La Junta tribune., 1908-01-11
Me
CENERALSHIP
Of PHILLIDA.
By N.il;. Cr.vsy Cili~.r..
copyrighted. 1897. by E. c. PARCEL.


/ time. Her head WAS thrown haes her
I moist. crimson lips broken hpar, In
I smile. her eyes shining and luminous.
/ Every Inch of space In the rosrn seem.
7 ed 10 vibra,e with the mad joy OF her
mood.
/ suddenly the telephone he'll in the
Z corridor pierced the melody With pro
: longed. imperative summons. Phiiida
/ Jumped up from the instrument and
I ran out to answer II. the crimson
\ spIurgIng into her cheeks.
One eight three -nve-Nsin.-
Hello. Is that you. Phil:-
"Me-yes." she replied. ungrammst.
/ ically and tr-muiouriy.
/ Hartritige seemed to wait q second
! for something. she distinctly heard his
I throat clear. and the hissing little
I sound that followed told Phiilids that
he caught his breath once or twice.
I Then:
''Phillidn." he said hurkIIy. 81 hate
like the deuce 10 tell you. but It's got
I to be done. aud there's no uxe putting
Z It on IL am going away"
Billy, W-h-a-t?'
Yes" he rushed on desperately. Ito
/ Mexico-th,s afternoon. Like fool.
/ took that x3.Gn and Invested II In Il.
and q. Lost every cent Of il! The
| governor told me 10 keep out OF buck.
! ct shops with my blamed fooiishness.
bul-but''--
"oh.h, billy
We'll. you see.' he continued in Il
hoarse voice. Il had iscn put next TO
MI \ tps
fell In. Now shall simply have 10
get down To work and pay the price OF
my folly In the coin Of grim expert
ence."
For n moment there was no reply.
Then tn. girls voice. drab. di~piriied,
drifte>i over the wire:
billy. how could your
"why-why. u WAS this way. rhil,"
he cried bnck eagerly In Anal at
tempt mt self exienuntion. Il thought
| II / could double or maybe treble my
little bank account We wouldn't have
80 long to watt
Something sweet and gurRling broke
suddenly against his ear. Hartr!dge
removed the receiver and stared into
Its iuane orifice then he placed II back
Dear me. you stupid old goose she
WAS SAYING n"w. Il have all the
money
"Out Of the question he cut In tart
ly. You don't suppose I'm that style of
chumI. d" You: by Jovc. no! There's
/ no end OF good chance down there
| for energy and determination II a fel-
| low has his living to make-if he
| wants to get ahead There SSen't
many opportunities here for the inex-
I perlenced. sud-oh. well. anyway, I've
| decided to try my luck. r.
| Muffied sobs shut him Oh percnpto-
rily. Two receivers tangled simulta'
ncously In their hooks. and three min
ute. later uartrIdge wss on his way TO
| the Pendletors.
room, but It seemed all at once dull
and small and sufYocatinR Sh. was
too unutterably crushed to do anything
but sink into chair and hold her
hands. Her heart felt like stone: her
brain seethed and whirie,. Billy going
away. Her realization baked. Her
mind simply refused to grasp the fact.
| And an hour ago she had been the hap
| piest girl on the globe.
| In n dazed. hopeless fashion She got
| mp presently and went out Into the
/ flower garden. The beds were gilt
/ tcring mass OF rainbow color. There
were roses every where. They nodded
| their gentle heads In silent sympathy
| with her. Myriads OF vioiets looked up
molestiy from their green nests and
condoled with her. Perfect pastures Of
johnny -jump-ups peered pertly at her
from every direction. A sudden shad-
ow cnt through the streaming sunlight.
| Phillida turned and lifted her face to
Hartridge's paincd eyes.
Billy" she said. you were only
joking.'
| He spoke with a gravity she had not
seen In him before.
Not by any means. FhiliIda. When
l rang you up II was with the intention
OF saying gootlby without seeing you.
| IL felt as though could not bear It.
But when You took II the way you did
l made up my mind 10 come TO you
and explain how necessary 1t Is that
should co.
| Phillida dabled nj her eyes with her
handkerchief and chokcd back sniff
| fe.
III you really loved me, Billy, you
would not think Of going"
Hartridge frowncd, halfway between
hurt and displcasure.
That is just why I am taking this
step. 1t offers the quickest route to
our happiness
But. dear, it seems so foolish and
quixotic when have
"Phillida." he Interrupted sharply.
''you nre not going TO send ME away
discouragedz-after allY' His tone sank.
ftoiah appeal on the last two words u
/ Suddenly contrite phillIda came I'M