The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1897-11-26

if were to have made myself, think
should have chosen my present model.
But there is more than mere beauty
of feature, now"
character, 1 suppose - which
lacked as child. 1t is odd that char
acter, even if it happens to be bad. can
so improve a face"
Then she turned her head and be
slowed the light of her countenapceE OF
the civilian beside her, whose infatua-
ton was obvious.
every man in the post and the city
will hate you,with deadly hatred, If
Miss Gorsciikov happens to Ike fancy
to You for old sake's sake" Mrs. Graves
warned him.
even her fancy would be cheaply
purchased at that cost"
"Perhaps A woman of her beauty
is not born into the world once in a
cycle, certainly"
And Miss Gorschkov was pleased to
fancy him. She advertised the fact.
She was not one to fear any means that
would gain her ends. She threw away
her. pride and came at his call She for
gave him the past and met him more
than half way.
But Dudley was too much in love to
despise or mistrust her for this He ap-
piled for a two-months' leave and spent
every available moment of it with her.
Mrs. Graves, in her quality Of a school
chum of his mothers and an old friend
of himself, warned him. esther has
done this same thing before, James.
Take care. She is as beautiful as Cleo
patra, and there are many who say she
is as bad-at heart. Make love to her,
if you choose, Caesar, but let your wife
be a woman who is above suspicion.'
Dudley never spoke to her again. And
he continued his fanatical cult of his
goddess.
His leave came to an end, and he went
back to Apache. He who had been a
light mocker and philosopher of life,
saw the bottom drop out of his universe
when he had to go from her. She wrote
to him twice day, for a time then
once day, then once a week, and finally
the mail orderly handed him a letter
from Esther that was almost a YER
batim copy of the one he had sent to her
six years before, even to the closing
phrase. SIN time you will drink of the
waters of Lethe and will forget me as
utterly as deserve to be forgotten"
A light of memory broke, harsh and
crude, through the rosy clouds that had
enwrapped him. But he said to him
self that justice had been melted out to
him, stern and untempered And he
made no appeal.
Something more than a twelvemonth
later, Esther Gorschkov sat at dinner
beside the man whom she was then
playing fast and loose, who would not
be warned by the fate of the many
whose bodies were strewn upon the
shores where this Cythera had trod.
"You promised, you know" he said
to her, that you would answer my ques-
ton tonight"
What question:"
Don't banter, please 1 am in
earnest"
"You appear to be. And every
body can see it, too. Go on and eat,
and look as though you were discussing
the dynamite gun or something's
Il will do whatever you choose, if you
will tell me if you will marry me-
oh! is that what you mean?. l
couldn't remember whether it was you
or Mr.. Clayton who had asked me. May
be it was both of you. But I can't see
why you should bother about that sort
of thing at dinner. Why don't you wait
until the dance. 1t would be so much
better form. Fancy saying no to a
man and then putting piece of harm
less little lamb in ones mouth"
"Are you going to say mop
Gracious! but we are insistent. How
should I know what I am going to say
Go on and eat, and stop hanging on my
words, or 1 won't answer you at all. 1t
is so fearfully conspicuous"
Even in his suspense, the man could
not but return. whence this new
found dislike to being conspicuous?"
Miss Gorschkov smiled slowly and
started to answer, but a voice from
across the table stopped her.
"What is it, Capt. Lawrence?" she
asked.
''Have you heard of Lieut.. Dudley's
death?"
mo. Is he dead?''
HE died at Apache week ago."
''I'm so sorry; but, frankly, don't
think a dinner-table the place for fu-
| neral notices." she rebuked him. He
disliked her, and she saw the purpose of
his announcement. Her dead-white
skin could turn no whittier, and her smil-
ing red lips were painted.
"Cold-hearted devil" the captain NUT
| tered, as she turned back to the man at
| her side.
$50 You want me to marry you? I
! will. But I want you to understand.
| why. 1t is because 1 have just been
told that the only man have ever loved
or ever will love is dead. Do you want
me-knowing that?"
even knowing that-yes.'
"Very WELL"
| She spoke across the table again.
capt. Lawrence, do you happen to
know how Mr.. Dudley died? We might
as well have the coroner's verdict, since
/ you have given us the other notices. -
"He died of drink" he told her, mer-
cilessly.
81 never knew that he drank
HE never did until he went baci;
from here year ago. He took to il
furiously after that, and would have
been dismissed if he had not died, prob
ably. Can you account for it?''
Miss Gorschkov smiled. perhaps he
| fanciad he uraS nuaffinor tho ,,rn to,.r 81