The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1907-05-26


'sNothin' 70 speak Of, Go on with
your argument"
eI've finishedn said the colonel II
only wanted 70 say TINT II seems to
me good action FOR young lady like
that to come back here and stick to
her old friend ana playmate"
"Stick to himr echoed Mr.. Arp.
-She walked up Main street with him
yesterday DO you call that stickin'
to him? She's been away good
while; she's forgotten what Canaan -,
You wait till she sees for herself jest
what his standing In this COM
II agree with Eskew for once" In
terrupted Peter Bradbury, II agree
because"
"rhen you better watt cried Es-
kew, allowing him to proceed no fur
ther. ''tiil you hear what you're agree
n' to- l say you take young lady
Hike that--pretty and rich. and all cul-
tured up, and II stands to reason that
she WON'T
"No; It don'tr' exclaimed Buckalew
Impatiently. Nothing Of the sort!
tell you
Eskew rose to bis feet and pounded
the pavement with his stick. 1T
stands to reason that she won't stick
to man no other descent woman will
speak to. feller that's been the mark
for every stone throwed lii the town
ever since he wls hoy. an outcast
with reputation as black as a
preachers shoes on Sunday! | don't
care II he's her oldest friend GU earth,
she won't stick to himl She walked
with him yesterday, but You can mark
my words, his goose Is cooked!' The
old mans voice rose shrill and high.
ut amt In human nature fer her to
do ii! You hear what l say = you'll
never see her with Joe Louden again
in this livln' world, and she as good
as told me so herself last night. You
can take your oath she's quit him al
ready DON'T
Eskew paused abruptly, his eyes Wild
ening behind his spectaeles. His jaw
fell. His stick, raised to hammer the
pavement remained suspended In the
air. A sudden color rushed over his
face, and he dropped speechless In bis
chair. The others after staring at
him In momentary alarm followed the
direction Of his gaze.
Just across Main street and In plain
view was the entrance to the stair
way which led to Joe's Office. Ariel
Tabor. all In cool gray, carrying a big
bunch Of white roses In her white
gloved hands, bad just crossed the
sidewalk from a carriage and was as
cending the dark stairway. A mo-
ment later she came down again empty
handed, got into the carriage and drove
away.
"she missed him." said Squire Buck
alew. Il saw him go out half an hour
ago. But" he added and, exercising a
self restraint close upon the sanity. did
not even glance toward the heap which
was Mr.. Arp, II notice she left her
fiowersw
Ariel was not the only one who
climbed the dingy stairs that day and
read the penciled script upon Joe's
door: "Wlll not return until evening.
]. Louden." Many others came, all ex-
ceedingly unlike the first visitor. Some
were quick and watchful, lodging into
the narrow entrance furtIvely; some
smiled contemptuously as long as they
were In view Of the street, dropping
wanly as they reached the stairs; some
were brazen and amused, and some
were thin and troubled. Not all Of
them read the message, for not all
could read, but all looked curiously
through the half opened door at the
many roses which lifted their heads
delicately from a water pitcher on
Joe's desk to scent that dusty place
with their cool breath.
Most Of these clients after grunt
Of disappointment turned and went
away, though there were few, either
unable to read the message or so press
ed by anxiety that they dlsregarded 1t,
who entered the room and sat down to
wait for the absentee. There were
plenty Of chairs in the Office now, book
cases also and big steel safe. But
when evening came and the final gray
of twilight had vanished from the win
dow panes all had gone except one, a
woman who sat patiently, her eyes
upon the floor and her hands folded in
her lap, until the footsteps Of the last
Of the others to depart had ceased to
sound upon the pavement below. Then
with a wordless exclamation she
sprang to her feet, pulled the window
shade carefully down to the sill and
when she had done that struck a match
on the heel Of her shoe-a solled white
canvas shoe, not small one--and ap-
piled the fame to gas Jet The yel-
low light fared up, and she began to
pace the room haggardly
The courthouse bell rang 0, and as
the tremors following the last stroke
pulsed themselves into silence she
heard football on the stairs and Inn
mediately relapsed into chair, fold