Arizona republican. [volume] (Phoenix, Ariz.) 1890-1930, 1911-09-12

"Tru," he gulped. "You-Sue wa.
with you, that day, Do you mean to
say that she thought" Trudell
held up hushing hand.
People about, remember | don't
know lohdt she thought. Pen-but her
eyes looked as though she'd been hit
fair between EN-"
"Sue-" Pen uttered, marvelling,
"Suei All these weeks has She" He
stopped short, remembering a shadow
under Sues dear eyes. wistful weari.
ness strange to her dear face that he
had wondered at on another day. a
pathetic droop Of her lips in repose.
He struck his knee viciously Great
Lord, what a blockhead! What an
asst Why didn't think But had
no reason to feel uncomfortable, Tru
My word for it / didn't think-what
you think-of Miss Parkman's actions.
blaine it all, can't think 1t now.
But I've got TO admit-that | don't
know. If there were any way
Of knowing" He arrested himself
there as though there were more he
kept, with difficulty, from saying. and
his eyes held a troubled question.
Billy Trudell did not evade the look,
nor attempt to conceal the revelation
Of feeling that betrayed him middle
aged and more than a little worn.
With faint, cynical smile at his own
confession he made full answer
Yes. ii matters a whole lot to me,
Pen. First | noticed merely that you
had an attractive stenographer-it's
my way TO notice. you know. Then
I'm not sure how or when-she was
the most attractive of all women, to
me- | think | knew it one day-one
smothering hot day-when | took her
some flowers and she really looked at
me, when she thanked me. e.
Every day since then, for eighteen
months, I've sent her flowers-and
you haven't noticed EN-. evidently. |
never said-anything at all. | kept
the pose | first took-that disarming,
elderly, kindly-casual 'front.' She al
ways used me one way-cool. pleas
ant. unruffied-she might have been
any woman of-of our set. don't
y'know bothered you hanging
round the office; and I'd go when |
knew you were not there just for a
word with her II really is different.
you know-a whole lot different |
ought 10 know. | didn't lose
my head kept cool, | looked her
up-who, what. where-all about her.
1t doesn't matter-though there's really
nothing but all this rot OF position t.
matter Yet the rot Is what
scared me away from her-I confess
it. There'd be so much said. And ]
fancied she wouldn't take me-Lord
of course she wouldn't,-except foI
what | could give her | went
away as you know. but couldn't stay
away | came back to-ask her; anC
that first day I-saw you two.
thought-Well. you're the glib. young
clean-cut sort that women fancy-oh
yes, you are, | stepped down and out
And now I've got 10 sit in the
Club window the rest of my life and
and hear this sort of thing Tillotsor
said OF her and not be able to do any
thing. It's a fine mess, look at It al
aroundl"
Pen sat hack, Imply.
81 don't know what use my eyes are
he said fee5ly. Not the first thing OF
all this did dream. Why. never
saw her-as you see her"
For which I am grateful" Trudel'
was drunk with the relief of speech
after his mighty repression. She's
as sweet and clean as a northwest
wind. You know she's clever-but not
how clever; keen. up to thing. bis
and wholesome thinking, She coulC
be-all a man could be and all
woman might be, TO the right man!
Her hands are the most beautiful
woman ever possessed. There's nc
flag, or pearl powder or lip tint there.
she's unique. and you never
knew it-thank God, II size wants nc
for what | could give her. I'd spend
my last copper to buy her the moon, II
she fancied 1t! But what I want
what | really rant. Pen. is a place
away from-things I've always known.
| want a place-with a garden for her
where could watch her fussing round
flowers; and I'd wear slippers and
smoke a pipe. and she'd scold to me
about the maids and my ties. &.
I'm hungry and thirsty for the blessed
bother Of her-you know. don't your"
Yes. 7 know" said Pen: and wasn't
ashamed of the lump in his throat.
He was late in getting back to the
letters that waited his signature-the
most recent ircompetent's second try.
His personal mail awaited him, atop
the pile. The first letter he opened
was a brief note from Miss Parkman
telling him that she had left Tillot-
sons and would be glad to return TO
Bond and Griscoms at her former
salary.
After an hour of the hardest think
ing he had ever expended on any
woman save Sue, he wrote asking her
TO call the next afternoon at three. Ii
was a non-committal note; and after
posting it he determinedly forgot her,
and what the interview might por-
tend; and he gave his evening to a
renewal of the days when the known
world held but two that mattcred-
Sue and her husband. 1t hurt more
than bit to find how eagerly Sue
let herself he convinced, how she vel
coined his love-making He had been