The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1903-08-11
A BUNCH OF ROSES.
BY LEONARD LORRAINE. NJ


"Well, supposing he doesn't come back 2
What of ity l think | can manage to live
well without the companionship of Paul
Hartford. What is he to me, anyhow. Just
a friend. ] may nave been foolish enough
to imagine that l loved him-but it wasn't
love; it couldn't have been. just the most
trivial sort of impetuous infatuation, that
was ALL"
katherine Westlake threw herself Ian
guidly down upon the cushion-weighted
couch with just the merest pretense of a
sigh. She nestled her head with considera-
BILE snugness in an artistic heap OF feathers
and embroidered silk, and with a weary ges-
ture of her hand closed her eyes. Paul Hart
ford had just left her. He had quit the
house in a rage because he had found Kath-
crime caressing a magnificent bouquet of
roses-fadiant American beauties-when he
entered the parlor after having been unex-
pectedly admitted by a servant.
Hartford was a jealous sort of an indi-
vidual with eyes for but one girl-Katherine
Westlake. He was in love, so much in love,
in fact, that he was as blind and as incapable
of reasoning as a lover could possibly be.
" Z ht ndlhCh ~ uDOn lHt DGdullIul, De-
witching, and marvelously clever girl whose
image had taken such a deep root in his heart
and found her eyes beaming and her soul
going out to the pretty flowers that stood in
a vase on the parlor table, he was beside
himself with envy. With the manner of a
master directing the movements of his
slaves Hartford demanded to know from
whom the flowers came. His answer was an
aggravating smile, conveying the one idea
Of independence, and the unsatisfactory
statement from the lips of Katherine West
lake: "A present; aren't they beautifully"
This was too much for the overweight
temper of Paul Hartford. Showing both
hands wrist deep into the side pockets of his
coat, he contemplated Katherine for an in
slant, while a cynical and threatening smile
played about his lips. The next minute the
storm broke, and it was a furious storm, in
deed. The result of it was that Pau Hart
ford turned on his heel, and, with the eyes
of Katherine Westlake following him in a
somewhat amused fashion, flew out of the
room in a jealous rage. At the door he
paused, and, facing about, said, with a
threatening gesture:
When you are ready to tell me who sent
you those roses you can let me know. Until
then l will not bother YOU"
In another second he was gone, and as the
door closed with a bang Katherine West
lake looked again at the roses and smiled.
If Paul Hartford could have seen that smile
even he would have relented and pleaded on
his knees for forgiveness. But at that min
ute he was digging his heels into the stone
sidewalk and saying to himself that he was
a fool to allow any girl to ruffie his temper.
The complacent Katherine, who had so
completely upset Paul Hartford, continued
her muse among the cushions on the couch.
Men are such horribly unreasonable
creatures, she thought. Paul suppose
| should call him Mr.. Hartford now-is
dreadfully so. To think that he should fly
into such a rage over one little bouquet of
roses. Besides, they were given to me with
out solicitation by my own dear brother,
and if a girl can't accept flowers from her
brother just because she may happen to
make some man jealous, then it is about time
for us to surrender all our rights. If he
hadn't been so unreasonable and had given
me time, | would have told him. But it's too
late now. Imagine me sending for him after
what he said to mel He was really horrid.
| might have cared for him before this after
but now our little affair is at an end.
4 suNoo L cHdu Y Hlluu ~ IuuCU, elJOeT. III S
frightfully troublesome to imagine you're
in love, anyway. I'm glad Paul Hartford is
nothing to me any more. suppose he'll find
another girl soon. No doubt he will. Men
usually do. They get out of these little love
affairs so easily. We girls do all the worry
ing. And it isn't right, either. III bet he
takes up with that snippy Drake girl. Prob
ably he was looking for an excuse to quarrel
with me, anyway. ] never knew him to be
so unreasonable before"
Katherine Westlake buried her face
among the pillows and the faintest sort of a
sob lightly shook her graceful body.
This was followed by another, and another,
and before the unhappy girl could fathom
her own emotions she was weeping. And it
wasn't a case of making believe, cry,
Meanwhile Paul Hartford had been ques-
tioning himself, and the more he thought the
less satisfied he became with himself and his
despicable conduct a short while before in
the presence of Katherine Westlake.
Perhaps / was in the wrong" be said to
himself, as he swung on to a grip car and
took a seat far up in front. Maybe Kath-
crime bought the roses herself. Anyhow, /
should have given her a chance to explain.
4 was a Eau W ACT 50. L wonder II Sne ever
will forgive me. If she doesn't l know |
shall be absolutely miserable. It's a shame
a fellow like me can't have a little
In this unhappy frame of mind Paul Hart
ford went home to dinner. He couldn't eat.
He could do nothing but think, think, al
of Katherine Westlake.
I'D go back and ask her to forgive me i'll
hadn't made such a fool of myself" he
thought. But I'm sure she'd only laugh at
i know what I'll do, III write her a
note. That's the only way / can find relief"
BY dinner time Katherine Westlake had
cried her eyes red, and, pleading illness, she
avoided other members of the family and
locked herself in her room.
"How could Paul be so cruel to me-" she
a hundred times. He should have
But perhaps l was at fault. Indeed,
am sure didn't do right. l should have
told him who gave me the roses. / can't
it another minute. l must write and
tell him I'm sorry. Chances are he won't
read the letter, but III do my part, any
Next morning, when Katherine Westlake
went down to the breakfast table after a
sleepless night the maid handed her n nIa;n