The Colorado statesman., 1911-03-18

The path of Miss Judith's peaceful
life had long since reached the begin
ming OF the sunset route, but In spite
of her gray hairs the spark or ro-
nance still burned brightly in her
gentle soul She was not slow, there
fore, to deduce from the demeanor or
her niece that something had gone
wrong between that vivacious young
woman and Tom.
With keen appreciation OF the ad-
vantages OF the psychological moment
she summoned the girl to the far end
OF the long south veranda, well shut
out from the silvery moonlight by a
mass of Virginia creeper. and with
sympathetic directness proceeded to
extract the secret burden of the young
woman's heart.
Now, Margaret, tell your old aunde
what's happened between you and
Tom" she said. more by way OF COM
mand than entreaty. You've quar-
relied. You needen't say no. 1t simply
won't do, my dear child, and 1t must
be patched up this very night"
"Quarreled? Why, auntie." Mar
garet began, assuming the defensive
you huOW-gOu-
The girl hesitated, stammered help
lessly and was lost. For a moment
there was silence. Then she broke
down and confessed the whole story
of disappointment and wounded pride.
Yes, something has happened" she
continued half defiantly. "Tom-Mr
Ingram-hasn't written me line in
ten days. Think OF itl And were to
be married in the early fall. l know
that the surveying party is not so tar
away from civilization that he can
reach the mails and send me some
sort of message. That quaint little
post office he's always poking fun at
can hardly have been swallowed up
in the earth 1t was his own proud
boast that there never was to be
lover like him, but now that he thinks
he's got me, l suppose the ardor OF
the pursuit is fast turning into cold
Indifference. III teach him lesson. ;"
Her thrust was tipped with sharp
irony.
But you are judging him too quick
ly," Miss Judith protested, rally1ng
warmly to the young engineers de-
Tense There's certainly some good
reason. Wait. Don't be foolish. child" :"
NO, it's my deliberate judgment"
Margaret retorted through her tears.
Il tried to think that-tried to be char
itable-but this mornings paper bears
out my suspicious. justifies me and
convicts him. Read this dispatch
which says that the party is progress
ing we'll with the survey of the rail-
road, that the members are in good
health and enjoying themselves. En-
joying themselves, indeed That's the
unkindest cut of all. It's the injustice.
the neglect that hurts. II Tom can
communicate with the daily papers, 1t
looks as II he might at least send me
a miserable p-post card. Love is every
thing to woman l demand all or
nothing. have thought it all over. My
mind is made up frrevocably. | have
written the young gentleman-break-
ing-off-the-en engagement"
This emphatic pronouncement threw
Miss Judith into state of utter panic.
What have you done, child? 2" she
cried in dismay. "Ah. the marriage of
my dear foster children has been the
one great dream OF my life, and now
by a thoughtless act you have shat
tered it, ruined my happiness. You
did you say that you have written?"
"Yes, have written" replied the
girl with a tone of finality. THE let
ter went out in the morning mail. 1t
is now beyond recall"
at shall be recalled! 1t shall not
be delivered" protested Miss Judith
with all the vehemence of an Uncle
Toby.
Miss Judith's mental energy was ex-
pended during the succeeding mo-
ments in tracing the route the letter
would have to take to reach the young
man. and in formulating some plan to
intercept 1t on the way.
Some 90 miles down the road it had
already left the train at Oakland, she
| figured, and was waiting until early
morning, to begin its 20-mile journey
| across the river, through wild swamps
and then into the heart of the exten-
sive pine forests, then on to point
within ten miles of where the sur
yeyors were at work. The letters des-
tination was an insignificant little
backwoods post office presided over by
a lank cracker and a couple Of lean
hounds. Three times a week it boast.
ed communication with the outer
world.
But the trouble-bearing letter could
not be stopped. Miss Judith was
forced to that conclusion by the logic
of the situation. She had no phone;
the telegraph office was closed for the
night; her home was IL miles out in
the country; and it was night. and
there was no one to bear a message
Tom Ingram was protege of Miss
Judith. When his parents died she
adopted the boy, trained him up ten
derly and educated him at the State
university. He was to her real son