The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1910-05-06

buC u'u not reply ana presently
she inquired more kindly:
Was what you lost of much value?"
of the greatest value"
"Pshaw! that's too bad Have you
tried to recover it?" And now a
friendly interest warmed her tones.
It's no use" said hopelessly.
But I should think you'd try, at |
least" she urged.
looked at her speculatively.
Il wish | 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,"
Not at all" protested; but, you
see, this didn't really belong to me. l
never possessed it, / hoped that some
day it would be mine, and now l have
lost the hope of it. Do you see what
l mean?"
She put her chin in her palm and
stared into the fire.
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 lose the thing
itself"
Perhaps not" she admitted,
thoughtfully; but we have all had a
great many losses of that kind"
Il never had loss like this" l re-
piled seriously, and l arose to punch
the fire and change the subject
Barbara, however, was both sympa-
thetic and interested, and also, l
think, she considered this a safe and
comfortable topic and she wished to
avoid others that might not prove
so. So she said:
Il 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 l don't under
stand. Is it some sort of chairman
ship, and has 1t been given to some
one else?"
ut is not Craftsmanship" l an
swered her; but, yes, it has been
given to some one else"
Quite irrevocably?"
II am afraid So"
I'm SO sorry for you"
Thank you. l need your sym.
pathy."
Then it meant a great deal to
you?"
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 you-did you do it?"
He isn't much of a man who goes
about whimpering, is hep" l asked,
trying to smile but making a dismal
failure of it. IF the fire had only
smouldered a minute longer you need
never have known. Don't remember
it, and don't let it 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 minute, while stood
looking helplessly down at her. Pres
emily she lifted her head and looked
at me with eyes filled with scorn.
II hate myself when think of what
you must think of me-" she flashed
Can you think one kindly thing?"
Not one" said l, but thousand.
Her smile wavered through tears
and she put out her hand to me- She
ought MOTT was 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 1t. and | took it.
Then you wont-you won't-oh
will you" she cried chaotically.
y won't" declared. It's all right
Why, Barbara, bless you, you knew
that, didn't your"
She nodded slowly. "Of course
there never was-oh. why do you
make me say such things ?-thert
never was anything-anything be
tween us. Mr.. Twining. You dom
care for me, really, am sure. You
never told me so, and"
No. l never told you So" l re
peated. Il was waiting"
Don't" she begged. But, you see
didn't know. And, oh, 1t couldn1
have"
stopped and touched her hair witt
my lips.
Never mind" said l; tell me about
who has been to see you. want tt
know everything, you know"
She lifted me grateful glance.
Mrs. Tyson Potter was here" she
said, and new, singing smile
touched her lips. She came to say
pleasantly unpleasant things She tolG
me quite frankly that it was wise
thing for poor girl like me to marry
rich. You wouldn't"
Il am not Mrs. Tyson Potter. The
old heathenl"
Barbara flashed me q smile.
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