Rocky Ford enterprise., 1909-09-17

Careless people always lose
things" said she severely: II always
told you how careless you were."
I'm afraid you were right" I ad.
mitted: but didn't mean to be-"
"Oh. one never means to be. Of
course. Don't urge that as an ex-
c,lse."
'The fault is not all mine." I e1-
tenuated.
She laughed.
Whom are you trying to put II
ONT" she asked.
But did not reply. and presently
she inquired more kindly: ,ea a.
WAS what you lost OF much value?"
"Of the greatest value"
"Pshaw! that's too bad. Have you
tried to recover it?" And now q
friendly interest warmed her tones.
ITS no use," said hopelessly.
"But ] should think you'd try. at
least" she urged. =HEHr
I looked at her speculatively.
Il wish I 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."
mot at ALL. ! protested; but. you
see. this didn't really belong to me. /
never possessed 1t. ] hoped that some
day 1t would be mine, and now have
lost the hope of 1t. Do you see what
l mean" s..s, y-3t
She put her chin in her palm and
stared into the fire. ~ stlf5
That is SO different-so. altogether
different" she said.
But quite as hard to bear" in
sisted. 1T is no easier to lose the
hope Of thing than to oAlose the thing
ITSELF" .r -u
Perhaps not" she admitted,
thoughtfully; but we have all had a
great many losses Of that kind"
II never had loss like this" re-
piled seriously. and arose to punch
the fire and change the subject.
Barbara, however. was both sympa-
thetic and interested. and also, I
think. she considered. this q 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 up
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 1t some sort Of a chairman.
ship. and has It been given to some
one else?" .s
1T is not a chairmanship." / an
swered her: but. yes. 1t has been
given to some one else"
quite irrevocably?"'
II am afraid So"
I'm SO sorry for you" O."
Thank you. ! need your sym
pathy."
':Then 1t meant a great deal to
your"
She turned In her chair quite sud.
denly and looked at me. the question
in her eyes. At the moment the fire
began to fame and crackle. falling
full on my unwilling face. and her
eyes. meeting mine. comprehended In
spite OF me. wavered. and dropped.
"Oh!" she breathed very softly. "oh,
why did Sou-did you do it,"
He isn't much OF q man who goes
about whimpering, Is he!" asked.
trying to smile but making a dismal
failure Of II. IF the IRE had only
smouldered q minute longer you need
never have known. Don't remember
II, and don't let II make any difference
in your-your happiness"
"Don't!" she cried. She put her
face down on the arm Of the chair and
left 1t there a minute. while I stood
looking helplessly down at her. Pres.
emily she lifted her head and looked
at me with eyes filed with scorn.
Il hate myself when think Of what
you must think Of me-" she flashed.
Can you think one kindly thing?"
Not one" said !, but a thousand" !"
Her smile wavered through tears,
and she put out her hand to me. She
ought not-it was a dangerous mo-
ment: there are times when the hard.
est thing in the world is to take the
hand Of the woman you love. But she
didn't know II. and I took II.