fear sub sided and tho Joy of love took pos session of him. That, at least, she' could not take away, no matter what she might refuse. Ho found her alone, at work in the gray afternoon light. "I am improving tho last minutes," she said, looking up as ho entered and speaking lightly, as it cngcr to put tholr meeting on a commonplaco foot ing. He did not answer, but seated him self on the long couch opposite hor. Ho watched her as she sketched in the outline of n still-life study. She was sitting as usual, with the light falling full upon her. Yes, he had been right. Her face was pale. "What is it?"' he asked abruptly, at last, in a low tone. "1 nm afraid of it," sho answero'd quietly. "Why?" "Because thing3 will never be the same again." "I hopo not," he responded quickly. "I want them to be. I don't want them to change," sho replied a quickly. Then they shall not I won't say anything more." A silence fell on the studio. The shadows in tho corners grew darker and lengthened softly toward the cen ter or tho room. Tho light suited the room, Derrlng thought, as ho Bat wait ing for her to speak. The harmonious tones aud subdued colors seemed to gather and center in the quiet figure under the skylight It was always so. She would always gather the light and life in everything and transmute it to something softened and human. She was trying the colors on the dgo of her block, making ready tn wash In the sketch. She spoke slow ly, without looking up. "But you know that I love you?" Derrlng started suddenly. "No, J didn't know you hadn't told me " Their eyes met and they broke into a laugh. "You will marry mo?" he said bluntly. 4 'No." "Why not?" Sho had become absorbed in tho edge of- her sketch and was draw ing futllo, Ineffective) lines. "Why not?" ho repeated. "It's so solflsh" after a pause. "Selfish?" blankly. "Yes, two poople fall In love and they forgot everything else and mar ry. They seem to think that love Jus tifies everything." "It does." "But thoro nro other claims." Ho was looking at hor intently. "Grace must bo sent to school and tho boys aro hardly nblo to take enre of themselves; and there is mother. They all depend on mo. Don't you see thnt It would be selfish?" Sho was leaning forward and looking nt htm, imporsonnlly, with tho old nlr of com radeship. "Bnt I would help." "I know. But you have no right to marry yot Thoro would bo children, and tho children of Bohemia are not always so happy as tholr parents. It Is not fair that two people should bo happy at tho oxpense of so much. Probably marrlngo was meant to be right', but It Is all wrong as things are now." Spoken vlth quiet conviction, rap idly. Whatever sho decided must bo right. But ono phrase stirred his pulses. "That two people should bo happy," ho repeated. "You think " "I think that most marriages nro mistakes," she replied, taking up her brush again and sketching rapidly. "Poople nre madly In love. They mar ry. And then apparently tho lovo dies. I should dio myself," sho said quickly. "I could not bear that" He had risen and was standing, one hand raised and resting on the easel, looking down at her. She lifted her faco to his, smiling at him a little wistfully. "I had not hoped that you would understand. I thought there would be an explana tion nnd partingtK "Not that never!" "But there nre no promises," she said quickly. "No," holding up her hand as he would have Interrupted fMwlr-nfS rUL AL A "But If We Were Bound by Marriage" She Broke Off, Looking Straight Before Her. J ., . w.uw IU..14 juu, jwu svuuw. ' You may outgrow mo. You must not be bound oven by a promise. If we are made for each other, we shall find It out, as tlmo goes on, without them; nnd If we are not. we shall only drift farther apart nnd there will bo no pain for what never really existed. But if wo were bound by marriage " She broke off, looking straight before hor. "You have loved before." He was looking down at her. "You would not reason so clearly " "I thought once that I loved." Her oyes were on her work Tho question sprang to his lips, "And ho Is dead" "Thank God yes." He stared at hor blankly, "I should not have found out In tlmo. We Bhould have been miser able I thought I loved him. I mourn ed a long time. But lately I have known " Her head bent lower over her work. His face deepened. He started to wards her. "Ah, you have learned " "I have learned that I dare not trust myself," she said. She began to gath er up her materials and put them away. Presently she stood beside him. She bad put on the long gray cloak. "I am going now," she said. He looked about for his hat and found it still in his hand. Ho held it out with a whimsical gesture. "I have been eminently proper," he said. With a laugh of the old comrade ship she "held out her hand and be covered Uwlth his own. "It is a compact?" ho said. 'That there aro no proinlccs," she CHAPTER XU. But If thoro wore no promises, thero was much happiness in tho months that followed. After the talk In the studio their llfo assumed n now phaso something as far romoved from tho unrest of courtship on tho ono hand, as from tho commonplaceness of mar ried llfo on the other. Derrlng had accepted her decision as final. There was to bo no marrlago not oven a promiso of mnrrlago at come distant day. His love for hor must begin and end In Itself. One less capable of love, or ono who had longed less for love, might have fret ted at tho anomalous position in which ho found himself neither aspirant nor ncccpted lover. But to Derrlng It seemed that never slnco man was created had a lovo so unique been upon tho earth. Ho was at tho studio dally, some times sovcral times a day. He fell Into tho habit of going thero to wrlto up the articles for whtch he had been gathering material an art lecture be low stairs or a first view above. Oft en ho read these articles to her as she sat at work. Her criticisms wero frank and unsparing. Sometimes for days together, n stranger, overhearing them as they talked or Jested, would not have guessed that they were more than good comrades. Only, now and then, a word, half-breathed, as he sat watching her move about tho studio, would speak volumes and brldgo over hours of commonplace. Thon again there would bo days Avhen thoy would talk of their lov.o ns of any accepted fact of common Interest Perhaps nowhere but In the art world could such a friendship have ox Isted without dnnger of misunder standing. At tho boarding house they had instinctively remained moro tabic acquaintances. But among tho artists they camo and went with Platonlo freedom. No ono criticised. No ono watched with malicious oyes. Horo, as wherover artists meet, life was too busy for petty spying. Or is It, after all, not indlfforenco or preoccupation, but tho inherent purity of an appar ently careless life, that makes artists slow to think evil of ench other? In any enso, these two were safe among them from fear of misunderstanding; and Derring was In tho studio when over his work, or leisure, gavo him op portunity. "I always knew you must bo some where," ho said ono day. He had finished writing and sat leaning back, his hands clasped behind his head. It had been half an hour since ho fin ished work and no word had broken the silence till ho spoko. "I never dared believe I should And you, though," he continued. Sho was turning her head to one side and leaning back, with half-closed eyes', to get a view of tho last wash. "Yes, you wero a good whilo finding it out." She gavo critical touches here and thero with the extended brush. He started suddenly forward to an upright position. "What do you mean? Did you know or care?" "That is another strange thing," she said, smiling a little to him, "tho woman always knows first. But sho must wait patiently until tho man's lumbering Intelligence finds it out." "But I never dreamed," ho persisted, coming back to the concrete case. "You scorned so Indifferent " "Of course. It wouldn't have been modest not to. And, besides, I did not want you to find out. I didn't eupposo any man could be generous enough to understand how a woman might feel." "It isn't that wo don't understand. Any ono can soo how unfair marrlago Is to a woman that it compels her to glvo up everything and offers her nothing. Wo seo It plainly enough. But what can wo do? Wo love you", and most of us see no way out of it but marriage." "Now it is you who are hard," sho returned. "The fault cannot all He on one aide. Marriage, in itself, is no harder for a woman to-day, I suppose, than it has always been. Tho differ ence is that so many other ways of happiness are open to her; and when she finds her marrlago a failure, sho does not try to mako tho best of it. j without protest, as the oply thing open to her. Sho is moro restive un- I der her own mistake than when fate 1 left her no choice. So everything gets Into a nice tangle and they don't live happy forever afterwards," sho finished laughingly. Gradually ho camo to understand that her determination not to marry him was influenced by something stronger than a mero personal shrink ing from a falso marriage. She would wl AUUA4J, uwuuav auu nuuiu UUk kur.V a selfish happiness at the expense of her mother and thoso that depended on her; but moro than that, and deep er, sho would not by a rash promise add one more to the marriages that end In vain regret or divorce. Gradually, too, he came to under stand moro fully what she had meant by saying that If they wero mado for each other they would find It out with out promises, and If not, it were a thousand tlir.c3 b't.wt they Bhould drift apart. And a3 hu came to under stand, an element of reverence min gled with his love for her, deepening and intensifying it Ho himself would not have ques tioned. He would gladly have mar ried. To him it would not have been a test, but a consummation. But that they were not to marry did not trou ble him. Why should ho ask more of a love that was proving the fulfillment of all the longing of his boyhood and youth? It was transforming him mind, body and soul. His frame, which had been tall, spare, and loosely built, began to fill and settle Into strength! his step became firm and quick; his head took a firmer poise above the square shoulders; even his m mr ri 1 V l III II III I IIMI II, I , wl i ,m i , , wm g '- J" i u ii .. Often He Read Those Articles to Her as She Sat at Work. eyes shared In the metamorphosis they lost their dreamy, pleading look and became alert, laughing, and full 6f happiness and a strange power that seemed no longer to ask, but to com mand help and sympathy from all who met their glanco. Something of this change Derring himself recognized. Ho know that he was alive, glowing in every fiber; but he was loss analytic In his happiness than in his misery; ho did not see that hla overflowing vitality commun icated Itself to everyone with whom he came In contact It was only when some one spoko of the change that ho know that it was being marked. He exulted in his heart that no ono guessod tho cause. He was settled down nnd working with a vigor of which he had not tlreamod hlmaelf capable. Everything bont before him. He felt within him self powor to conquer tho world' should it stand in his way. Sometimes he clenched his hands nnd stretched his armB to their fullest to give outlet to tho play Impulse that could not ex haust Itself In work. In his inner life, too, a change, less perceptible, but no less real, was tak ing place. Sight and hearing wero opened to new beauty. Music had become to him a medium of soul speech; and tho sordid city streets, with their overhanging clouds of smoke, started to picturesque llfo and beauty. A long archway with a slant of sun shine nt tho farther end an Italian woman stealing Into the shadow, a huge bundlo on her back and colored kerchief about her head would stli his pulses Hko an old painting. The unsightly process of building, with its debris of mortar, bricks, and lath, gained artistic value as his eyes tool; In the grouping of tho mon at work around tho mortar-beds tho soft, grny-whlto of tho mortar, tho dull red, blue or orange of tho shirts upon tho supple or stolid figures of the mon, with tho play of muscle beneath. Somotlmes It was a single figure, that might have stopped from a Ram brandt canvaB, appearing for a minute and disappearing in tho shifting crowd. Always, everywhere, there was beauty until Derrlng, seeing it all, longed at times to relieve his overcharged senses by a loud cry so wonderful, so overpowering, had the beauty of tho world become Undoubtedly much of this quicken ed Insight was duo to tho thought of Helen, who was never for a moment absent from his mind. Whatever work wns engaging his hand or brain deep below It all was a consciousness of her existence, like a second ego, only a thousand times dearer and moro inspiring than his own personali ty. It seemed to glvo him a sixth sense by which he perceived tho beau tiful until Helen gavo up In despair the attempt to transfer to canvas all that ho brought to her notice. It becamo a common sight for her sketching stool to be set up in some sheltered corner of tho busiest part of tho city. Derrlng, who had dreaded tho experiment, saw, with a thrill, that tho quiet powor of her personality that so rested and soothed blm was felt hero. Tho crowd either passed her by or stopped for a moment to look with respectful curiosity ns the work grew under her hand. Sometlmea a mason filled her water-can or a car penter paused for a moment In his work to adjust her umbrella. It was the Chicago spirit lalsses fairo, and help when you can. Except for the dust and rattle of tho street sho was as unmolested as in her quiet studio. CHAPTER XIII. The fall and early winter had been mild. In January it came on to snow and to blow; and with the snowing and blowing the thermometer dropped many degrees. Old Inhabitants told each other It was real "Chicago weather;" and new inhabitants shiv ered in their sealskins, or, lacking these, put on extra flannels. It was during the cold weather that Derrlng's work took him one after noon to Lakeviow to look over tho work of the Amateur Art club. Ab ho left the house after finishing his task a dull roar fell on his ear. He started ind listened eacorly ves. it was tho i 'ake. In a moment more his coat-col- '.ar was pulled up about his ears, his hat settled bore firmly over his eyes, ind he was on his way to the shore. Tho lake had a peculiar fascination for him. He could never resist it, es pecially when it was roaring and thundering like this. A few minutes' walk brought him In sight of the mounting, threatening, white-capped breakers. His heart leaped with exultation. Tho power of the stora wp.s on him. Ho longed to run, to leap, tor wrestle with It and I scream himself hoarse against Its tumult, it wns like the ocean that long stretch of lonely shoro as yot unprotected by the breakwater. Gradually, as ho looked, bo became conscious of something homelike and protected in the midst of the uproar. A thread of smoko rose from tho chim ney of a small, rudo house, far down the shore, almost within reach of tho threatening waves that ran up tho sandy beach. All about the houso boats lay etacked, evidently in winter quarters; and here nnd thero rem nants of fishing-tackle showed tho oc cupation of fair weather. Tho houso was sheathed in rough red boards and patched with artistic regularity. It was a skotch mado to hand a touch of nature within arm's reach of Chi cago. Helen was filled with enthusiasm and scoffed at his suggestion of wait ing for warmer weather. "Half Its charm Is in the contrast," sho pro tested. "Don't you see? winter quar ters In tho midst of all that tumult. I shall go up thlB afternoon." Derrlng consented unwillingly. He was obliged to go to Hydo Park for tho day, and It was not till four o'clock that he was free to seek her on the North Shoro. She was seated near tho point from which ho bad first seen the houso, an old piece of sail-cloth, fastened be tween two stakos, sheltering her from tho wind. Sho looked up when he approached as casually as if ho had stood thoro all the afternoon. "I haven't caught that wind and it Isn't cold enough too much blue, Isn't thore?" sho asked, holding hor head back and surveying her work critically. "Really, aren't you blue with too much cold?" ho rospondod mookly. "Don't be foolish. I am all right" He had taken off his overcoat and was fastening it around her shoulders. lM3fif. ., .'A - ' im'-'f; "' She Seemed to Him Already Dead Removed from Cnrosseo. "Oh, you mustn't do that. You'll take cold. Well, then, If you will only you must go into the houso and get warm. You'll find them highly en tertaining, besides being good," sho added. "They made me some hot cof fee and the man rigged up this sail cloth to keep off the wind. And there's a pair of candlesticks in there I would givo my eyes for. But they're not for sale. So you're not to raise my bid." "I couldn't raise It If It wore only a glance of your eyes let alono the eyes themselves." "I hopo you didn't como all tho way up hero in tho cold Just to be funny," she responded severely. But she did not vouchsafe him the glance. Sho was absorbed In washing out the un satisfactory sky for a second trial. Derrlng did not go into the house. Ho walkod rapidly up and down the beach, watching the angry sky and the isolated llttlo houso. Ho fancied that, as the early twilight settled down, It stood out moro distinctly and vividly emphasizing its individuality the work of man against the power of darkness. At last he came and looked over her shoulder. "Rather better, isn't it?" she asked complacently without looking up. "You have caught the very demon of the storm In those clouds." It was true. Sho had done what tho water"-colorlst seldom achieves suc ceeded in washing out her first at tempt and replacing it with tho desir ed effect The thorough wetting of the paper or a touch of genius had aided the second attempt, and the result was a wash clean and fresh in color and In the clouds what Derrlng had called the demon of tho storm. "Come," he said decisively as she sat putting in the last few touches llngerlngly. "Come. You must stop. It Is too dark. You will be frozen." She began to collect her sketching materials. "Leave those for me. Go on to tho house and get warm. I'll bring your traps." She started obedientlv towards thj house, breathing on her cold fingers to warm them. But so fierce was the wind she made slow progress, aud before she reached the house he was it her side. He opened the door that ushered them Into tho low room. Tho round-faced Dutchwoman who greeted them looked with kindly eyes on the young lady. She bustled about the room and placed an armchair near the fire. "You stayed out longer this time," sho said in a deep gjuttural voice. She gave a quick look of inter est from Helen to Derrlng. Helen sank Into the chair with a grateful smile, "Yes, I stayed out to fin " She had slipped noiselessly from the nrmchalr to the floor. With a quick exclamation Derrlng dropped to his knees '' s'de her. Tw ' nmwriTflsj j X w"l "jMuo ml (VWfe , only the heat," Bald tho Dutch woman practically. "Give her this.' She had prepared a draught pf brandy. Derrlng poured it between tho white lips, around which a bluo line was slowly settling. They watched for tho effect Derr lng eagerly, the woman with close at- tentlon. Thero was no Blgn of re turning life. Derrlng looked up in despair and the woman hurrledawny into an inner room for some other remedy. Ho leaned over tho motionless fig ure listening. Slowly ho gathered It In his arms. Tenderly, passionately, he drew her to him and pressed his lips on tho white mouth with Its shadow. Sho seemed to him already dead romoved from caresses. Slowly the lids fluttered, a breath trembled through the lips, and she lifted her eyes to his, faintly. The good Dutchwoman appeared, bearing a lnrge bottle of ammonia. Sho figured In Derrlng'B oyeB as a ministering angel and tho bottle as a heaven-sent chalice. But it brought tears to Helen's eyes and sho pushed it away with tho assurance half-laughing, hnlf-tearful, that sho should bo all right in a minute. Derrlng lifted her to an Improvised couch and Bho lay, with eyes like stars, looking about the little room. He held ono of the hands In his and chafed It gently now and then, under the pretence that It was still cold. Her brown hair had escaped from its fastening and was pushed carelessly back. Against the dark covering of tho couch It formed a halo about her faco. Derrlng had always fancied that the Mndonna might have been at homo in such a room as this. It was a Holbein face. The old woman had lighted tha candles on tho low table and was sprendlng the table for supper. She entertained her guests by leaving them free. The two candles gavo out a dull glow and completed tho effect of an old Dutch interior. Helen and Derring exchanged glances of appreciation. "Think of finding it within five miles of Washington street! I am go ing to sketch It sotno dny. She has promised to sit for mo and It will be nice and warm." She shivered a lit tle. Derring suddenly held fast in both his hands the one ho had been Idly stroking. "You must never do such a foolhardy thing again." "Not even for a success? But I am glad I did it It is a success." Her eyes rested lovingly on the sketch on tho floor by the wall. She was still looking at it when he left the house to telephone for a car riage But when he returned, bolt an hour later, she was seated at the table laughing and tnlklng with her hostess. She declared sho had never felt better In her llfo, and she started out bravely to walk to the carriage, which could not drive down to tho beach, but was waiting on the road above Before they had gone half tho distance she found that sho was very tired. With a sigh of relief she sank back in the corner of the carriage as the door was slammed after them. Derring reached over promptly and drew her to him, placing her head against his shoulder and holding her close to protect her from the Jar of the carriage "Rest here," he said quietly, as she mado a half protest. "I Bhould care for my mother or a sister. Why not you dear one?" Sho did not protest again, but yield ed to tho protecting arms like a child. He watched her faco as thoy whirled into tho light of the street-lamps and out agaiq into tho shadow. It was still pale, but full of content. They flew through the park and down the long avenue beyond. Never wero two mllea traversed so quickly. Not a word was spoken. It was as If the tlmo were too precious for speech. Once she raised her face with a contented sigh and breathed his name softly, more as If to herself than to him. As for Derrlng, ho dared not realize his happiness. Underneath Its pulsing was a half superstition. Fate would not allow a man to be so happy. But sho had been given back to him from the dead. She rested close to him. That could not be taken from him. He held her closer defying an unseen fate (To be Continued) Steam Outfit for Sale. For sale The best steam outfit in Chv. . eine county, consisting of one new Case , separator, one steam (32 h p.) engine and eleven fourf.en-inch plows. Address OREN GRISWOLD. D7.10A7-10 Dalion.Neb Bulls! Scotch topped Short Horns. Have 25 head from 8 to 24 months old, full bloods, not registered. Have been raisins bulls for 211 years and never had a better lot. Sold farm and want to close tbem out this sptjng. A. S Reed, 8'4t : mile east of Alliance. Street Commissioner's Notice Notice to all property owners, agents and lessees: Snow, ice and slush, or any other obstruction, must be re moved within 24 hours after accumu lation, according to ordinance No. 38, or the same will be removed by the city at owner's expense, J. H. Cahlson, Street Com. A second hand Oliver typewriter for sale at a bargain. This machine is practically as nooj as new. inquire at The Herald office. r -a