The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1901-03-27
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8 A CRISIS. 9
@ BY Hester A. Benedict q
8 OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
By Hester A. Benedict.

ance, to have climbed to the beati-
tudes
He did not lift his eyes from the
ground-he had not even the grace to
thank her.
You did not say how much, Mary
he interrogated. in an on-hand way.
And you did not ask me-" she said,
laughing a little.
There is no time for evasion or for
sentiment" he said. harshly. Il sup
pose you have a hundred or soF'
"A hundred and fifty. Lee"
"Just half enough TO satisfy me; but
you can easily gel the balance
How, Leland, howS'-she asked,
looking puzzled and anxious.
"How9 You innocent little thing.
Don't you know that Geoffrey Blake
would give you anything you asked
for. even TO the half Of his kingdom.
A man in love can be led anywhere by
the face that has his fancy"
The girl rose. staggering a little. but
standing straight and proud. al last,
before the man whose every word was
an insult
IL guess / understand you" she
said. You wish me 10 borrow FOR
you. OF Mr. Blake, the sum Of one
hundred and fifty dollars. Am
rightT1
Partly right and partly wrong You
must borrow for yourself and for me. %
"But have no security to offer, Lee.
Men don't loan money In that way, do
theyfn
Sometimes. Blake would 10 YOU"
"And why 10 me, Leland|
lie turned away. impatienily. some
thing on his lips that sounded like an
oath. He was fast falling IN the girls
esteem and when that Is lost. love
cannot live
zone moment. Mr. Forsyth" she
said. let us understand each other.
You are in great need Of money you
say. and I believe you"
Believe mef" be sneered. That's
stranger
Il have one hundred and fifty dol
lars. she continued, without seeming
to notice 'the savings Of months and
the fruits OF denlals that men know
nothing Of. That amount win give
you IN an hOur-a half hour II you
wish. But when you ask me FOR more
when you are willing even TO accept
more. and IN that way-Oh. Leel Leel
I would die FOR you. but I cannot do
ihatl You would not respect me II I
did"
And sinking 10 her seat again. she
covered her face and sobbled bitterly.
Its all very romantic. ana sounds
large 10 talk Of dying for q fellow. But
In my opinion It's a deuced sight bet
ter to prove your love-if you have any
TO pr0ve-by helping me out OF this
tight pinch that a miserable misfor-
tune has got me into. You can do it.
you can do Il just as easy as 10 turn
your hand. and you ought. II you love
me. you Will"
A silence fell there then-a silence
broken only by the splash OF the foun-
tain the chirp Of the sparrows aud the
whistle OF the wind,
Suppose I conld DO that Lee the
girl said lifting her face after long.
long thought--suppose l could. and
you should fail 20 pay the sum when
due what thenT
II shall not fail: but II do. Blake'll
never push Il. He'd never ask for IL,
eVenn
And you wish me" she said. rising.
and speaking very distlnctly-"you
wish me 10 believe that. and believing
II, TO carry my pretty face into the
presence OF my employer and ask him
to take It as security FOR money TO be
returned or not returned as the case
may beT7
You put il Quoerly But such things
are done every day"
And poor girls are sold every day to
the devil" she retorted. hercely. But
the girl who promised 10 be your wife
Is made Of no such material. Pure as
snow she has preserved her ilfe-pure
as snow she win preserve her acts. /
viii 20 TO Geoffrey Blake-wnl hum
bic myself enough to do that and
win tell him the truth. WIN you walt
here till returnw
"Yoa'd better not make a fool OF
yourself" be said Then. noting the
look on her face. he added You're
a good girl, Mollic. IN wait here. But
you'll only make matters worse by
putting me in'
She did not answer She only turned
and fed away toward the house she
had left SO lately; and Il seemed TO her
she had grown old a hundred years
since then.
She gained her room unnOticed. and
taking from her trunk a watch with
her mothers monogram Ia diamonds
on ils case. she hurried with Il 10 the
well known house down the street and
TO the private office OF the firm
Geoffrey Blake sat there alone when
she entered He was a stately. we'll
built. well-bred gentleman. with clear.
brown. honest eyes. and soft. fine hair.
where one white hand was; FOR Geof-
frey Blake was thinking very earnest
": and il was not strange thet he