The broad ax. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1895-19??, 1908-12-12
iction
ON THE REBOUM.
By GARFIELD MAcNEAL.

the sickening consciousness that she
vas an old maid She parted the
crstonne curtains OF her bed, curtains
covered with red roses, suggestive Of
sumner sunshine. and turned her eyes
toward the window Rain beating
against the panes and dun gray sky
unclaimed q cherries November day
She sighed Then, stretching out q
shapely arm, she took a silver hand
mirror from the nearby dressing table
and carefully studied her features.
In the language Of Shakespeare, she
saw mo deeper wrinkles yet" face
long and oval. patrician In outline and
expression, skin rather olive, eyes
brown. deep and luminous, a mouth
generously nodded and q wealth Of
brown hair. On the whole, II was q
notable face and one Of character.
Dropping the mirror on the bed, she
called %Loisy" A French maid, neat
trim and smiling. appeared with the
breakfast tray.
"Ah, ma'm'seIlel A thousand con-
gratulations on your birthday"
MY thirtieth, Lois. But thank you
tust the same"
'Ma'm'selle Is stin young, and al
ready fame has come TO you And
when your novel Is published the world
win be at your feet" said Lois, with a
comprehensive sweep Indicating the
world.
ssOh - a. y,o,,.I,s, ,,,,,--,,,,-.;z -.
mistress. sitting up and starting In on
her coffee and rolls, while the maid
laid a bundle OF letters and manu-.
scripts on the bed.
Miss Treadwell opened the one bulky
package and looked at the accompany
ing letter. It was from q great pub
fishing house formally expressing re-
qet that they were unable to accept
her novel.
She gulped down something In her
throat Her novel declined-her hrst
really original work, to which she had
given the leisure hours Of six yearsI
Truly, this was q most delightful birth
day gift
Lois" she sid. and her voice trem-
bled-"Lois. my novel has been de-
clined-"
%Ah, ma'm'seIle, I am too sorry"-
with quick sympathy-'but some other
publisher win accept It"
Her mistress shook her head. Il
shall not send It out again. I shall
stick to hack work can at least
make living at that" Then she add
ed rehecttvely. my life has been q
failure"
Lois protested She worshiped her
mistress. ''Ma'm'seIle has been sue
eessful- You have q pretty apartment
and everything you want"
Other women, too. have pretty
apartments and everything they
want"
%Ah, yes, but they did not work for
them" said Lois, with q worldly
shrug, as she went IN response to the
electric bell. which at this moment
buzzed loudly In the hall
She reappeared with a huge white
box. Flowers, ma'm'selle, and q note,"
She said gayIy.
Mss Treadwen cut the ribbon that
he'd the box and disclosed q mass Of
Eiolets. They seemed TO look up at
hef tenderly. Jet shrinkingiy. as she
bent over them With q sigh Of pleas
ure she took the note and studied the
bold handwriting OF the superscrip-
ton. Her heart jumped. Surely Il
was Jack'si Dear old lack had r.
membered her!
She slit across the end Of the en-
velope while her fingers trembled and
eagerly unfolded the paper.
Dear lillian" she read, ~mat /
hope that this remembrance % your
birthday win prove that I have not
forgotten you? have been IN town
two days. / secured your address
from C's Magazine and send these
flowers to warn you that am coming
to invade your sanctum sanctorum and
talk over old times Always your
friend, Jack Ainsworth.S
She started up, scattering letters and !
manuscripts on the 6eor. '1OlS" she
said decidedly. Il want you to lay out |
my new morning gown, the sea green |
one with the train"
Sitting down at her dressing table,
she began 4 careful toilet Her
thoughts were busy with the past |
Jack had been her girIhood friend IN
the little inland town where they were
both born and bred. Again she was
tWenty-four and be was twenty-six-
Why had be never spokenI She knew
ne loved her. and perhaps she had
loved him. too. then. But when her
mothers death left her alone IN the
world she was seized win the desire
70 come to New YORK TO try her for
pune. Jack bad advised against & but
strange perversfty made her desf %
hh Warnings
At inst they had kept up q eoEre-
.pondence. Soon even that ink was
neoken a. she was drawn more and
more into the absorbing whlrl Of news
PAPER ana magazine WORK. For eve /!
yean no letters had passed hetwesn
nm ~ +. = -. -.