The Huttig news., 1910-05-14
CHAPTER XII.
The cold Bao.

The Cold Bag.
 l have always smiled at those cases of spontaneous combustion which, like fusing the component parts of a seid. litz powder unite two people in a bub bling ephermeral ecstasy. But sure surely there is possible, with but a single meeting, an attraction so great community of mind and interest SC strong. that between that first meet ing and the next the bond may groy into something stronger. This is es pecially true, l fancy. of people witl temperament, the modern substitut for imagination. It is nice ques tion whether lovers begin to love when they are together or when the. are apart
 Not that I followed any such line of reasoning at the time I would no even admit my folly to myself. Blu during the restless hours Of that frs night after the accident, when m, back ached with lying on it, and an other position was torture, I found my thoughts constantly going back to Ali son West. I dropped into a doze, to dream of touching her fingers agail to comfort her. and awoke to find { had patted teaspoonful of medicine out of Mrs. Klopton's indignant hand What was it Mcknight had said abou making an egregious ass of myself?
 And that brought me back to Richey and fancy l groaned There is no use expatiating on the friendship be tween two men who have gone to gether through college, have guar reled and made it up, fussed together over politics and debated creeds for years; men don't need to be told, and women cannot understand Neverthe. less. l groaned. If it had been any one but Richi
 Some things were mine, however. and l would hold them. The halcyon breakfast, the queer hat. the pebble in her small shoe, the gold bag with the broken chain-the bag. Why, it was in my pocket at that moment I got up painfully and found my coat. Yes, there was the purse. bul- ging with an opulent suggestion wealth inside. I went back to bee again, somewhat dizzy, between effor. and the touch of the trinket, so late-s hers. l held it up by it's broken chair and gloated over il. By careful atten tion to orders, 1 ought to be out in day or SO Then could return it |, her. I really ought to do that; it was valuable, and l wouldn't care to trus: it to the mail could run down 60 Richmond, and see her once-there was no disloyalty to Rich in that.
 had no intention of opening the little bag. l put it under my pillow which was my reason for refusing to have the linen slips changed to Mrs klopton's dismay And sometimes dur ing the morning, while i lay under virgin field of white, ornamented with strange flowers, my cigarettes hidden beyond discovery, and Science and Health on table by my elbow. as if by the merest accident I slip my hand under my pillow and touch it rev erently.
 Mcknight came in about IL I heard his car at the curb, followed almost immediately by his slam at the front door, and his usual clamor on the stairs. He had bottle under his arm, rightly surmising that I had been forbidden stimulant, and large box of cigarettes in his pocket, suspecting my deprivation.
 Well" he said cheerfully How did you sleep after keeping me up half the night?'
 slipped my hand around; the purse was we'll covered Have it now, or wait till I get the cork out?" he rattled on.
 T don't want anything" I protested. T wish you wouldn't be so darned cheerful, Richey' He stopped whit ting to stare at me.
 ' am saddest when 1 sing,'" he quoted unctuously. Its pure reac- tion, Lollie. Yesterday the sky was low I was digging for my best friend. To-day-he lies before me. his peevish self. Yesterday l thought the notes were burned: to-day--I look forward to good cross-country chase. and with luck we will draw" His voice charssd suddenly "Yesterday-she was in Seal Harbor To-day-she is here
 Here in Washington I asked. as naturally as I could
 Yes Going to stay week or two" sOh. l had a little hen and she had a
 wooden leg
 And nearly every morning she used
 to lay an egg
 Will you stop that racket, Richi It's the real thing this time. 1 sup. poser"
 She's the best little chicken that
 we have on the farm
 Aud snother little drink won't do us
 any harm"
 he finished twisting out the cork screw. Then he came over and sat