The Yakima herald. [volume] (North Yakima, W.T. [Wash.]) 1889-1914, 1894-03-22

DEAR" she said. and going still nearer "a
him clssped her fierce little hands around
his arm, her accents sounding inspired
on the silence. "Life.-it Is the watch.
word Of the new school,"
"You didn't say this before. You LEI
me plan and build like the conceited
dolt was"
Tom turned away in blind, unreason.
ing rage. His kindest critic had gone
over TO the enemy. II he had come to
her suffering from q physical wound and
abe had struck him in the face, ii could
not have seemed more awful than this
wanton tearing down Of hia faith in him.
self.
would II have been better, / wonderl
Well, perhaps. But as you reed me the
play I saw how you loved 1t. One dis
couraging sentence spoken then Just when
you were thinking Of leaving the college
would have panied you too much.
couldn't say 1t. Tom. I couldn't hurt
you 30. Besides I doubted my Judgment
and waited"
She paused and threw back her head.
How fearless. how loyal she looked, as
her eyes flashed and her lips smiled
snow 1t has failed as I feared. But
what Of thati ! know you well-have
we been friends so long for nothinga-an
say that when you have fought harder
battles and perhaps failed again, when
you have suffered more, the men and
women you write twill be human. Some
day you will be all expect you to be.
know it. Ibelieve in you, Tom"
He could not see her face now, but the
sense Of her nearness touched him with
o swift, evanescent feeling of delight.
Something in her voice disturbed his
heart again to dawning hope and riot
Of feverish questioning.
81 believe in you, Tom" A forecast
Of triumph rang in the words.
There was not time for more conf.
dences before light, irregular footster
sounded In the hall. Virginia hurriedly
lit the lamp and looked intently at hei
father as he opened the door.
What she saw there gave Q quick,
strained anxiety TO her expression, IRE
sistibly touching.
He was q striking figure. His small
pink and white face and delicate features
told nothing of the insensate excuses in
which fortune had been squandered.
Sixty years Of life Lad whitened the hair
falling like floss from bald crown, but
he did not cry quarter to Time. Age had
come and found him rebellious. He kept
bis chin up and never confessed that
fierce premonitory tremors passed at un.
looked for moments over his frame.
His clothes were youthful and un.
usual. A cream colored coat, worn at
the seams, but stainless. fitted tightly,
foppishly at the waist and fell in clerical
frock to the knees. A long brown cape
was folded across his breast after the
manner Of shawl. He belonged to the
past quite as much as the house he lived
In. As he swayed uncertainty in the
doorway he seemed to have stepped from
q forgotten canvas to be for single mo-
uent embodied in the lamplight.
"Ah, Tom," and he wagged his head
unsteadily. $50 you have come over to
as? Welcome! A guest beneath my roof
Is always welcome. Eli, Virginia. Why
don't you smile and say yes? If we are
poor, my girl, we know what hospitality
means. We know that q crust may be
divided among friends and taste the
sweeter for it. As sure-as sure's my
name is Rufus Kent I'd rather-rd
rather, by heaven, sit down with a
friend-mind, with q friend, that's the
point--to dinner of herbs than in soil
tary magnifcence before q stalled OK.
Ny sentiments, young man. As Touch
stone says, "A poor thing, but my own"