Lincoln County leader. [volume] (Toledo, Lincoln County, Or.) 1893-1987, 1901-02-22

107 q stood on the brink of the preci-
Jnl pice and looked over. Three hun
~ dred feet below him the sea broke
on the somber rocks.
The mans muscles tensioned and he
drew a deep breath. What an easy
way to end it all! Just one little step
those rocks below were 10 bunglers;
they would make no mistake over their
work, and the sea would tell no tales
and then-then he would be away from
1t all, and would never have to bear the
agony Of hearing that she was married
to Everett.
Married to Everett-marred to Ever
ett! 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 choking heave to his
throat; the ground rocked sickeningly
| beneath him, and for one dizzy second
he thought he was falling-falling
down that interminable space.
Then. the mist passed. the ground
j 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-chair 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 mpas-
stoned avowals.
He thought how cool and beautiful
she would look in her white muslin,
with her fluffy golden hair framing her
sweet little fiower-like face. Perhaps
he would go, after all Then 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 moment.
How dared he take possession of her
in that way! And how could she put
up with it. unless
His pipe-mankind's universal baby
4 foi vrff In, ;tc
mission of soothing. He tossed it an
grily across the table and buried his
face in his hands, lost in a whrl of mis-
cradle conjectures.
His thoughts flew back to that dance
one week agO-one week so crowded
with hopes and 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 at the rec
objection. He had drifted from the ball.
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 hers? He had puffed ut ci-
garette, and stared at the thin wisps
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 voice Of Everett, and
then Dolly's. They were 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 it. 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 say-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 floatec
out into the conservatory, minglinl
with the laughter and chatter OF the
guests. All hope. all interest in lif,
was gone-snatche from him by thos,
few overheard words. People wer,
asking for him. What did 1t matter
nothing mattered now. A voice aroused
him. He looked up, and saw Everett
before him-Everett, who was hi
friend; who was now his rlval-hi,
aanmvf