Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1899-02-17

do you mean there Is nothing lcfH You
O,cn the paper" she asked impdticntly.
her passive arms and kiss her tenderly,
and still by her half dazed glance he
knew she was waiting for the confirma-
ton of her fears.
"Olga, many fortunes were lost to-
day. Men rich yesterday are poor to-
night. My dear, my dear. I'm so sorry
for you, SO sorry to say it am one Of
them"
"Poor?" the word drawled from her,
and she drew away, her brow bent like
q child's over q task. He could. see the
pulse going rapidly in her throat, but
other than this she displayed no feeling.
$50 we are poor?" she said more EN-.
phatically. "Will you tell me about it?
I hardly think realize it. It doesn't
seem possible"
She seated herself at tho table and
took her chin into the embrace Of her
palm. AS she did SO the diamonds on
her wrists and fingers flashed under her
eyes. She spread both hands ON her
knees and thoughtfu!iy gazed at them.
Poor, while these stones made her flesh
radiant. and laces holding years Of the
workers lives rested under her fingers.
It seemed impertinent, impossible. Yet
she knew it was true and in her own
way faced the inevitable.
"Tell me just what you mean" she
said with composure. "What have you
lost, and how?''
He went into minute particulars so
that no part Of the truth should be hid
den from her. He told her all as gently
as possible, but held out no false hopes.
It was an account Of irremediable fail
ure.
"And why did you 60 into these VEN
lures, risk so much3" Olga asked, a'ju.
dicial light in her eyes.
I'm an effort to be too rich" and
folding his arms he nodded sadly at her.
"You remember the day at Newport,
he continued, when yo1 begged me to
leave nothing undone in trying to get
back what I'd lost? I tried to keep my
promise to you, Olga. and I failed"
"Do you mean there is nothing left?
You own the paperi" she asked impa-
tiently, and added with something Of
desperation, "Don't you own the pa
PERI"
"No. I hold the controlling interest,
but must sell it.
"Why?"
"To pay debts-mine. yourA There
are plenty Of them"
"And thene''
ssTbo,, .vo,ll h.ro - 1oo,,, ..r..~o -
II mean," she said distinctly, "what
will you do after you let The Citizen
gof You haven't any tools to sharpen;
you haven't any trade to fall back on,
have you?'
Instead Of noticing the mockery Of
her voice he said simply:
"Oh, but have! I've thought 1t all
out. Journalism Is my trade. I'll ask
for the managing editors post when !
sell out, and I'll get it."
"How interesting, Davidi What SAL
airy goes with that work."
-Four thousand q year."
She received the words in silence and
stared into the fire. David, smarting in
the grip Of an unshared sorrow, stood
like an alien on his own hearth. Never
had he read her SO successfully. How
little he was to her ever-tonight moth
ing. She had never loved anything in
the world except herself. She never
would. It was torment to expect from
her more than she could give. And yet
she was SO convincingly fair to believe
her cold made nature liar.
As he watched her his heart grew
heavier with new defeat. Shs was his
wife. At q moment like this they should
not sit apart with unspoken thoughts.
He no longer dwelt upon her selfishness.
He put away the philosophy which
counseled him to expect nothing from
her. He only knew that to make the
dark future bearable they must face it
hand in hand. He moved nearer to her,
longing to make her meet his eyes and
become one with him in soul during
this hour Of tempest. The impulse
shrank back wounded when she looked
up and laughed.
do you know what I've been think.
ing of" she asked. 1--WE been keeping
my first account book in fancy-just
how we can live on your four thousand
q year instead Of fifty. I became quite
familiar with the apartment we'll have,
the two maids, the one wine at dinner.
I've allowed myself about three really
-