The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1906-07-03

whom he didn't idealize," he said.
He didn't know he loyed her at first.
The whole sweep OF his life was away
from women. But this girl was 30
lonely, so pathetic somehow, that nc
found himself writing these letters to
her almost before he knew 1t. He had
an idea, theory-he was a great chap
Tor theories-and he kept himself in
the background lie asked nothing OF
the girl He"
He blundered!" she cried Sup
pose the woman had never had
lover; suppose the sweep OF her life
had been away from men, that she
rad been so 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 1t 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
che 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 it's chin and sail
to your Hearts Desire? Haven't you
a land of Hearts Desire, doctor?"
She leaned and looked deep into the
moon-filled, sleeping valleys as she
spoke.
The doctor tried to answer. He
drew back into the shadows as she
said goodnight. He had seen a wo-
mans soul, and the sight had shaken
him.
Not many days later a fairy-tale
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 a 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
the quiet of his den, with the little
ing dusk, he tried to realize what life
would be with the glory gone out of it
A log broke and fell, shattering his
reverie. The fire leaped, and she
came swiftly down the room to drop
into a chair beside him and nestle
there as If she meant to stay indefi.
nitely.
are hoe haan a d;soin1ina LuuaitiDa
for that fortune she said cheerfully,
"Manys the time I've defied fate with
it when I've been SO hungry. Cocoa
and toast for breakfast, toast and
cocoa for lunch and my great-aunt's
fortune for dinner. How the money
has changed things" in sudden gaiety
Pm not going to ride on the moons
chin. 1t wouldn't be dignified for an
heiress."
Don't you ever mean to grow up?
The doctors lips twitched in way
| that would have gone straight to a
woman's heart if she had loved him.
I'm grown up" contentedly. "I'm
-"
"And I'm lot less than Is more
miserably.
Are your" politely. 81 could never
do arithmetic" The laughing shaft OF
her dark eyes struck straight into the
middle of a 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 8
! grasp that hurt Der.
I've been a BRUTE" he cried. 81
saw that fellow leave the violets there
and it came to me to try the expert.
ment. l 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 hur
you! That first little letter-heart.
broken that you'd had to let go ant
come away from your work-touchee
me. You know the rest. I've tried te
tell you-a hundred times. AS it wal
l felt that l had struck you-hat
struck 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 new strange sense of utter
desolation.
Don't you understand yet? There's
no man in the valley There never
was. I wrote those letters. l sent
those violets. To save your very
life."
A low little laugh had shattered the
rooms tense stiffness and rippled ovei
him.
But" her voice, very small and
shamed and golden with content
whispered, as she came close, close
till the marvellous softness of hel
cheek brushed his, "but-since yester'
day I've known-there's one-on tht
mountain-top"
Not All Dead.