Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-07-16


@Going-where?'
EAST"
"For long?"
"For good. I've leased the mine"
she started up from her chair breathess and stood
poised on the edge of the platform, the slender
fingers of hand gasping the projecting edge of the
desk. "You re-going- toto stay? l can't be-
heve-you never told me It's curious you shouldn't
have said something before"
"Why should l? No man likes to admit that he's a
failure"
you've leased the Lone Tree? To whom?"
ITO Wray. He made proposition yesterday
I've accepted it. In fact I'm out of the thing al
together"
aJeff! don't understand Why, only yesterday
he" Was it loyalty to Jeff that made her pause?
He turned quickly. "What-did he say anything?"
ooh, nothing-ony that the mine was failure, that's
ALL That curious if he decided to lease it."
"Oh,' he said, smiling, @thats only Ways way of
doing business. When anything is hanging fire he al
ways says exactly what he doesn't mean That doesn't
worry me- I've gone that hole with fne-tooth
comb and I'm glad to get out of it."
"And out of Mesa Cty?" and then, with attempt
at careessness, "Of We'll all miss you, she said
duly.
Don't! You mustn't speak to me in that way I've
always been pretty decent to you. You've never be-
eved in me- but that because you I've believed in
any I've tried to show you how differently felt"
"By kissing me?" she Knocked scornfully.
Bent changed his tone. "See here, Camilla he said
"Im not in mood to be trifed with! can't 60 away
from here and leave you in this Godforsaken hole
There isn't person here fit for you to associate with
1t will drive you mad in another year. Do you
try to picture what your future out here is going to be-?
Haven't Il" bitterly.
you've seen them out the ranches, haven't you?
Slab sided gingham scarecrows in sunbonnets, brown
and wrnkled like dried peaches moving all day from
kitchen to bedroom, from bedroom to barn, and back
again"
eyes, yes" said Camilla her head in her hands. @Ive
seen them"
without one thought in life but the successes of
their husbands the hay CROP the price of CATTLE with
other diversion than the visit to Kinney, the
hat and frock year "a year behind the fashion,;
their only companions women like themselves with the
same tastes the thoughts, the same habits
"Oh Cod" whispered the girl, laying restraining
hand on his arm. "Dont go on! 1 can't stand t!'
He c1asped her hands in his. "Don't you see it is
mpossibe?" he whispered. "You weren't made for that
kind of thing Your bloom would fade like theirs, only
sooner because of your neness You'd never grow like
those women because it isn't in you to be ugly; but
you'd fade early"
"Yes," she said, al know it."
"You can't stay. know just you know that you
never meant for life like that. Do you care
what becomes of these kids? No matter how much
chance you give them to get up in the world, they'll
seek their own level in the end"
NO. I can't stay here" she repeated the phrase
mechanically, her gaze afar.
"Ive watched you Camilla. 1 know. For all your
blood you're hardy plant to be nourished in
soil like this. You need environment culture the
of attery, of wealth; without them you'll wither-"
"And die! Yes, shall l could not stand this much
Continued page II