The Rathdrum tribune. (Rathdrum, Idaho) 1903-1963, 1912-05-17

Rreeable sort Of chap to have around,
mother" he murmured as his eyes
closed under the magic touch Of her
sympathetic hand. II think I'd feel
better II tackled my work again. Do
you mind telephoning down to Peterson
to come up tonight and talk over the
plans for the new mill?"
OF course Mrs. Ames was delighted
to do that-anything to get her beloved
sons mind OF his personal grievances
and in touch with his work once more.
The doctor had said that was the only
cure for the young mans depression.
The broken limbs would take care Of
themselves and soon be ready for the
clutches waiting in the corner for
| him.
Basil Ames was a building contrac-
tor. It had been his fathers business,
and the young man had inherited 1t.
together with his fathers keen bust
ness judgment and honest methods. 1t
was while Basil had been up on the
roof Of the new church inspecting the
work done by his men that his foot
had slipped on the shingles and he had
been precipitnted to the ground.
Mrs. Ames almost danced out to the
telephone to call up Peterson, the
foreman. Peterson was almost as
much pleased as Basips mother at the
young contractors renewed energy
and interest in life.
Every night thereafter Peterson
came up and gave Basil report OF
the days work, talked over matters
under way and received his orders.
AS result Basil looked better, ate
better and slept more soundly, but
the bitter lines around his mouth did
not relax. His bed had been drawn
close to the front window so that he
might see whatever of interest occur
red in the main street
So that was how 1t happened that
the valentines In Miss Perry's shop
window stared him out Of countenance
every day Basil's eyes were very
keen, the street was narrow and the
valentines were large, SO he soor
grew to know the different ones, but
he could only guess at the love mes
sages inscribed on them.
There was large blue valentine or
the end with interlocked hearts Of
gold, through which arrows were
thrust. Drops Of red indicated thai
blood was being spilled from thu
wounded organs.
A great pink valentine was Basil's
favorite, II he permitted himself tina
weakness. A girls face peeped from
an oval in the middle OF the rosy mis-
sive, and Basil imagined that 1t wal
| the face Of Emily Ford looking a
him. He always blushed at this poin
and turned his head away and hatet
valentines for several hours there
after. He had forgotten that he hat
broken with Emily Ford and that sh
had not cared-indeed, meddlesom
visitor had limited that Emily was re
ceiving attentions from another source
Basil was glad that he had broken tn
engagement.
''Tll be around at Easter, mother,
was Basil's encouraging remark on tn
morning of St. Valentines day. .
think shall make my first attemp
with the crutches the LIST of March
That's two weeks off, and then I'll b
back on the job"
Mrs. Ames kissed him suddenly an
left the room. She saw that hi
, cheerfulness was forced, that he wa
trying to get around again more TO
her sake and for Mary's rather thai
any interest he had in life.
cts all that Emily Ford, the littl
mink" scolded Mrs. Ames to he
daughter. Here she's engaged I
/ Basil and so far as l know amt 8
much as inquired for him nor write
him a word. I wouldn't have believe
1t OF Emily. l always loved her lik
, a daughter"
II don't understand 1t, mother" ad
mitted Mary. II saw Mrs. Ford thi
, morning, and she said that Emily wa
coming home this afternoon to sta
. over Sunday. Perhaps she will com
and see BASIL"
II hope So" was Mrs Ames' remar
as she carried Basil's dinner in to hin
, Just at sunset Basil was looking on
OF the window. The village stree
| Seelucu Alltlt COiu uANl AoAciy jus
, then. There were no passersby, an
, even the valentines in Miss Perry
! window had disappeared. Very likel
Miss Perry was rejoicing that she ha
sold them all, but Basil felt rattle
, hurt about the pink one. He almos
! considered 1t as his own. He woul
have asked Mary to buy 1t for hin
) only 1t was such confession of veal
, ness. He despised himself for eve
' thinking about It,
It was growing colder outside, an
I fairy frost pictures were etched on hi
r windowpanes. The sun was setting
and long red ray shot between tw
houses opposite the Ames place an
flooded his windows with a pinkis
= glow. The windowpane became
: fairy frostwork Of pink.
D ats like the pink valentine" he Vi
J tered involuntarily.
J. Suddenly something strange happier
ed.
h In the midst Of the pink valentin
q there appeared dark oval space as
the frost was melting under a war;
= breath. Then in the oval space ar
!. peared girls face-pink checked