The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1909-10-19
Wen, | really want to know"

'-' really want U EnOW."
"hat do you think yourself?"
ne question had often been pro.
pounded to me. and / knew that a
uehhlte answer would be merely
ground for argument.
thlnk you are horrid. But then"
she paused refiectively, perhaps you'd
better not answer after all. would
nate TO think Elizabeth did not car.
as much for me as do for her vet Il
uoesh seem to me she can. You may
iaugh' but OF course you don't under
stand how We feel about it,
our paths separated here. Gabrielle
win her arms full of roses, went on
10 the village while | picked nv way
carefully along the shore to the rocks
IL was useless to look again, as l
well knew, yet | searched conscien-
llously for some time, then sat down
10 rest beside the ashes of our last
nights fire. / really do not know Of
anything more depressing than ashes
"hen one is rather tired and inclined
10 be retrospective. They seem to
typlty so remorselessly the inevitable
outcome Of human desires and am.
billions.
SO | sat watching the glow Of the
sunset, and thinking of many things
IN disconnected sort of way.
thought Of Gabrielle and Elizabeth
and of their friendship which seemed
SO wonderfully satisfying; l also re
membered the shadows of the previous
night and my unnecessary agitation
over them. Then | recalled Gabrielle!
parting words with something aki1
to sigh. Perhaps, as she said, dir
not understand, but l thought l die
and envied them heartily.
| confess to being foolishly blue a
sat on the rocks listening to- tn
wash OF the waves, for | was sure n
one was specializing whether the,
loved me more than | did them, an
felt very lonely in consequence TIL
tide was low and the ocean calm an
uninteresting, so | turned my back
it, preferring to watch the sun re
luctantly surrender the world to tn
moon, which would soon come up OF
of the water just as it had done las
night.
Therefore | did not see two figure
walking along the shore and not unit
| heard my name in Mr.. Blake's eve
/ voice was l aware that / was no longf
, alone, but that he and Gordon Benne
u were standing beside me, both lookin
/ rather amused
"A penny for your thoughts" sa
Mr.. Blake, producing it.
Nonsense" interrupted Mr.. Be
e nett: they are worth more than ths
{ What will you take for them?"
IL They are not even worth penn
D. | really don't believe l was thinkil
q OF anything
II Has the ring been fOund?'
n | replied that it had not and tn
/ we feared it must be in the ocean, a
er all Here l paused significantly, +
| did not like to ask outright what h
II become of the promised diver, yet &C
n sidered a hint permissible under I
circumstances.
| thought he looked i'll at ease
he somewhat formally expressed
II regret for the accident. His mann
was certainly very different from y
4 terday and l decided that the incide
1 had begun to bore him. Mr.. Bla
4 wandered down to the waters ed
j but Mr. Bennett seated himself
side me.
4 THE world is out Of joint, he
\ marked; what's the matter?
i I'm cross" l admitted, and
| fully blue. Please don't ask me W
| for | don't know myself
| He was wise enough not to purs
the subject, but began to talk VI
impersonal matters, and after WI
| became quite cheerful and even W
dered secretly what | had found to
melancholy about, for it was certal
very nice world after all.