The Idaho Springs siftings-news., 1909-02-20
Well. / really want 10 snow."

w nat do you mink yourseif?"
The question had often been pro
pounded to me. and ! knew that a
definite answer would be merely
ground for argument
Il think you are horrid But then"
she paused retiectiveiy, perhaps you'd
better not answer after all | would
hate to think Elizabeth did not care
as much for me as do for her. yet it
doesn't seem to me she can. You may
laugh. but of course you don't under
stand how We feel about it
Our paths separated here. Gabrielle.
with her arms full of roses went or.
TO the village while / picked my way
carefully along the shore to the rocks
II was useless 10 look again. as /
we'll knew. yet | searched conscien-
tiously for some time. then sat down
to rest beside the ashes OF our last
nights fire. | really do not know OF
anything more depressing than ashes
when one is rather tired and inclined
to be introspective. They seem TO
typity so remorselessly the inevitable
outcome OF human desires and am
bitions.
So | sat watching the glow OF the
sunset. and thinking Of many things
in a disconnected sort OF way
thought of Gabrielle and Elizabeth,
and Of their friendship which seemed
so wonderfully satisfying: | also re-
membered the shadows of the previous
night and my unnecessary agitation
over them. Then | recalled Gabrielle's
parting words with something akin
to sigh. Perhaps. as she said. | di3
not understand but thought / did
and envied them heartily
l confess to being fooIishly blue as
| sat on the rocks listening to the
wash of the waves for I was sure no
one was speculating whether they
loved me more than did them. and
felt very lonely in consequence. The
tide was low and the ocean calm and
uninteresting. so | turned my bach 10
ii. preferring to watch the sun re-
luctantly surrender the world to the
moon. which would soon come up out
of the water just as it had done last
night
Therefore | did not see two figurns
walking along the shore and not unit!
| heard my name in Mr.. Blake's even
voice was aware that | was no longer
alone, but that he and Gordon Bennett
were standing beside me. both lookiDg
rather amused.
A penny for your thoughts, said
Mr.. Blake. producing it.
Nonsense" interrupted Mr.. Ben
nett; they are worth more than that
What will you take for them?'
They are not even. worth a penny.
| really don't believe | was thinking
Of anything"
Has the ring been found7'
l replied that it had not and that
We feared ii must be in the ocean. aft
e. all. Here paused significantly for
did not like to ask outright what had
become of the promised diver. yet con-
sidered hint permissible under The
circumstances
thought he looked Ill at ease as
he somewhat formally expressed his
regret for the accident. His manner
was certainly very different from yes
terday and | decided that the incident
had begun to bore him. Mr. Blake
wandered down to the waters edge.
but Mr.. Bennett seated himself be-
side me
The world is out of joint" he re-
marked: what's the matter"
I'm cross" l admitted. and aw-
fully blue. Please don't ask me why,
for | don't know myself"
He was wise enough not to pursue
the subject. but began to talk upon
impersonal matters, and after while
! became quite cheerful and even won.
dered secretly what had found to be
melancholy about. for it was certainly
very nice world after all
ITO BE. l,DNTINI-E,I1A