Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1905-05-18


shut away sunshine. Lettice knew that
very WELL being that she was country
bred and spiritually as well as actual
ly a daughter of the open. But In this
pinch the knowledge did not help her
that is to say she did not think OF the
parallel between clouds actual and
metaphorical The sun had shOne for
her So blithely, with such strength and
power. the shutting away left her in Il
manner numb Notwithstanding she
had one cOnSolation-the Farnham girl
did not know. She never should know
if Lettice could help it, no matter what
the keeping her ignorant might cost
Lettice herself
They had never quarreled-Lettice
was too thoroughbred for such a thing
and the Farnham girl too politic-but
from the beginning they had been in
ruitively antagonistic, although envi-
ronment enforced certain surface cor
diality, even friendlineSs, between
them. Both were western, with Yet a
subtle difference Fate had, Il appear
ed, an eeric, even malicious, pleasure
in throwing them in each others way.
They had been classmates in the same
fresh water college three years before
they found themselves, wholly by
chance. fellow lodgers in Mrs Nanston
Quigleys New York apartment
Necessity and inclination had brought
them there-each to try for literary
career. BY help of honest ignorance,
lmpid innocence, heart ever joyous,
an industry that never tagged, Lettice
was now full tledged newspaper wo-
man, with a salary beautifully sutfi-
cient if none too large, whereas Faith
Farnham, in spite of undeniable Clev-
erness Joined TO a personality as strik-
ing as it was INSCRIPTIONS, had still
much ado to make ends meet
That went hard with her In face of
the fact that she had an oriental de-
light in luxury and was withal indo-
lent. In excuse she pleaded "tempera-
ment" whatever that may be With
out these keen appetites. susceptible
senses, she said, or with them starved
and thwarted, she would never be able
truly to express the genius burning
and writhing within Lettice had smil-
ed over the excuse until she found II
leading its posseSsor into squandering
her money on viOletS at their costlieSt
and leaving her laundress Il month un-
paid although the poor creature falter-
ed out something about hungry chill
dren and rent day. Lettice, overhear-
Ing by chance, thrust a bill into the
woman's hand and mentally set her
down to be thrice remembered at the
Christmas tree the paper she worked
for was even then planning. She said
nothing to the Farnham girl-eXcept,
that is, what was eloquentIy spoken
by her altered manner. Unluckily Miss
Farnham chose to hear in 1t other
things than it was meant to express.
Il fear l shall have to 90 away; it
hurts me SO to have anybody jealous of
me-" she cooed to Philip Arran as Let
tice flashed in and out Of the parlor,
with the barest brief greeting to the
two Ever since the Century asked
me to let il share my work with Scrib-
ners Lettice-I ought really to say
Miss Lane-has been as you see her.
or course | make allowances. 1t must
hurt dreadfully when one Is ambitious,
and she is frightfully SO, to find you
can do only low and common things.
| should starve If | tried newspaper
work, and / feel that | would rather
starve than try it. Yet l am so glad
Lettice is wiser. She really does very
well at It, But, only fancy, she isn't
the least bit satisfied. Mrs. Quigley
says Sundays-you know she never
goes TO church-she writes things sto-
ries actually-and sends them to the
magazinesw
Arran smiled at her behind his hand.
Nature made him a critic. Fate gave
him money; some Ill fairy thrust upon
him aspirations for play writing-aspt-
rations that had howered into super
Huous success Lettice had written q
Sunday special about him and in writ
ing it had so managed to strike the
middle line between ridIcule and pane
gyric as to come warmly into the king
dom of his regard. They had been
CHEEKY comrades until Faith Farnham
had somehow managed to turn the du-
ct into a trio After that everything
went wrong. Slight, sinuous, ethereal,
in delicately colored, high waisted,
trailing robes, with always n knot Of
violets at her breast, she easily put
Lettice, with her rosy cheeks, her
hearty laugh, her walking suit and
trim hair, out Of court. Arran yielded
himself Joyously TO her fascinations.
shes a reverslonary type, and a rare
one" he explained to Lettice. Il like
to study her, to see how she makes up
to herself for all the things her ances-
tors felt II was religion to do without"
Take care" Lettice had answered,
smiling a smile openly, honestly, un-
easily
That's your part-yOu are to take
care OF me always" Arran had an
swered, speaking very low and trying
TO take her hands.
Then the telephone bell had rung,
with the result that Lettice found her
self whisbed out Of town for a week
She came back to find Arran apparent
ly Farnham bond slave The very
first news she heard was that Faith
was to make one Of the Christmas
house party at Arranmore, Philips
country place, where his widowed
mother still dispensed noble hospital
ity Lettice was also asked, but with
Christmas but three weeks off going
was out Of the question. She had nei-
ther the clothes nor the time All the
money her common sense would let her
spend had gone into overlooking
Christmas boxes ready for dispatch to
the dear folks at home. Above and be
yond that the Christmas tree was spe,
cially In her charge She had helpers
galore, but those in authority had said
TO her. you have never failed in any
thing set you; now go ahead and make
this the biggest success Of its kind the
city ever saw"
She was doing Il. ScofTers at her IN.
experience, her country ways. were dis.
covering a very shroyd and level head