Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1906-05-12

The whole sweep of his life was away
from women hut this girl was so
lonely. SO pathetic somehow, that he
found himself writing these letters 10
ner almost before he knew II. lie had
an idea, a theory-he was q great chap
Tor theorles-end he kept himself In
the background. lie asked nothing oi
the girl. He"
He blundered" she cried sup
pose the woman lad never had u
lover; suppose the sweep OF her life
had been away from men, that she
rad been 80 busy that she had never
thought OF one until she got those
letters"
Child" The doctor spoke sharply.
Suppose through the whole long
wonderful summertime she had reared
her Joy castle. at first afraid II would
vanish like the bubbles she had blown
in childhood. until she had come to
believe in the writer OF those letters
with the same terrible, childlike faith
she gave to her Cod"
Child, child,' the doctor implored
her.
With little unsteady laugh Miss
Carleton got to her feet, How that
big moon stares, she said. wouldn't
you like to climb on its chin and sail
to your Hearts Desire? Haven't you
land OF Hearts Desire, DOCTOR"
She leaned and looked deep into the
oon-flled, sleeping valleys as she
spoke,
The doctor triad to answer He
urew back into lhe shadows as she
said goodnight. He had seen wo-
mans soul, and The sight had shaken
him.
Not many days later fairy-tae
happening came to Mary Carleton in
the shape of telegram that told her
OF the death of an old great-aunt and
the arrival of fortune, all In breath
The doctor came back from the
valley settlement, where he had been
visiting a patient, to hear the story
and slip away from everybody. In
he quiet Of his den, with the little
ire on the hearth fighting the grow
ing dusk, he tried to realize what life
would be with the glory gone out OF It,.
A log broke and fell, shattering his
revere. The fire eaped, and she
came swiftly down the room to drop
into a chair beside him and nestle
there as II she meant to stay indef-
nitely
1T has been discipline waiting
for that fortune, she said cheerfully.
"Manys the time I've defed fate with
it when I've been so hungry. Cocoa
and toast for breakfast, toast and
cocoa for lunch and my great-aunt 5
fortune for dinner. How the money
has changed things" in sudden gaiety.
I'm not going 20 ride on the moons
chin. II wouldn't be dignihed for an
heiress."
Don't you ever mean to grow up?'
The Doctors lips twitched in way
that would have gone straight TO a
womans heart il she had loved him.
I'm grown up" contentedly. "Tm
-"
And I'm not loss than Is more.
miserably.
Are your" politely, II could never
do arithmetic" The laughing shaft OF
4 .tr oh i,,tA he
middle of heart that wasn't aging
and the blood that wasn't jaded
although the doctor had tried so hard
to think so. pounded and leaped, hot
and strong.
The doctor caught her hand in q
grasp that hurt her.
1--WE been a brute" he cried. 81
saw that fellow leave the violets there
and 1t came to me 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. saw no other way.
Child, child, | never meant to hurt
you! That first little letter-heart-
broken that you'd had TO let go 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 Hung 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 bad claimed.
The Doctors head went down. lie
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 laufh had shattered the
rooms tense stiffness and rippled ovei
him.
But" her voice, very small ant
ahamed and golden with content