The Paonia newspaper., 1911-05-19

regarded her and the good looking,
cynical stranger with suspicious eyes.
Phoebe bit her lip and said. almost
deiantly and loud enough for the 9TH
ers to hear:
IL you wish, you may tell me now.
And you're quite sure the story
won't bore you?"
"Of course not love-a love
story"
But this one has a very bad end
ing"
Perhaps We can change that" she
suggested with touch OF levity.
Her name was Dolly" he began,
and / loved her from the time she
wore pig-tails and pinafores. When
she was IS. We became engaged to be
married. She went abroad and
started west for little 'roughing to
Offset her abundant polish as we
laughingly phrased 1t. After a few
months 1t became noised about that
had lost heavily through unfortunate
Investments. and that instead of being
man with an Independent income.
was next to penniless. The rumor
was absolutely untrue, but 1t reached
ANi duu a Ntth ldltl L hti
letter telling me that she had found
that she did not love me after all.
OF course she did not dream that /
knew the reason. but / did-and that
was what stung. / was like crazy
man for week Afterward / settled
down TO stony despair. But the eat
ing misery of my heart would not let
me rest and soon l took a different
tack. ! plunged into everything. 60
ing from bad to worse. till had Just
about reached the point of sheer des-
peration. / not only didn't care wheth-
er ! lived or died. wanted to die.
That is why i
Tried to rush into that blazing
house,"
Yes
Phoebe turned her head slowly and
permitted her gaze to meet his frank
ly. "Maybe-maybe you're not exact
ly fair toto Dolly" she said. She
probably didn't know"
She had the papers regularly. I
didn't permit the report to be cor
rected in the press"
The girl made no reply for several
minutes. AT last she said: I'm sorry,
II must be very terrible for you.
But | wouldn't give up. There are
lots OF ways TO be happy in the world
even with a broken heart"
That sounds contradictory. doesn't
it7"
"Happy-in other ways" she said
thoughtfully. less selfish
Vandiver grunted. He turned and
I T.. IL
face. There were other ways.
A month passed. two-three And
despite the fact that Robert Vandiver
had come to the little village of Green
cove for fortnight's prospecting. he
still fingered. His face had lost its
old dependency. There was a less
hardened expression in the keen grey
eyes and the lines about his mouth
had disappeared.
One day Phoebe met him on the
postoffice steps.
I've Just had a letter." he said
From" she paused
Yes" he said. grimly. from Dolly"
Some OF the pretty color vanished
from Phoebe's cheeks.
She reaches New York on wednes-
/ uds dh bAiSt. ohe wants me " nuetk
her"
Phoebe forced a smile. They had
been excellent friends indeed. They
had spent numberless pleasant hours
together in the congenial interchange
of admirably blended opinions. But
now he was going' After what must
have been. in spite of all. empty
months. he was going to-his happi-
ness, And somehow. she must seem
| glad-for him.
Il was sure II would all come out
right in the end" she told him, gem
tly. Clouds will break up sometime.
But-but today is wednesday-and
it's past ten. There's a train that
leaves Greencove in exactly nine
minutes. for New York You can Just
catch that"
vandiver was looking at her
very hard and with half-tender. half
quizzical expression trembling about
his lips
But ! don't want that" he interrupt
ed her. I'd prefer-something else"
The roads aren't very good be-
tween here and New York. / believe
the train will make better time than a
motor"
Il don't want a motor" he again In
terposed. She had started down the
| stems He matched his step with hers