Western liberal. (Lordsburg, N.M.) 1887-1919, 1899-12-15
MET DY CNAiICE.
But Remained To6ether
Intentionally.


road. She stood at the gate watching
lt3 r~etreatlng figure. The walk home
had not been lively. for how could
Olive chat cheerlly as usual, with hei
cheeks burning aud her heart beating
Indignantly at the recollection CT tie
scrap OF gossip? She was standing II
the vestlbule waiting for him at his re.
quest when the words reached her
ears.
$50 schoolmarm's after the minister
now?'
ia. yes. and she's got the inside
track. Goes home from meeting with
.hlm regular, and they do say he's
down there ev'ry week"
That was all, but ii meant that she
was being watched and tailed about,
and 80 she stood there thinking. The
moonlight seemed TO mock her. Every
ObJett In the landscape was visible in
is brilliant rays, yet there was nothing
IN Il Of warmth or vitality. 1t struck
her that her sense Of duty Illuminated
her path In life with similar cold pale
rays. She shlvered in the fresh spring
scented air and turned to 20 in, but the
chill and sting Of her new resolve went
with her and drove sleep away.
She had been so inn~ocently happy.
Why could not prying eyes and
gosslping tongues have turned else
where for employment?
or course lie came home with her.
ANY gentleman would. He went her
way and knew that Mr.. aud Mrs. Hop
per never came out nights. As for the
weekly vislts. they were nothing but
psychology lessons. a progressive
schoolma'am, Of course, must know It.
and he had offered to assist. And she
Il give 1t all up when she needed 1t
so? She set her lips firmly. She must
keep her position and couldn't afford
to be talked about. 1t made no differ
ence II neither had ever had n thought
beyond the lessons. and no matter how
hard Il was to give them up.
"It's always well to stop before one
gets fond Of anything" she reasoned,
"and I'll give It all up and never speak
TO him again"
She had 70 IDEA how she had depend.
ed on the lessons until there were no
more TO which to look forward. wen
talk 1t over ut the psychology lesson"
had grown to be her habit of meeting
schoolroom puzzles. and now that there
was to be no such way of solving them
there were more puzzles to meet. The
following Gay was n hard one. Her
W sad and distrlught manner was
not without its effect upon the chill
dren. A full half hour OF the noon re-
pauu fIt, a,H.gT u..,pN 90 ,,vf,,.o.. l..
cause It was found that some one had
broken or the knob OF the door, and 1t
could only be opened from the outside.
And they were compelled to wait until
some one passing released them.
Four o'clock brought welcome relief.
"It's the embarrassment Of writing to
the minister that ails me-" she told
herself. III | get that Off my mind,
I'll be all right and forget about It."
And diligently she set to work, but
each attempt was more unsatisfactory
than the last. The old folks had re-
tired, and the clock struck $50 just rs
she signed and sealed the letter, and
then suddenly she remembered that
the school report must be made to the
commissioners on the morrow, and the
roll books were at school.
"Tll have to get them tonight" she
said to herself. late as It is. Serves
me right for being so careless"
Going to the kitchen shed, she took
down the lantern only to find It empty.
Supplying herself with matches, she
peered cautiously out upon the moonllt
road and then ran swiftly the short
distance to the schoolhouse, not seeing
the gathering clouds behind her. BY
the light OF the moo she unlocked the
outer door, and, In order not to repeat
the experience Of the morning, she took
up a block OF wood and carefully plac-
ed II In front Of the inner door to keep
It from shutting.
The dlngy lamp above her desk gave
scanty light and the task heightened
itself out until n muttering OF thunder
and dash Of rain upon the roof startled
her. Olive was not timid, as her trip
TO an empty schoolhouse in the darn
would prove, but t. be alone In a thun-
derstOrm was the one thing that I'M
neryed her. Hastily rising, she. looked
up Mt the lamp. 1t Gas nearly empty.
1t would be safe TO leave it to burn out
Of itself. and she could more easily find
her way to The door, but as she reach
ed 1t she came into violent collision
with the minister. He had come I'm
hurriedly, tripped upon the block IN
the doorway, kicking it out Of his way,
and the door slammed shut behind
him.
Olive steDDpd bock and stood tram
bling. She vas astonlshed, glad and
sorry at his appearance, but more thar
all was she dlsmayed al the predlca-
ment In which be had placed her. ana
under the impulse OF these conflicting
emotions she burst forth angriiy:
There. now. you've shut the door.
What brought you here. anyway? I
said l would never speak to you
again"