The Montgomery tribune., 1909-10-01

things" said she severely; II always
told you how careless you were"
I'm afraid you were right" ad.
mltted; "but l didn't mean to be-
"Oh, one never means to be, OF
course. Don't urge that as an ex.
cuse."
THE fault is not all mine,' 1 ex.
tenuated
She laughed.
Whom are you trying to put II
on?" she asked.
But l did not reply, and presently
she inquired more kindly:
WAS what you lost of much value?"
"Of the greatest value"
"Pshaw! that's too bad. Have you
tried to recover it?" And now
friendly interest warmed her tones
ITS no use" said | hopelessly.
"But I should think you'd try, at
least" she urged.
L looked at her speculatively.
II wish dared" sighed.
How queer! Why don't you dare?"
There are several reasons"
She faced me accusingly.
Are you talking In epigram?' she
suddenly demanded. you know how
/ hate it."
Not at ALL" l protested; "but, you
see, this didn't really belong to me.
never possessed it. ] hoped that some
day 1t would be mine, and now | have
lost the hope of it. Do you see what
mean?"
She put her chin in her palm and
stared into the fire.
THAT is so different-so altogether
different" she said.
But quite as hard to BEAR" l in
sisted. 1T is no easier to lose the
hope of a thing than to lose the thing
itself"
Perhaps not" she admitted,
thoughtfully; "but we have all had a
great many losses of that kind"
Il never had loss like this" l re-
piled seriously, and / arose to punch
the fire and change the subject.
Barbara, however, was both sympa-
thetic and interested, and also,
think, she considered this a safe and
comfortable topic and she wished to
avoid others that might not prove
SO. So she said:
II can't see why you have given ur
all hope of getting this thing that you
want. You say you dare not make an
other try at it. But / don't under
stand. Is it some sort of chairman
ship, and has it been given to some
one else?"
1T is not craftsmanship" l an
swered her; but, yes, it has beer
given to some one else"
Quite irrevocably"
Il am afraid so"
I'm so sorry for you"
"Thank you. l need your sym
pathy."
Then it meant great deal te
your"
She turned in her chair quite sud
denly and looked at me, the question
in her eyes. At the moment the fir,
began to fame and crackle, fallin,
full on my unwilling face, and he
eyes, meeting mine, comprehended il
spite of me, wavered, and dropped.
"Oh!" she breathed very softly, "oh
why did you-did you do it?"
HE isn't much of man who goei
about whimpering, is he?" I asked
trying to smile but making disma
failure of it. 'If the fire had onl.
smouldered a minute longer you neet
never have known. Don't remembe
it, and don't let it make any differenc,
in your-your happiness"
DON'T" she cried. She put he
face down ON the arm of the chair an,
left it there minute, while l stoo
looking helplessly down at her. Pres
emily she lifted her head and locke,
at me with eyes filled with scorn.
Il hate myself when think of wha
you must think of me-" she flashed
Can you think one kindly thing?"
mot one" said l, 'but a thousand.
Her smile wavered through tears
and she put out her hand to me. Sh
ought not--it was a dangerous me
ment: there are times when the hare
est thing in the world is to take tn
hand of the woman you love. But sh
didn't know it. and took it.
(TO BE CONTINUED.)