The Greenville times. [volume] (Greenville, Miss.) 1868-1917, 1907-12-01

smile, neF eyes SHINING ana LUMINOUS.
Every inch of space in the room seem
ed TO vibrate with the mad joy of her
mood.
Suddenly the telephone bell in the
corridor pierced the melody with pro-
longed, imperative summons. Philiida
jumped up from the instrument and
ran ont to answer it, the crimson
splurging into her checks.
"One-eight-thre e-fye-Main!'
Hello. Is that you, Phil:'
"Me-yes,'' she replied, ungrammat-
fcally and TREMENDOUSLY.
Hartridge seemed to wait a second
/ for something. She distinctly heard his
/ throat clear. and the Kissing little
I sound that followed told Phillida that
| he caught his breath once or twice.
/ Then:
! .PhilIida'' he said huslkily. 81 hate
like the deuce to tell you, but it's got
] to be done. and there's no use putting
! It off II am going away"
Billy W-h-a-t?"
Yes he rushed on desperately, ito
/ Mexico-this afternoon. Like fool,
took that $4,000 and invested it in +.
and G. Lost every cent Of it! The
governor told me to keep out of buck
eft shops with my blamed foolishness,
| but-but'-
"Oh-h, BiI-lyw
wei, you see he continued in n
hoarse voice, Il had been put next to
one Of those private tips and just
| fell in Now l shall simply have TO
get down to work and pay the price Of
my folly in the coin Of grim expert
ence.''
For a moment there was no reply.
Then the girls voice, drab, dispirlted.
drifted over the wire:
BILLY, how could you?"
"Why-vhy, It was this way, Phil"
be cried back eagerly in a final at
tempt at self exclamation. Il thought
If l could double or maybe treble nay
little bank account we wouldn't have
so long to wait
Something sweet snl grrglius nr9.-c
sudden!T against his ll
removed ti.e receiver au5 s.--ei ia .
lis inane rsee 1-a Ae placed i aaeE
aau listened ElUiia @as l
"Ifca~ Ile. au >tgll3 u ea7 STAG
wa sayiuz nov Il nave al lie
MONEY =
"Out OF the question" he cut III tar
ly. "You Gon't suppose I'm thar - e =
chump. da you? BY love, no! The 5
no en- OF u Eool Glance down th1ee
fcr energy and determination if Il fel-
low has his living to mahe-if he
wants to get ahead There arou /
many oppoF5aeities here for the mex
perienced, ANA Cd We'll anyway, I've
Gesi4eJ 10 tIl r4E lu.k -
MulIed so6s Shut h.m oe perempto-
rily. Two receivers tangled sirnu.ta
neously III their HOOKS AMI three min
utes later Uartridge was on his way to
the Pendletons.
Phillida went back to the drawino
room, but it seemed all at once dull
and small and suffocating. She was
too unutterably crushed to do anything
but sink into chair and hold hei
hands. Her heart felt like stone; heI
brain seethed ana whirled Billy going
away. Her realization baked! Hel
mind simply refused to grasp the fact
And an hour ago she had been the hap
piest girl on the globe.
In dazed. hopeless fashion she got
up presently and went out into the
. flower garden. The beds were q gilt
tering mass of rainbow color. There
We're roses everywhere. They nodded
their gentle heads in silent sympathy
with her. Myriads of violets looked VI
modestly from their green nests ans
!: condoled with her Perfect pastures Of
johnny-jump-ups peered pertly at bel
from every direction. A sudden shad
ow cut through the streaming sunlight
Phillida turned and lifted her face tt
Hartridge's panied eyes.
Billy" she said, you We're only
jokfngn
He spoke with gravity she had no
seen In him before.
Not by any means Phillida. Whe1
: l rang you up it was with the intention
+ Of saying goodby WITHOUT seeing you
IL felt as though / could not bear it
But when you took it the way you die
made up my mind to come to yol
and explain how necessary it is that
should go.
Phillida dabbed at her eyes with he
handkerchief and choked back sniff
he.
..If you really loved me, Billy, yoi
would not think OF going
Hartridge frowned, halfway between
hurt and displeasure.
THAT is just why | am taking thi
step. 1t offers the quickest route t.
our happiness
But, dear. it seems so foolish ant
quixotfc when have
"Phillida." he interrupted sharply
you are not going to send me ava.
discouraged-after alp His tone sanl
to an appeal on the last two words.
Suddenly contrite. Phillida came III
to him and gave him her hands. Twil
tears, like wine drops from her win
brown eyes. slid shiningly down he
cheeks and splashed on their interlock
ed fingers. She lifted her lips soft an
i red as rose leaves. Hartridge caugh
her In his arms and kissed her quick
~ twice. The gate latch clicked. an
he put her away from him abruptly
turning to go.
"My train leaves at 800. sha
!. write as-sooa as / get to my destins
ton. Goodby..''
Phillida shook hands formally wit