The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1897-05-13


absorbed in watching her clear-cut pro-
file and her white throat, his breath
ouickening as he feasted his eyes on
her beauty.
81 have always got angry" she said,
at last. in low voice, with the quiver
of n suppressed sigh in it. when other
people have said that 20 mel wonder
why ii is | merely feel hurt and sad
when YOU say it? IL is so easy TO say,
'ch-anything'-s easy--so easy. You
are n man, with the strength and de-
termination of a man, yet you have
met with disappointmcnts and obsta-
cles that have required all your cour-
age to overcome. Every man has, and
with most men IL is fight until the
lead is gray and the brain weary with
the ceaseless struggle. The world is
utterly merciless; 1t will trample You
down relentlessly IL il can, and II your
vigilance relaxes for q moment il Will
steal your crust and leave you to starve.
When think of this incessant, sullen
contest, with no quarter given or taken.
| | shudder and pray that l may die be-
| fore | am at the mercy of the pitiless
world. When | came 60 London saw
| for the first time in my life that hope
less melancholy promenade of the
sandwich men, human wreckage drift
ing along the edge of the street, rs
ii they had been cast up there by the
rushing tide sweeping past them.
They-they seemed TO me like n tot
tcring procession of the dead-and on
their backs was the announcement of
play that was making all London
roar with laughter-the awful comedy
and tragedy of it! Well, l simply
couldn't stand it! l had to run up u
side street and cry like the little fool
l was, right in broad daylight"
Jennie paused and tried to laugh, but
the effort ended in a sound suspiciously
like sob, and she dashed her hand,
with quick impatience, across her
| eyes, from which Wentworth had never
taken his own, watching them dim as
the light from the window proved too
strong for them, and finally fill as she
ceased to speak. Searching Intellectual
| ly about her dress for a handkerchief.
which lay on the table beside her para
on, with some difficulty:
well, these poor, forlorn creatures
were once men--men who had gone
down, and if the world is so hard on
a man, with all his strength and re-
sourcefulness, think-think what it is
for a woman to be thrown into this
inhuman human turmoil-a woman
without friends - without money
flung among these relentless wolves
to live if she can-or-to die-if she
can"
The girls voice broke and she buried
her face in her arms, which rested on
the table.
Wentworth sprang to his feet and
came round to where she sat.
Jennie" he said, putting his hand
on her shoulder.
The girl, without looking up, shook
off the hand that touched her.
go back to your place." she cried,
in a smothered voice. Leave me
alone!"
Jennie" persisted Wentworth.
The young woman rose from her
chair and faced him, stepping back a
pace.
Don't you hear what / say? Go
back and sit down. 1 came here to
talk business, not to make fool of
myself. It's all your fault, and hate
you for it-you and your silly ques-
tons"
But the young man stood where he
was, in spite of the dangerous sparkle
that lit up his visitors wet eyes. \
frown gathered on his brow.
Jennie" he said, slowly, "are you
playing with me again?"
The swift anger that blazed up in her
face, reddening her cheeks, dried the
tears.
How dare you say such thing to
me?" she cried, hotly. "Do you hatteI
yourself that because l came here to
talk business, i have also some personal
interest in you? Surely even your self,
conceit doesn't run SO far as that!"
Wentworth stood silent, and Miss
Brewster picked up her parasol, scat
tering, in her haste, the other articles
on the floor. If she expected Went.
worth to put them on the table again
his eyes were upon her, his thoughts
were far away upon the Atlantic ocean
II shall not stay here to be insulted, u
she cried, resentfully, bringing Went
worth's thoughts back with a rush to
London again. ut is intolerable that
you should use such an expression to
me. Playing with You, indeedl"
II had no intention of insulting you,
Miss Brewster"
What is it but an insult TO use such
"a phrase? 1t implies that L either
care for you Or"
And do you?"
"Do L what?'
DO you care for me?"
Jennie shook out the lace fringes of
her parasol and smoothed them with
some precision. Her eyes were bent
on what she was doing, and consequent
ly they did not meet those of her ques-
TONER
II care for you as a friend, of course, -
she said, at last, still giving much at
tention to the parasol. IF l had not
looked on you as a friend / would not
have come here to consult with you,
would II"
NO, suppose not. Well, / am sorry
l used the words that displeased you,
and now, If you will permit it, we will
4. . Il. ..s.