The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1907-09-10
HER ONLY STORY.
BY MAepALEN ROCK.

BY MAeDALEN ROCK.
"Shake hands? win never touch your
hand again"
But 1 can't help it'll could not help it,
l didn't know, jack"
Didn't know.7 Jack echoed, scornfully.
did you not know when / held your hands
in mine, when / sought you out day after
day. Not knowl iou are the falsest, the
coldest-hearted girl in the world"
Oh jack"
you have ruined my life. You made me
love you, you led me on that you might re-
jeet my love, that you might laugh at me
and crafty your Unsuitable vanity-you, the
promised wife OF a man old enough to be
your fatherl
The girl raised her tear-wet face. If Jack
Graham had been looking at her he might
have regretted many of his hard words; but
his eyes were fixed gloomily on the sea.
con, Jack, thought you knew thought
every one knew about-about Mr.. Har-
greayes! Perhaps | am all you say-heart
less, contemplate, but-but won't you
please say you forgive me- before l gog"
Forgive youi" the young man said.
Forgive you'll"
Rosalind Westray shrank back at the con-
tempt IN his voice. She was only 10, and
she knew nothing Of the world. Her life
since her emancipation from the schoolroom
had been passed by the side Of the invalid
mother who had persuaded the girl TO con-
sent to the wealthy Mr.. Hargreaves' pro
posal. Her mother ami she had passed the
summer at the village of Carmel, and it
was here she had made Jack Graham's ac-
quaintance.
lie lifted his hat, and without another
word turned abruptly away The girl
made an uncertain movement, as if about
to follow; then she turned and went slowly
INTO the house.
Where have you been, my dear?" her
mother asked, ENORMOUSLY.
Only for walk" Rosalind answered,
/ turning away.
You have been a long time, and see-you
have not replied to Mr.. Hargreaves' letter"
1T does not matter, mother"
E" Does not matter, indeed! Rosalind.
you are positively heartless!"
II mean On, mother, l don't want to
marry at all
Mrs Burton, the kind-hearted landlady
of a city boarding house, was putting the
finishing touches to her tea table. She had
sent her oldest little girl to ask Miss
Westray" to come and take tea with her.
Poor girl" She said to herself Moth
ing for dinner either to-day or yesterday
but cup OF milk and bit Of dry bread"
And it gave the kindly landlady great
satisfaction to see her guest partake Of
hearty tea.
Amy success today" she asked, sympa-
thetc1lly, as they sat over the tea table in
the coy little sitting-room.
The girl shock her head sadly. She was
greatly changed since the night when Jack
Graham had upbraIded her on that Septem-
her evening at Carmel. Her mother had
died suddenly only two weeks later, and sew
I linz Mill
had followed, for she had at once told Mr..
lIargreaves that she could not marry him.
There were many lines around her lips now,
and her eyes were not so bright. She had
tried drawing and giving music lessons in
turns, but all with no success.
Ibid you ever try wrtingg" the landlady
asked. short stories for children, say.
You certainly have the knack of telling
, them.
Il have never thought it. Oh, mol am
sure | couldnt!"
Nevertheless, when she returned to her
lonely room she was thinking of Mrs Bur-
tons words. Perhaps she could write; at
lea st there would be no harm in trying; and
then suddenly there came to her mind the
remembrance of the night when she had
f ! parted from Jack Graham, and of all the
\ bitter words he had said, and she drew a
l note book toward her eagerly. She recol-
o lected every word of that conversation.
She would write a story of which that scene
n should be the central incident
I BY noon on the following day Rosalind had
9 made up her first literary production into
). a neat parcel, and had dispatched it to the
e editor of the Argus. The only comnunica
1. ton she sent with it was formal note ask
:. ing that the manuscript if rejected. should
4 be returned to Miss r., in care of Mrs Bur
5 ton"
v The editor of the Argps was not in very
e amiable mood on the morning when it came
{ into his hands. and the efforts of an ANA
RI teur were not likely to be mercifully treat
2 ed The morning mail had brought an al
A most overwhelming flood of manuscripts.
h why on earth will womeu insist on try
" ing to write verse;" he said, irritably, fold
It ing up the manuscript he had just glanced
b over.
He inclosed the printed note conveying
r the usual polite compliments and regrets
and then turned to look for the writer
it name.
Miss Jane Hargreaves! wonder if tina
is relation OF Rosalind Westray's bus
X band?" He sealed the envelope and laid
N aside. Poor Rosalind-she deserved bet
h. ter fate!" ne said, softly. How savage
a was with her that night Perhaps had
es been more patient she might have But
greaves i. the jolliest woman in tn
N county,"
Is He sat silent for time, and finally awok
id from his reverie with a start.
o. Il must get on with this rubbish, l SUI
OF pose"-and lie dragged Rosalind's mani
N script viciously- from its cover. Another
is Wen. ~ make hurried readings do"
Id On the contrary, however, be read and r
~ read the manuscript. When he reached
ie certain point tft'it=iiE5s, silst BerusS1
z went back to the beginning and starte
ID afresh; when he reached that point,
ut stopped and looked at the address wonde
| ingly
IN Miss r., care OF Mrs. Burton Who
to Mrs. Burton, and who is Miss R.? Can
II be only a coincidenes? It's impossiblel
or is Carmel, without a doubt and she &c
d. tainly wore gray dress, and the words a
fe just the same'