Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1910-11-03

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Flora ended with a little breathless
laugh. 81 do so wish you would come
down with me this morning, for l
must go. and you see I can't go alone"
Mrs. Herrick, sitting there, com
posed, in her cool, flowing, white and
violet gown with the red flowers in
her lap, still looked at Flora inquir-
ingly. But aren't there some wom-
en- in your party old enough to make
it possible and young enough to take
pleasure in it,"
Flora shook her head. "Oh, no."
she said. Her house of cards was tot
tering. She could not keep up her
brave smiling. She knew her distress
must be plain. Indeed, as she looked
at Mrs. Herrick she saw the effect
of it.
Her heart sank. If only she had
told the truth-even so much of 1t as
to say there was something she could
not tell. What she had said was UNI
worthy not only of herself but of the
end she was so desperately holding
out for. Now in the lucid gaze con-
fronting her she knew all her inten-
lions were taking on a dubious color,
stained false, like her words, under
the dark cloud of her own misrepre-
sentation. Yet they were not false,
she knew. Her motives, the end she
was struggling for, were as austere as
truth itself. She could not give up
without one bold stroke to clear them
Of this accusation.
do you think there's anything
queer about it," she faltered.
"Queer?" To F1ora's ears that
sounded the coolest word she had aver
heard. 81 hardly think l understand
what you mean"
II mean is it that you think there's
more in what I'm asking of you than
I have said?" The two looked at each
other and before that fiat question
Mrs. Herrick drew back a little in her
chair.
II have no right to think about it at
ALL" she said.
well, there u.s." Flora insisted.
there's a great deal more. I am sor-
ry. / should have told you, but l was
afraid. I don't know why l was afraid
of you, except that in this matter I've
grown afraid Of every one. It's true
that there may be people going down
at least, a person, But it isn't, as
let you think it, a, house party at all.
It's for something, something that
can't do any other way-something,"
she had a sudden flash Of insight,
shat, If I could tell you, you would
believe in, too"
Mrs. Herrick's look had faded to a
mere concentrated attention. "You
mean that there Is something you
wish to do for whoever is going
DOWN."
ooh, something I must do" Flora
insisted.
Mrs. Herrick considered a moment
"Why can't he do it for himself?" she
threw out suddenly.
1t made Flora start, but she met II
CALAMITY. Because he won't. Ishal
have to make him."
"You!" For a moment Flora knew
that she was preposterous in Mrs
Herrick's eyes-and then that she was
pathetic. Her companion was looking
at her with a sad sort of humor. "My
dear, are you sure that that is your re
sponsibility?
F1ora's answering smile was faint
ut seems as strange to me aS II
seems absurd to you, but / think
have done something already"
"Are you sure, or has he only lei
you think so? We have all at some
time longed, or even thought it was
our duty, to adjust something wher
it would have been safer to have KEEP
our hands Off" Mrs. Herrick went OF
gently.
"Oh, safer" Flora breathed. ooh
yes; indeed, I know. But If something
had been put into your hands withou'
your choice; If all the life Of some
OH0 LudJ yJu CdlCu dDOuL uCPChuOu Va
you, would you think Of being safe?'
Flora, leaning forward, chin in hand
with shining eyes, seemed fairly tt
impart a reflection Of her own pas
:, sionate concentration to the woman
before her.
Mrs. Herrick, so calm in her re
poseful attitude, calm as the old por
trait on the wall behind her, none thu
less began to show a curious sparkle
of excitement in her face. "IfNI werl
!, sure that persons life did depend OF
me-" she measured out her words de
liberately. But that so seldom hap
pens, and it is so hard to tell"
But if you were sure, sure, sure!
Flora rang it out certainly.
Mrs. Herrick in her turn leaned for
ward. "Ah, even then it would dc
|, pend on him. And do you think yol
: can make a man do otherwise thai
his nature?"
Flora answered with a stare Of mis-
!, cry. II know what you must be think
ing-what you can not help thinking,
i she said, that the whole thing is ur
: heard of-outrageous-especially for
girl so soon toto be-" She caugh
her breath with a sob, for the word
she could not speak. "But there 1
nothing in this disloyal to my engage
ment, even though I cannot speak O
it to Harry Cressy; and nothing
hope to gain for myself by doing wha
l am trying to do. II l succeed 1t vii
only mean l shall never see him-th
other one-again."
Mrs. Herrick rose, in her turn be
seeching. "Oh, I can't help you g
into it! 1t is too dubious. My dear
/ know so much better than you wha
the end ma mean"