The Desired Woman(Fiscle Part-3 Of 2) by Will N. Harben (e book reader pdf TXT) 📕

The Flowers,  The Brilliant Talk,  The Courtesy Of Men,  And--Yes,  The

Congratulations And Compliments. I Did Like To Have So Many Say They

Liked My Speech--I Really Did. I Almost Cried Over It."

"You Shall Have Them All." Saunders Restrained The Words Which

Throbbed On His Lips. "Be My Wife,  Little Girl,  And I'll Gratify Your

Every Desire." She Was Looking Into His Eyes,  And He Glanced Aside,

Fearing That She Might Read His Thoughts.

"I Wish I Could Have Gone," Was All He Said. "I Should Have Enjoyed

Your Triumph Immensely."

"It Won't Spoil Me--Don't Think That." He Heard Her Sigh And Saw A

Slight Cloud Pass Over Her Face. "I Am Young In Years,  But I Have Had

My Share Of Suffering. You Are Almost The Only One Who Knows My Great

Secret. It Makes Me Feel Very Close To You,  Jarvis. You Made It Easier

For Me To Bear When You Helped Me Hide It On The Night You Prevented

My Father From Making My Humiliation Public. That Was Good Of You--

Good And Brave And Thoughtful."

"My God,  She Still Loves Him!" Saunders Thought,  With A Pang Which

Permeated His Whole Being. "His Very Weakness Has Made Him Dearer. She

Never Has A Word To Say Against Him."

Saunders Was Trying To Make Some Sort Of Outward Response When He Saw

Dolly Start Suddenly,  Her Eyes On The Doorway. "I See My Father. Oh,

I'm Glad,  For Now I Can Find Out What He Intends To Do. I See Him

Looking For Me. Wait; I'll Run Over To Him."

Saunders Watched Her Graceful Figure As It Glided Through The Crowd To

Drake's Side. He Saw The Mountaineer Turn A Face Full Of Pride And

Contentment Upon His Daughter; And Saunders Knew,  From Her Rapt

Expression,  That He Was Telling Her Of His Good Fortune. The Watcher

Saw Dolly Put Her Hand In A Gesture Of Tender Impulsiveness On Her

Father's Arm,  And Stand Eagerly Listening,  And Yet With A Frown On Her

Face. A Moment Later They Came Toward Him. Dolly Was Regarding Him

With A Steady,  Almost Cold Stare. Was It Vague Displeasure? Was It

Wounded Pride? Surely His Act Was Contrary To Her Wishes,  For She Made

No Immediate Reference To It.

"Well," Drake Said,  "If You Are Goin' To Put 'Er On The Train,  I'll

Tell 'Er Good-By Now. There's A Feller Waitin' For Me At The Front.

Tell Your Mother,  Daughter,  That I'll Be Up In A Week Or So. So Long."

Drake Was Not A Man Given To Embraces Of Any Sort,  And He Was Turning

Away When Dolly Stopped Him. "Kiss Me,  Father," She Said,  Raising Her

Face To His; And,  With A Sheepish Laugh,  The Mountaineer Complied.

"She's Like All The Balance,  Jarvis," He Said,  Lightly. "They Believe

In Things Bein' Done To The Letter. You Will Be At The Bank After A

While,  Won't You?"

"Yes,  As Soon As The Train Leaves," Saunders,  Answered. Then He Heard

The Porter Announcing Dolly's Train,  And He Took Up Her Bag. She Was

Silent As They Walked Along The Pavement And Down The Iron Stairs To

The Car,  Where He Found A Seat For Her. Only A Few Minutes Remained,

And The Feeling Was Growing On Him That She Was Quite Displeased With

The Arrangement He Had Made With Her Father. How Could He Part With

Her Like That? The Days Of Doubt And Worry Ahead Of Him As A

Consequence Of What He Had Done Seemed Unbearable.

"Did Your Father Mention The Plan He And I--"

"Yes," She Broke In,  Tremulously; "He Told Me All About It,  Jarvis,

And--And I Want To Ask You A Question. I Want You To Be Frank With Me.

I Don't Want The Slightest Evasion To--To Save Me From Pain. I Can't

Go Up Home Without Knowing The Full Truth. You Are So--So Kind And

Thoughtful,  Always Wanting To--To Do _Me_ Some Favor And Aid _Me_

That--Oh,  Jarvis,  I Want To Know This: Do You Think My Father Is

Capable Of Filling That Place As It Ought To Be Filled?"

Saunders Was Sitting On The Arm Of The Seat In Front Of Her. The Car

Was Almost Empty,  No One Being Near. He Bent Forward And Laid His Hand

On Her Arm. "He Is The Very Man I Want," He Declared. "The Work Is Not

Difficult; He Is So Popular With The Average Run Of Men That He Will

Make A Far Better Manager Than Hobson,  Or Any One Else I Could Get."

He Heard Her Catch Her Breath. He Saw A Light Of Joy Dawn In Her Eyes.

"If Only I Could Believe That,  Jarvis," She Said,  "I Would Be The

Happiest Girl In All The World. I Would--I Would--I Would."

"Then You May Be," He Answered,  Huskily,  His Emotions All But

Depriving Him Of Utterance. "He Is Doing _Me_ A Favor,  Dolly. Of

All Men He Is The First I Would Select."

The Bell Of The Locomotive Was Ringing. Saunders Stood Up,  Now

Clasping The Hand She Held Out. He Felt Her Timid Fingers Cling To

His. Her Blood And His Throbbed In Unison. Looking Into Her Eyes,  He

Saw That They Were Full Of Tears. He Remembered How She Had Kissed His

Hand On The Night He Had Prevented Her Father From Going To Atlanta,

And As He Hurried From The Slowly Moving Car He Was Like A Man Groping

Through A Maze Of Doubt And Bewildering Fears. She Could Feel And Show

Gratitude,  He Told Himself,  But A Heart Such As Hers Could Never Be

Won Twice To Actual Love. It Is Said That Suffering Deepens Character,

And It Was Perhaps The Fall Of Her Ideal Which Had Made Her The Heroic

Marvel She Was. Mostyn Still Loved Her In Secret; Of That Saunders Had

Little Doubt,  For How Could A Man Once Embraced By Such A Creature

Ever Forget It? And Dolly Suspected The Man's Constancy And Had No

Room For Aught But Secret Responsiveness. But No Matter,  He Would

Still Be Her Watchful And Attentive Friend. He Had Helped Her To-Day

In The Midst Of Her Triumph,  And He Would Help Her Again And Again. To

Serve Her Unrewarded Would Have To Suffice.

One Morning,  A Week Or So Later,  Mostyn Found A Note From Marie

Winship In His Mail. It Was Brief And To The Point. It Ran:

Dear Dick,-I Am Going To Leave Atlanta For Good And All,  Never To

Bother You Again (Believe Me,  This Is The Truth),  But I Want To See

You To Explain In Full. I Shall Be At My Dressmaker's In The Morning

After Ten. Please Walk Out That Way. I Shall See You From The Window,

And You Won't Have To Come In. Don't Refuse This Last Request. This Is

Not A "Hold-Up"; I Don't Intend To Ask For Money. I Only Want To Say

Good-By And Tell You Something. My Last Effort To Get You To Come To

See Me Proved To Me How Altered You Are. Marie.

Mostyn Turned The Matter Over In His Mind Deliberately,  And Finally

Decided That He Would Comply With The Request. It Rang True,  And There

Was Comfort In The Assurance That She Was About To Leave Atlanta,  For

Her Presence And Instability Of Mood Had Long Been A Menace To His

Peace Of Mind.

At The Hour Mentioned He Found Himself Somewhat Nervously Nearing The

Cottage In Question. She Was Prompt; He Saw Her Standing At A Window,

And A Moment Later She Came Out And Joined Him.

"Let's Walk Down Toward The Woods," She Suggested,  With A Smile Which

Lay Strangely On Her Piquant Features. "It Will Look Better Than

Standing Like Posts On The Sidewalk."

He Agreed,  Wondering Now,  More Than Ever,  What She Had To Say. She Had

Barely Touched His Hand In Salutation,  And Bore Herself In A Sedate

Manner That Was All But Awkward. They Soon Reached A Shaded Spot Quite

Out Of Sight Of Any Of The Scattered Residences In The Vicinity,  And

She Sat Down On The Grass,  Leaving Him The Option Of Standing Or

Seating Himself By Her.

"You Are Wondering What On Earth I've Got Up My Sleeve"--She Forced A

Little Laugh--"And Well You May Wonder,  Dick,  For I Am As Big A

Mystery To Myself As I Could Possibly Be To Any One Else."

"I Was Wondering If You Really Do Intend To Leave Atlanta," He

Answered,  Sitting Down Beside Her. "You Seemed Very Positive About It

In Your Note."

"Yes,  I Am Going,  Dick; But That Is Not The _Main_ Thing. Dick,  I'm

Going To Be Married."

"Married!" He Exclaimed. "Are You Joking?"

"I Suppose You Do Regard It As A Joke," She Said,  Listlessly,  And With

A Little Sigh. "Such A Serious Step Would Seem Funny In Me,  Wouldn't

It? But I Am Not What I Used To Be,  Dick. I Have Been Quite Upset For

A Long Time--In Fact,  Ever Since You Married. Then Again,  Your Life,

Your Ways,  Your Constant Brooding Has Had A Depressing Effect On Me.

Dick,  It Seems To Me That You Have Been Trying To--Well,  To Be Good

Ever Since You Married."

He Shrugged His Shoulders. "What Is The Use Of Talking About That,

Marie?" He Asked,  Avoiding Her Probing Stare.

"It Affected Me A Lot," She Returned,  Thoughtfully. "I Tried To Keep

Up The Old Pace And Care For The Old Things,  But Your Turn About Was

Always Before Me. Dick,  You Have Puzzled Me All Along. You Do Not Care

A Snap For Your Wife; What Is It That Makes You Look