La Junta tribune., 1907-11-23

studying With curious eyes his little
nspccc. What was the matter with
them all, wondered Mrs. Rushwell.
Was LassIter jealous? There could be
nothing serious u the Morris boys at
tenti0ns.
1t was the last night OF their stay.
All day hea,i clouds had been piling
up In the wes' threatening masses Of
violet. The sun had sunk below the
horizon In sullen blaze OF dull red
The stiffness and the heat were in
tense. Margaret. restless and wea.
rict. had Slipped outside. seeking ref
uge. a breath among the stately pines.
Above her head they murmured In
endless cadence. musical and mystcri-
GUS. But to her troubled mind the tran
quillity Of the woods brought no peace.
As yet the pain was too fresh for ma
lures assua cement. And twisted
through the tangle of her own per-
sistent thoughts ran a teasing little
question Of Eelcn's. Before dinner the
girl had come 10 her room. The ca
eyes had an odd look of suffering. She
had picked up Margarets silver hand
glass and stood balancing 1t absently.
"Mr. Townsend. he Is very great
man, 10 he notI'' She had put the
question wistfully. and Margaret had
answered yes
TIT II strange that he can care for
one-one 30 young. so ignorant. so un-
trained" faltered the young voice.
do you-do YOU think he really does
rcaliy?" The big eyes had searched
Margaret's face with an eager. almost
q supplicating intensity.
For a moment Margaret's heart had
almost stopped its heating What
could the child mean? Then she had
forced herself TO calmness.
IL know lie does" she had an
swered steadily, He cares very
much"
But the question fingered In Marga-
rets mind. touched to q poignant sig
nificance by the memory OF that small
white face. OF what was the child
thinking: Whence came the hidden
feeling which prompted the query:
Margaret, despite the close atmOs-
phere, shivcred. Why had Lassiter re-
turned and why. oh. why. had he come
here to destroy. this time forever. the
peace of mind which Margaret had be-
lieved so secure ut last? And this poor
child who loved her. lnvoluntarily
Margaret wruns her hands. How
hard, how complicated. was life! But.
thank Heaven. tomorrow they would
all separate. After tomorrow she nect.
see him no more.
There wns step behind her on the
soft carpet OF fallen needles-a quick,
firm tread coming hurriedly down the
path. Margaret turned. II was dusky
under the thick sheltering boughs, but
she recognized at once that 1t was Las
sitter. At sight of the white figure be-
fore him the man started.
Margaret he calculated sharply.
Margaret But he caught himself
at once. 81 beg your pardon" he
smiled. "You looked almost like a
ghost there among the trees. l am on
my way te1hs boathouse." explaining
easily. "Bclen and young Morris are
on the lake. and It looks SO like q
storm
"Come" she said quickly. 1t had
grown very dark. The sultry air was
brcathless. Not q sigh stirred the
branches above The slippery. over
grown path was difficuit to find, but
Margaret sped unheedlngIy on. That
little fral canoe out on the tumbling
waters! Oh, why was the boathouse
so far? And then all at once gnarled
old root thrust boldly out caught her
foot. She tripped. stumbled. and the
next instant she had fallen into Las
sIter's arms.
1t was only for one brief fraction Of
time. one half anguished moment. dur
Ing which the man. his stern self con-
troll shaken. had gathered her close.
Then Margaret broke from him.
.Belcn"' she gasped. The lines
around LassIter's mouth whitened.
II know" he said. Il know" But
despite his effort ut self mastery the
emotion reused WAS not to be SO easily
leashed The bitterness Of years surged
to the surface.
"Margaretr' he cried. '.Oh, Marga-
ret. why didsyou send me away"
81 didn't know" murmured the
woman unsteadily. IL thought !
didn't care. and then 1t was too late
you had gone. But-but you are happy
now" she urged. "Belen"-
"Belen II a child" said Lassiter
quietly. when she was left so alone
with only me for guardian there SEEM
ed nothing else to do. shall try to
make her q good husband. But you,
Margaret"-his voice suddenly dropped
to an unconscious entreaty-"Marga-
ret
Then out Of the gloom voice echoed
clearly across the water.
.'NO. no." It sobbed, and both man
and woman, stopping suddenly. recos-
nized the voice ~ Belen's. "You