Elk City mining news. (Elk City, Idaho) 1903-1913, 1911-02-02

less let me sit here and talk to you"
IF I only knew what? Perhaps you
would better tell me and let me judge
for myself" she suggested; and out OF
the past came a flick of the memory
whip to make him feel again that she
was immeasurab1y his senior.
I'm expelled he said, bluntly.
"Oh!" For a full minute, as it SEEM
ed to him, she looked steadfastly out
of the window at the wall of blackness
fitting past, and the steady drumming
or the wheels grated on his nerves and
got into his blood. When it was about
to become unbearable she turned and
gave him her hand again. I'm just as
sorry as 1 can bel" she declared, and
the slate-blue eyes confirmed it.
1t was this way: three of the boys
came to my room to play cards-be-
cause their rooms were watched. 1
didn't want to play-oh, I'm none too
good; this in answer to something
in her eyes that made him eager to tell
her the exact truth-'1've done it lots
of times. But that night I'd been
thinking-well, just didn't want to.
that's all. Then they saia 1 was afraid,
and of course that settled it,
"Of course" she agreed, Loyalty.
Wait; 1 want you to know it ALL"
he went on. doggedly. when Martin
he's the Greek and Latin, you know
slipped up on us, there was a bottle
of whisky on the table. He took down
our names. and then he pointed at he
bottle, and said, Which one of you does
that belong TOP Nobody said any
thing, and after it began to get sort of
well, kind of monotonous, I picked
up the bottle and offered him drink,
and put it in my pocket. That settled
me-"
But it wasn't yours" she averred.
His smile was a rather ferocious
grin. Wasn't it? Well, 1 took it, any
way; and I've got it yet Now see
here. that's my berth over there and
L gong over to 1T. You needn't let
on like you know me any more"
F1ddle!" she said. making a face at
MIN. You say that like a little boy
trying, oh. so hard, to be a man. I'll
believe you are just as bad as ban can
be- II you want me to; but you mustn't
be rude to me. We don't play cards or
drink things at Carroll College, but
some of us have brothers, and-well
we can't help knowing"
Tom was soberly silent for the space
or half a hundred rail-lengths. Then he
said IT wish I'd had a sister; maybe
it would have been different"
mo, indeed, it wouldn't You're go
ing to be just what you are going to
be, and dozen sisters wouldn't make
any difference"
One like you would make a lot Of
difference" 1t made him blush and
have a slight return of the largeness OF
hands; but he said it.
She laughed. That's nice. But 7
mean what 1 say. Sisters wouldn't
help you to be good, unless you really
wanted to be good yourself. They're
just comfortable persons to have
around when you are taking your
whipping for being naughty"
We'll, that's a good deal, isn't it?"
Again she made the adorable little
your sister for little while-till you
get out of scrape? Is that what you
are trying to say?"
He took heart of grace, for the first
time in three bad days. Say, Ardea:
I'm hunting for sympathy; just as
used to a long time ago. But you
mustn't mix up with me. I'm not worth
it,"
"Oh, I suppose not; no boy is. But
tell me; what are you going to 90
when you get back to Paradise ?"
'Why-I don't know; haven't
thought that far ahead; go to work in
the iron plant and be a mucker all the
rest of my life 1 reckon"
And all the way along you've been
meaning to be a Minister"
He gritted his teeth. That's all
over. now; 1 reckon it's been over for
long time"
That is more serious. Does your
mother know She mustn't Tom; il
will just break heart"
AS If 1 didn't know" he said, Bit
terly. But. Ardea, haven't been quite
square with you The way / told Il
about the cards and the whisky you
might think"
Il know what you are going TO say.
But it needn't make any all-the-tIme
difference. need it2 You've been back
sliding-isn't that what you call itT-
but now you are sorrys and"
mo; that's the worst OF IL. I'm not
sorry, the way ought TO be. Besides.
after what I've been these last two
years-but you can't understand; Il
would just be mockery-mockfng God.
told you I wasn't worth your while"
She smiled gravely. You are such
boy. Tom. Don't you know that all
through life you'll have two kinds Of
friends; those who will stand by you
because they won't believe anything
bad about you, and those who will take
you for just what you are and stu
stand by you2"
He scowled thoughtfully at her. Say.
Ardea; I'd just like TO know how OLD
you are, anyhow You say things ev-
cry once in a while that make me feel