Junction City bulletin. [volume] (Junction City, Or.) 189?-1901, 1901-02-07
q 81 u stood on The brink oa the prcci.

4 Tf M ~ htuuu ph AHH biluh VI WIG patNtr
Ir7l plce and looked over Three hum
X drcd feet below hin the sea broke
on the somber rocks.
/ The mans muscles tensloned aud he
drew deep breath. What an easy
way 10 end II ALI Just one little step
those rocks below were no bunglers:
/ they would make no mistake over their
work, and tho sea would tell no tales
I and then-~then he would be away from
II all. and would never have to bear the
agony OF hearing that she was married
10 Everett.
I Married 10 Everett married 10 Ever
EFT! The words changed In hiss ears
He groaned aloud aud bent hastily
over the edge.
A mist came before his eyes aud his
breath rose In choking heaye TO bis
throat: the ground rocked slckenlngly
beneath him. and for one dizzy second
he thought he was falAng falling
down that intcrmInable space.
Then the mist passed. the ground
stopped rocking and he gasped with
relief TO lind himself stlIl standing safe
aud sound on firm earth.
lie turned away with scornfni
laugh at his own weakness.
Home again, he flung himself Into an
casy-chalr and III hls pipe. resolved TO
give way no longer 10 morbid imag.
inIngs.
He picked up magazine. but his
thoughts flew OF at q tangent TO the
dance which WAS 10 take place that
very evening, 10 which he had been
invited.
lie had vowed not 10 see her again
TIL he could settle once for oil the dem
on OF unrest within him. and a crowded
ballroom was the last place FOR impas'
stoned avowals.
He thought how cool and beautiful
she would look In her white muslin.
with her fiuffy golden hair framing her
sweet little tlower-iike face. Perhaps
he would go, after all Then second
figure rose up TO spoil the picture
handsome. happy -go-lucky Everett.
with merry word for everyone.
dancing untlrlng attendance on the fas.
clnatlng hostess and never leaving her
side for moment.
How dared he take possession of her
In that way! And how could she put
up with II, unless
His pipe mankind's universal baby
bottle~for once failed utterly In LIS
mission OF soothing. lie tossed II an.
grlly across the table and buried his
face In his hands. lost In whr OF mis-
erable conjectures.
His thoughts tiew back 10 that dance
one week ago--one week so crowded
with hopes aud fears that 1t seemed a
lifetime.
He remembered those two dances,
the music, the scent of flowers in the
conservatory, and, more distinctly than
all, the laughing face of Dolly,
Then those few overheard words
rushed through his brain. He clinched
his fists and his face flushed al the rec
objection. He had drifted from the bail
room to the conservatory. Would she
consent? That was the question that
throbbed In his brain. Should he say
the words that would decide his future
life and hers2 He had puffed ut a ei-
garette, and stared at the thin wlsps
of blue smoke. Would his hopes fade
into nothingness as that fragrant
smoke faded and vanished into air?
And then he heard people talking. He
recognized the voi.e of Everett and
then Dolly's. They We're seated on the
opposite side of the conservatory, and
had not seen him as he sat almost con-
cealed behind tangle OF palm leaves.
dolly" Everett was saying. you
must say Yes My whole life depends
upon 1t, We have been chums SO long.
Say you will and make me the happiest
man in England not to speak of Scot
land. Ireland and Wales. Say 'Yesr
know what you want to say4-that we
ought to be getting back . lin. And
there are all those loathsome people
who want dances Confound 'em. You
will? knew you would"
Fraser had sat there, almost unable
to move. He did not know how long.
The music from the ballroom foated |
out into the conservatory, mingling
with the laughter and chatter OF the
guests. All hope, all interest In life
was gone--snatched from him by those
few overheard words. People were
asking for him. What did It matter;
nothing mattered now. A voice aroused |
him. He looked up, and saw Everett
before him Everett, who was his
friend; who was now his rival-his
eenmyi