Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1908-10-07
And vi. suppose she'd neve,

| there had been no lamb. AT least,
Isaac would have burned quickly"
He saw Sally BIS face drop and gray
shadows creep in. At last she found
speech, and her words were steady.
What's the use of money and
beauty, an Wis aristocratic way, il
Bill an me was ready to tie her down
to our kind? To life On the desert:
maybe-Bill amt no finandseer-tc
tough luck an pore grub. That's
what's bound to come if Bits luck
| turns. Do you think that's lovin' her:
That lord b'longs 10 folks that's a.
ways had money. an always looked it
An If he fails, there's Freddy Bryan;
he's man, the right kind. If he loses
| his money. he'll make it again-he's
buckin' brigham she'll live genteel
l s'pose you'd call it lovin' her TO drag
her away from all that, an tie her up
to little four-by-six life with you
| a-trampin' along the railroad" 1t was
her turn for scorn, and ii burned deep.
Alvin walked abruptly away to the
open window. The beautiful palm gar
den with its waXen-crested Gala hedge
| and yine-wrapped trellises was full of
| winter bloom and fragrance; but he
saw nothing. His eyes were misty.
He was looking into dun future with
out Viola, future never before con,
| templated
| Sally B.. watching, saw her battle
won; and quick revulsicn of feeling
set in. She admired his square, manly
| shoulders. Freddy Bryan was thin,
and stopped little, and the lord was
small for an Englishman. Alvin's
plain, wellfltting business suit had
wholesome, honest look that appealed
to her. She remembered how valiant
~ he had fought his, way on a crutch
through half-starved boyhood to man
hood, honorable manhood Even his
| stralghtness touched new chord-she
was proud of the courage that had
pioneered an operation that was Z
talk Of the papers. And he had done II
for vi!
Alvin felt her changed attitude. and
when he came back to her and spoke.
his voice was very gentle. May see
Viola before l go? It'll be my last
| chance, you know
oh, All" she cried out, and stopped.
Alvin was astonished at her emo
ton, yet waited
Almost, ambition had -; not
quite. "Al, boy. Do you Ii you'd
better? Won't it be harder you?
An for her, tco?" she added LITER a
breath.
Alvin's face contracted. Give her
up without one more look into her
dear face? Not see for himself that it |
was well with her? That she could |
love-at least, be content with-the
man her mother would secure for her:
His heart beat DANGEROUSLY: and he
told himself he would see her, would
see her,
Yet he took up his hat. looked calm
ly for his gloves and turned steady
eyes to where Sally B. stood, her
white-knuck!ed hands grasping chair
back desperately.
Tell Vi-tell Vino. don't tell her
anything" he said. with forced calm
ness. Goodbye. Sally B." He bowed
slightly and walked out of the door.
''Oh, Al Carter. you're the best man
stopped, staring after him.
Neither TO the right nor to the left
did he turn his eyes as he walked
down the winding. rose-lined avenue
to the iron gates. Life seemed at an
end,
al, Al Carter" screamed shrill
voice behind him. Through the gates
Sally B. few, her hair disordered, her
full draperies bellying to the wind like
pirate sails. her Grape ruffies dragging
out behind her. al, come back" she
cried breathlessly. catching him by the |
arm, hurrying him through the iron |
gates again, through the rose-lined |
avenue TO the house. Come back an
see vi, Gosh durn it. Al. | throw |
up the game, What does shanminS
old Greaser like me want of big bug
for a son-in-law? You're good enough.
right smart better'n l deserve: an
good enough for Vi, too. Go long in |
the music room there. an find vi. Tell
her if she's said Yes to Reg Lawrence
or TO Freddy Bryan. or to any other
Teller, IL say No to him. Co."
She dragged him into the hail,
pushed him toward the music room:
and, sobbing wildly, ran up the sound I
less stairs.
Alvin stood still, dazed, half con
scious of ripping. tearing ruffies on the
stair. when a little figure sprang for
ward to meet him.
"Oh, AivinS she cried in quick |
rapture, then halted Questioningiy. !
Viola, your mother has accepted /
me for you" he said softly. and took i
her in his arms. And long years CT 1
misery were cut from the lovers cal !:
endar.
(TO RE- COSTEEI-ED