The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1910-02-24
dRETE HAHN

allied the vast gulf that stretched pc
tween her and this man who under
stood her so little.
'Forgive me if I send you away
now she said presently. Il have a
| story to fnish for the Epoch tonight,
and it's weighing on my MIND"
'.Weighing on you mind!' he ex-
claimed 81 don't believe o allow
anything to weigh on your mind
Gwen"
Don't you?' she asked listlessly.
How little he understood.
The editor of the Epoch had rejected
her last contribution, with a curt note
to the effect that the story was scarcely
up to her usual mark.
No one but Gwen herself knew now
she WINGED beneath that criticism, as
beneath every rebuff of the same sort.
They were plentiful in her profession,
but somehow that did not make them
easier to bear.
To her editors and colleagues Gwen
seemed a case hardened journalist, who
pocketed snubs cheerfully, as a matter
Of course, and showed a commendable
appreciation of her own ability.
They little guessed what agonles OF
doubt and self distrust the girl en-
dured at every business interview, at
every post that brought back a re-
jected manuscript; what bitter tears
she shed in secret; how at times she
would cry out in her loneliness and feel
afraid-desperately, hopelessly afraid,
of the struggle that lay before her, the
sordid, miserable struggle for mere
bread and cheese that had been her lot
almost ever since she could remem-
Der.
The success that lac fallen to her
share had cheered her, but it did not
suffice to set at rest the terrible doubt
of herself and her powers that tor
mented her SO persistently.
Sometimes, at the end of a more than
usually hard spell of work, her over
taxed brain would suddenly refuse to
respond further to her call upon 1t, and
then an awful fear would seize her
the fear that she had come to he end
of her resources, that her stock in
trade of ideas had been exhausted, that
she had, IN fact, written herself out
At such times she would sit at her
desk for hours, wild eyed and white
faced, unable to pen a single line, Won
dering desperately what the end Of it
all would be.
And then, all at once, in the midst
of her misery, a thought would come
to her, bringing a light to her tired
eyes, and a lush to her cheeks, that
seemed to transfigure the anxious face
and make it strangely beautiful.
She was not altogether friendless
He had told her, again and again, in
his impulsive fashion, that he admired
her more than any other in the
world; anC though she smiled at his
extravaganza, it was infinitely soothing
to her.
He had never pretended to be in love
with her. Indeed, he had hurt he1
often enough by his thoughtless, out
spoken comments upon his own ant
other mems attitudes toward her.
But-there had been no Other
m
Perhaps, some day-who could tel1?-
he might-he might-Gwen never go'
beyond this point. She was proud; she
tried to be proud, even to herself.
1t was pride that made her smile
her calmest smile when she was mos
discouraged and depressed; pride tina
made her silent in her suffering, ever
before him, and when he understood
her least made it the more impossible
for her to receive him.
There had been no other woman.
MY love to Lucy" she said, as Ton
babe her good-by that night.
Well, hat was over now
My love to Lucy" she whispered tt
herself when the door had closed be,
lind him.
Then she begn to laugh.
She was too proud to Cry.