The San Francisco call., 1904-03-20

necessary accident. leaving these poor.
helpless creatures this way"
He made a gesture with his head to-
ward the door.
You knew him well?" said Mariposa.
The gray eyes looked into hers very
gravely.
He was my best friend" he an
swered; the best friend any man ever
had in the world
The girl saw he was moved.
The people we love. and depend on,
and live for always die she said
sloomily.
But others come UP. They don't
quite take their places. but they fill up
the holes in the ranks. We're not ex-
pected always to love comfortably and
be happy. We're expected TO work !:
that's what were here for, and there's
plenty OF il to do. Haven't l got my
work cut out for me-" suddenly laugh
ing. in those two boys?''
Maripcsa's s pale lips showed the rip
pie of an asserting smile.
They're certainly a serious PROPOSE
ton" he continued. and poor Elsie
can't any more manage them than she
could ride a bucking bronco. But
they'll pull out all right. Don't you
worry. Those boys are all right"
He was about TO return to the rem
nants OF the supper when his eyes fell
on the folded paper, which had been
pushed to ore side Of the table.
"Oh, look" he said; I'VE forget the
paper. You've finished; wouldn't you
ike TO see it?"f
She shook her head. The paper had
not much interest for her at the best
OF times.
We'll, then, If you don't mind. I'll
run my eye over it. while you make me
another cup Ct tea Three cups are my
limit-one lump and milk"
He handed her the cup, already shak-
ing the paper out of its folds. She was
struggling with the leakage of the
broken spout, when he gave a loud
ejaculation:
Great Scott, here's news"
What is it?" she Queried. the broken
teapot suspended over the cup.
Jake Shackleton's dead"
The teapot fell with a crash on the
table Her meath opened, her face
turned an amazing pallor. and she sat
staring at the astonished man with
horror-stricken eyes.
Dead she gasped why every
body's deadi"
Barron dropped the paper on the
floor
I'm so awfully sorry; I didn't know
you knew him we'll I didn't know he
was q friend"
Friend" she echoed, almost with a
shrek. Friend. Why, he was my
father"
The voice ended IN a wild peal OF
laughter. horrible, almost maniacal.
The man. paying no attention to her
words. realized that the strain OF the
day and her overwhelming depression
of spirits had completely unbalanced
her. Her wild laughter suddenly gave
way 10 wilder tears. In Il moment he
ran to the door TO summon the sonora
but in the next, remembered that Elsie
and the boys would undoubtedly ac-
company her. and that the woman be-
fore him was IN no state TO be exposed
TO their uncOmprehending stares.
Mysteries were new TO him, but he
had a vague idea that water admins
tered suddenly from q pitcher was the
cnly authorized cure. He seized tht
pitcher from the washstand. began tC
sprinkle her somewhat tinidly with his
fingers. and finally ended by pouring a
fair amount on her head.
1t had the desired effect. Gasping
saturated, but dragged back to some
sort Of control. BY the chill current
running from her head in rillets over
her body. Mariposa sat up. The man
was standing before her. anxiously re-
garding her. the pitcher held ready for
another application. She pushed il
away with an icy hand.
I'm all right now she gasped
You'd better go. And-and-if l said
anything silly. you understand,
didn't know what 1 was saying.
meant-that MIR. Shackleton was 2
friend of my fathers. He's been very
good TO me. 1t gave me an awful
shock. Please GO
Barron set down the pitcher and
went. He was overcome with pity for
the broken creature. and furious with
himself for the shock he had given her
The words she had uttered had made
little impression on him at first. 1t was
afterward, while he was in the silence
Of his own room, that they recurred to
him with mere Significance. For a
space he thought of the remark and her
explanation Of it with some wonder.
But before he settled to sleep. he had
pushed the matter from his mind, set
ting it down as the meaningless utter
ance of an hysterical woman.