The daily Alaskan., 1905-08-12
THE LONG LANE

fire on the hearth, which snapped and cracked and sent weird, distorted shadows about the walls
 Harrington sat near the fro, which lighted his heavy features uncannily and showed plainly the drawn, hard lines about his mouth. Barbara Allen had withdrawn to the shadows Of a far corner and divided her time be tween playful Angora kitten and covert glanccs In the young mans d. rcction. Now and again as his brows knit in an angry frown she smiled knowingly as she smoothed the kittens silky coat
 Presently the young man whlrled about in his chair and glarcd Into the gloom of the co-ner where the girls face was but barely visible,
 'I suppose" said he, with bitter sar- caSm. that I should have known from the beginning where we would come out with this little affair Of ours. I suppose I should have taken warning from the countless predecessors who have tempted fate before me But a man in love Is blind to many things, and I find I've been no exception to this general rule"
 The girl fin the corner bent over the kitten, but made no reply, Harrington kicked back an ember which hurtled from the fire and continued:
 q didn't think you were that sort of a girl. fondly imagined, in my blessed innocence, that you had some spirit of fairness. I find I've teen mistakcn-and more"
 Be careful, Fritz" she said warn ingly. You're saying some rather harsh things"
 He laughed roughly. "Its hardly the time to mince matters" said he I'm well aware that the truth Isn't always pleasant to hear, but think you'll ad- nit there are times when circum- stances warrant It's utterance You have known from the first that l was honest and sincere. You knew was no trifler. You might at least have let me know from the outset that my case v1s hopeless Instead of dragging it on In this wretched fashion"
 The girl sighed patiently.
 "Tve merely tried to be nice-in a friendly way" she protested.
 "Oh, you've succeeded admirably said be. You've been very, very nice. It was necessary to do that to keep me In line, I suppose"
 kindly be a trlfe considerate,' she said coldly.
 Do you deserve consideratonT' he asked.
 Perhaps not, she said, with meek ness that famed tbe fires of his wrath.
 q tell you" be declared, its a dan gerous game you play, and somo time 1t will go against you. Theren come a time when the glove win be on the oth CT hand. It's long lane thst has no turning"
 The rapid succession Of metaphors set her smiling again. She leaned for ward in her chair.
 And at the turn of the lane-what thcny" she asked.
 He frowned savagcly at the fire.
 At the turn of the lane" said he, ''you'n see 1t all from my present per spective. Youn know what lt Is to love honestly only 10 provoke laughter"
 She stroked the kitten thoughtfully.
 Fritz" she said, with a little note Of awe-whether real or mOcking he could not decide-in her voice, ''you frighten me"
 Ut will como" he said fatly.
 He rose and picked up his hat and coat He loomed up tall and forbid ding in the filckerlng frelight
 I'm going now" be said, but be fore do want Co ask favor of you Don't treat the next chap as you've treated me"
 Barbara rose too. She spilled the kitten on to the floor and came over to Barrlngton's side.
 We're friends, aren't weT she ask ed anxiously,
 "Yes, we're friends" he said
 "You won't forget me because Of this-you won't let this be a barrier between usy" she asked,
 He looked down at her and smiled slowly.
 wen be friends" he said enlgmat- ically,
 The truth of tho situation dawned