The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1901-02-08

0S7E stood on the brink Of the preci-
IEl pice and looked over. Three hum
SS dred feet below him the sea broke
on the somber rocks.
The mans muscles tensloned and ne
drew deep breath. What an easy
way to end 1t an Just one little step
those rocks below were no bunglers;
they would make no mistake over their
work, and the sea would tell no tales
aud then-then he would be away from
It all, and would never have to bear the
agony of hearing that she was married
TO Everett.
Married to Everett-marr.ed to Ever
EFT! The words changed In his ears.
He groaned aloud and bent hastily
over the edge.
A mist came before his eyes and his
breath rose in a choking heave to his
throat the ground rocked sckeningly
beneath him, and for one dizzy second
he thought he was falllng-falling
down that lntermlnable space.
Then the mist passed, the ground
stopped rocking and he gasped with
relief to find himself still standing safe
and sound on firm earth.
He turned away with a scornful
laugh at his own weakness.
Home again, he flung himself into an
easy-chalr and lit his pipe, resolved to
give way no longer to morbid imag
inings.
He picked up a magazine, but his
thoughts flew off at a tangent to the
dance which was to take place that
very evening, to which he had been
invited.
He had vowed not to see her again
till he could settle once for all the dem
on of unrest within him, and 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 fluffy golden hair framing her
sweet little flower-lke face. Perhaps
he would go, after all. Then a second
figure rose up to spoil the picture
handsome, happy-go-lucky Everett,
with a merry word for everyone,
dancing untiring attendance on the fas-
cinating hostess and never leaving her
side for a moment.
How dared he take possession Of her
in that way! And how could she put
up with 1t, unless
His pipe-mankind's universal baby
bottle-fOr once failed utterly in its
mission of soothing He tossed 1t an
grily across the table and buried his
face in his hands, lost in a whirl Of mis-
cradle cOnjectures.
His thoughts flew back to that dance
one week ago-one week so crowded
with hopes and fears that it seemed q
lifetime
lie 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 clinchec
his fists and his face flushed at the rec
objection. He had drlfted from the ball
room to the conservatory. Would she
consent2 That was the question tina
throbbed In his brain. Should he saI
the words that would decide his future
life and hers? He had puffed at ci
garette, and stared at the thin wisp
of blue smoke. Would his hopes fad'
into nothingness as that fragran
smoke faded and vanished into air
And then he heard people talking. HI
recognized the voice of Everett, ant
then Dolly's. They were seated on tn,
opposite side of the conservatory, ant
had not seen him as he sat almost con
cealed behind a tangle of palm leaves
Dolly" Everett was saying, "yOl
must say Yes My whole life depend
upon 1t. We have been chums so long
Say you will and make me the happies
man in England not to speak of Scot
land, Ireland and Wales. Say Yes!
know what you want to say-that W
ought to be getting back again. An
there are all those loathsome peopl
who want dances. Confound 'em. Yo
will? knew you would"
Fraser had sat there, almost unabl
to move. He did not know how Ions
The music from the ballroom floate
out into the conservatory, minglin
with the laughter and chatter Of tn
guests. All hope, all interest In Lii
was gone-snatched from him by thoS
few overheard words. People wer
asking for him. What did It matter
nothing mattered now. A voice arouse
him. He looked up, and saw Everet
before him-Everett, who was hi
friend; who was now his rival-hi
eenmyl
Halo, Fraser, old man, you seem
r. ten fathoms deep in the blue dump:
What's the matter now? Come an
have a smoke with me. I've been lool
ing for you half the evening"
And that all happened week ago!
week--the most miserable in his lif
And now he was trying to forget he
What fool he wasl