Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1904-12-29

again ne caught sight OF q small Ifomeo
portrait, an engraving. hung on the
wall. His mouth curved curiously % he
ooked at II.
The girl came In from the kitchen.
carrying teapot and some cups.
'There isn't any cake" she said. I'm
10 sorry. but we don't have company
often. And you can eat bread and but
.er, can't you? And there's fruit"
She was making little journeys to and
from the kitchen while she talked.
II know It's queer. asking you In like
his. but you don't mind. do you? And
we're quite strangers. 20 II doesn't mat
ter. One 90 seldom sees guests here. one
likes to make the most Of them!" She
laughed. but he could read the nervous
restlessness In her voice. the hunger
born OF monotony. Won't you pull the
:hair upi-that's right. Do you take
sugar? It's IN age since poured out
tea for anyone!"
There was almost defiance In her
iriendliness. her frankness. q reckless
sagerness to make the most Of this
chance hours companionship. She ate
scarcely anything herself: all the time
she was watching him, listening to him.
chatting In q quick detached way about
one thing and another. Gradually there
grew up for him In her face. her man
ner, something quantity childish. infn-
itely pitiful. All the loneliness Of her
life spoke to him wistfully. tentatively.
In this room with its unhomelike fur
nishings. its air Of emptiness.
When he had finished she still kept
pressing him to take more. His hand
moved unthinkingly to his coat pocket.
and she said at once: Eyes, do smoke!
I do wish you would"
He lit his pipe.
do you live here all the year round?'
he asked.
Eyes. Summer and winter"
mot alone?"
She flushed very slightly. my hus-
band is away to-day. He Is up In the
city. Generally he is at home. ex-
pect him back in little while"
He looked round him again at the bare
room, indecent in Its silent avowal. at
her sitting there with her restless face.
her work hardened hands. and risked
all his psychological insight in one SIM
pie cast.
why, dear girl. why did you do it,
She laughed.
why? o, it's simple, isn't it? Soyou
know!" She leaned back, her fingers
gripping the chair edge. TITS all writ
ten out for you; you can just come right
in here and read 1t. l suppose did
it. because was fool-a fool-a fool!
There! l guess you wonder at my sit
ing here saying 1t to you, but I've got
to Just that point I'd say 1t to. anyone
just anyone at all that came along!"
The childishness went from her face.
She rose, pushing her chair aside, and
walked about the room.
II buess l don't have to tell you any
thing, do I? was young, and l didn't
know anything, and 1t all sounded very
nice and beautiful, and I wanted to try
1t. thought 1t would work. A two
roomed cottage and some books and an
acre of ground. :. Well, I've found II
out. Isn't 1t funny, isn't It humorous,
the sort of thing you read about In
books! My God! Do you know when
you came along to-day I'd got to such
a pitch-I was nearly crazy. felt l had
to have some one to speak to-some one
to talk to-just anyone at all. 80 long as
1t was a stranger | could tell It all to,
and then have thein 60 away and forget
every word. And II you hadn't come
in I'd have made you. II had to 60 down
on my knees to you! Isn't that shame
less! Don't you guess I'm crazy"
She had spoken quickly, breathlessly.
as though every moment were Of value,
and she had to get It all out before he
should 90 his travellers way and leave
her. Now, as she stopped short her I'm
gers went out to the chair-back and
chung to it, working nervously.
"How old are your" he said.
"How old do you think?"
Thirty"
She laughed again.
Eyes, I knew you'd guess that! I'm
Is. That's what It's done to me. ]
used to be pretty. You wouldn't guess
It, would you? Look at my hands. aren't
they lovely? And I've had four years Of
It-four years! It was all right at irst;
liked It. thought It would go always.
but 1t didn't. found It out. II any
one had told me that three years ago
I'd have laughed. I wouldn't have be-
lieved It. But rye found out Hehasnt:
he thinks It's all right; and he'll never
tina funny part. Icare just
that much for him stiil-that I'd hate
10 have him find It out. to know It was
all o big, mad failure. So i've got to
stick to II; only sometimes-some-
times"
She moved nearer to him across the
bare .hoor.
I'm 90 glad you came to-day" she
aid. I'm 90 glad. because II you hadn't
I'd have gone crazy. would want
ID some one 10 tell II al 10 Do you
know, I've gone out sometimes and
.ti..S - A.. ~~Ah.~.~e T~.s1 SkaA .