The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1910-12-28
COAST Of

/ sented. "And you wouldn't put II on
until she can?'
Il couldn't put II of moment"
Flora ended with little breathless
laugh. II do so wish you would come
down with me this morning, for |
must go, and you see cant 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 Mt Flora inquir-
ingly. But aren't there some wom-
EN- in your party old enough to make
1t 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 II only she had
told the truth-even so much Of II as
to say there was something she could
not tell. What she had said was un.
worthy not only OF herself but OF the
end she was so desperately helding
out for. Now in the lucid gaze con.
fronting her she knew all her inten.
tions we're 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 Flora's ears that
sounded the coolest word she had ever
heard. II hardly think understand
what you mean"
II mean is It that you think there's
more In what I'm asking Of you than
have said?" The two looked at each
other and before that fiat question
Mrs. Herrick drew back little In her
| chair.
81 have no right to think about 1t at
ALL" she said
! "Well, there is" Flora insisted.
There's a great deal more. am sor-
ry. l should have told you, but | was
afraid ] don't know why ] 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 1t isn't, as !
let you think 1t, house party at all.
It's for something, something that !
can't do any other way-something,'
she had a sudden fash of insight,
that, If could tell you, you would
believe in, too"
Mrs. Herricks look had faded to a
mere concentrated attention. "You
mean that there is something you
wish to do for whoever Is going
DOWN."
"Oh, something I must do" Flora
insisted
Mrs. Herrick considered moment.
"Why can't he do 1t for himself?" she
threw out suddenly.
It made Flora start, but she met 1t
gallantly Because he won't. shall
have to make him"
"You!" For 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 sad sort of humor. my
dear, are you sure that that is your re-
sponsibility?"
Flora's answering smile was faint
at seems as strange to me as 1t
seems absurd to you, but | think
have done something already"
Are you sure, or has he only let
you think so? We have all at some
time longed, or even thought 1t was
our duty, to adjust something when
1t would have been safer to have kept
our hands off," Mrs. Herrick went on
gently.
"Oh, safer" Flora breathed. "Oh,
yes; indeed, know. But If something
had been put into your hands without
your choice; If all the life of some
one that you cared about depended on
you, would yeu think of being safe?''
Flora, leaning forward, chin in hand
with shining eyes, seemed fairly to
impart 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 the
less began to show curious sparkle
of excitement in her face. IF | were
sure that persons life did depend on
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 de-
pend on him. And do you think you
can make a man do otherwise than
his nature?"
Flora answered with stare of mis-
cry. 81 know what you must be think
ing-what You can not help thinking.
| she said that the whole thing is un.