The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1906-05-18

her almost before he knew 1t. He hac
an Idea, y theory-he was great cRaI
Tor theories-and he kept himself In
the background. lie asked nothing Of
the glrl. He"
lie blundered!" she cried. Sup
| pose the woman had never had o
lover; suppose the sweep OF her life
lad been SO busy that she had never
thought Of one until she got thos'
| letters"
Child" Tho doctor spoke sharply
Suppose through the whole Iona
wonderful summartime she had reared
her JOY castle, at FIRST afraid 1t would
vanish like the bubbles she had blown
In childhood, until she had come &c
believe in the writer Of those lettert
with the same terrible. childlike faith
she gave to her Cod"
Child, child" the doctor implored
her.
With little unsteady laugh Misi
Carleton got TO her feet. How chat
big moon stares." she said. Wouldn't
you like to climb on It's chin and sail
to your Hearts Desire? Haven't you
q land OF Hearts Desire, doctor"
She leaned and looked deep into tbs
moon-tllled, sleeping valleys as she
spoke.
The doctor tried to answer. He
Grew back into the shadows as she
said goodnight. He had seen wo
mans soul, and the sight had shaker
him.
Not many days later a fairy-talt
happening came TO Mary Carleton IN
the shape of telegram that told hei
of the death OF all old great-aunt ant
the arrival OF fortune, all in a breath
The doctor came back from IN,
valley settlement. where he had beer
visiting q patient, TO hear the stor,
and slip away from everybody, II
the quiet of his den, with the It'll,
fire on the hearth fighting the grow
ing dusk, he tried TO realize what III,
would be with the glory gone out Of It
A log broke and fell shattering hit
reverie Tho fire leaped. and sh,
came swiftly down the room to droI
into a chair beside him and nestl,
there as II she meant to stay indef'
nitely.
1T has been waiting
for that fortune" she said cheerfully
"Many's the time I've defad fate with
1t when I've been SO hungry. Cocoa
and toast for breakfast, toast and
cocoa for lunch and my great-aunt'i
fortune for dinner How the money
has changed things" in sudden gaiety
I'm not going 10 ride on the moons
chin. 1t wouldn't be dignihed for an
heiress."
Don't you ever mean to grow up7"
The doctors lips twitched In a way
that would have gone straight to
womans heart II she had loved him.
I'm grown up" contentedly. I'm
="
And I'm not less than Is more"
miserably.
Are your" politely. 81 could never
do arithmetic" The laughing shaft OF
middle Of heart that wasn't aging
and the blood that wasn't faded
although the doctor had tried so hard
to think 80, pounded and leaped, hot
and strong.
The doctor caught her hand in .
grasp that hurt Der.
1--WE been q brute" he cried. -
saw that fellow leave the vioets there
and It came to mo to try the expert.
ment. | believed to interest you In
anything, anybody, was to save YOU.
There WAS no other way to WOO you
back to life. l saw no other way.
Child, child | never meant to hurt
you! That first little letter-heart-
broken that you'd had TO let so and
come away from your work-touchcd
me. You know the rest. I've tried to
tell you-a hundred times. AS 1t was
felt that had struck you-had
struck a little, trusting child"
He flung out his hands in tortured
helplessness. Say something! Com
fort me-if comfort is left In the
world"
But there was silence in the room
the twilight had claimed.
The doctors head went down. He
had a new strange sense of utter
desolation.
Don't you understand yet? There's
no man in the valley. There never
was. wrote those letters. sent
those violets. To save your very
life"
A low little laugh had shattered the
rooms tense stiffness and rippled over
him.
But" her voice, very small and
shamed and golden with content
whispered, as she came close, close
till the marvellous softness Of her
check brushed his. "but--since yester-
day I've known-.here's one-on the
mountain-top."