El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1913-08-19
= One WOman's Story =
By Xirginia Terhune Van de Water
CHAPTER XXI

By Virginia Terhune Van de water
CHAPTER XXI
RS. DANFORTH turned as Mary
NJ entered the kitchen, then
w started in surprise when she
! saw that the girl stiI wore her hat
and jacket.
My dear" she exclaimed 81
thought you were getting ready for
! SUPERB
Mother" said Mary. hurriedly. q
happen to remember a telegram /
have to send, just a little matter of
I business about which I cannot tell
you Just BOW. I must run around to
/ the telegraph office before supper. I
| Will be hack in q quarter of an hour"
She paused long enough to put her
arms about her mother and to kiss
| her with q tenderness that was al
most passionate. And, at the demon
stration Of affection, the older woman's
wounded feelings We're healed
As Mary hurried toward Columbus
( avenue she felt in her hand bag for
a card that Bert Fletcher had given her,
a card bearing his name and address.
In handing IL to her, he had explained
awkwardly. IF you should care to see
me at any time, you can send me word
1 there, where 1 live with my mother.
Anything sent there gets me"
By the time the girl had reached the
/ telegraph office she knew by heart the
dQQEeSS on Lne DIT OF DaSLeDOdTQ. CelZ-
ing a telegraph blank she wrote quick
". as if fearful that her resolution
would fail, the name Of Herbert Fetch
er, with the street and number of his
home. Then, without faltering, she
penned her ten word message.
Have changed mind Home tonight
( if you care to call"
Signing her initials. she handed the
I slip to the waiting clerk, gave him the
money for the message and added:
/ See that this gets off at once,
: please"
The clerk grinned It was evident
, that he considered this a pretty girl
| sending a summons to an admiHer.
oh, yes, Miss" he began pertly.
( Don't worry, TlI'-
J He stopped abruptly as he met Mary's
( stern and surprised gaze, and had the
! grace 70 mutter, Excuse mer'flush-
I ing 10 the roots of his red hair.
Mary had forgotten the incident and
! her own displeasure by the time she
I turned again into Eighty-fourth street
I and walked westward The glow that
such a short time before, had seemed
/ prophetic to her happy heart. had died
I entirely from the western sky, and IN
4 its place was a blank of fog rising
! slowly from the river.
| 1.-The whole world has changed once
| more" she muttered, wretchedly. IF
/ it were not for mother I would like
! to die But she needs me. 1 almost
/ wish she didn't"
/ Yet when she opened the door Of the
D TO call out cheerily:
! Here am. mother dearI AS soon
! as 1 can make myself presentable I
will come out to supper Forgive me
/ for keeping you waiting"
At the bright tone the mother vague
! " uneasy by her daughters recent re-
! ticence, breathed a sigh of relief. After
! all, things must be all right or Mary
would not seem so like herself again.
Girls were queer creatures, anyhow,
/ with their varying moods, and Mary
! had been different girl since her
! fathers death Which thought made
( the elderly woman sigh again.
As the two women sat over theii
= simple evening meal the daughter chat
remember the little gossip of the Of
/ rice and several mild jokes that Mr..
{ Pearson had told her today, when be
/ happened to stop at her desk for few
minutes chat The girl laughed NOR
/ heartily in telling these than her moth
/ er thought natural At last the widow
! asked a question that had trembled
/ on her lips when Mary had come out to
/ supper, but which she had Checked,
! moved to do this by an impulse which
/ she did not understand
"Dearie," she said timidly, "are you
/ feeling badl tonight, or are you wor-
) ried?"
Mary shook her head "OnIy tired.
/ mother, dear" she replied. You know
/ at this time of year the work seems
! hard"
The mother looked distressed and
/ breathed her customary sigh. At the
! sound Mary felt vaguely annoyed. Her
I mother sighed most of the time nova
! days, she reflected 1t was getting to
/ be a confirmed habit
What is the matter, mother?'' she
/ asked trying to speak gently
L was onlv thinking" said the
widow, that I wish you did not have
/ to work so hard"
/ so do /" returned the daughter
/ lets hope I won't have to much
/ longer"
The mother looked at her hopefully
( and inQuiringly. DO you mean that,
/ Mary?'' she asked eagerly. do you
! mean that there's a chance that soon
I you can stop all this toll, and that all
/ We've hoped for will happen?'
J Her voice broke and the tears came
! to her eyes.
oh" she exclaimed. "if so. thank
/ heaveni Thank heaven. 1t has driven
me wild to see you so tired dear, and
/ I am so lonely, and I have hoped that
YOU had had news from Gordon, but I
. din't like to ask about him so often.
I Do you mean now that he
Mary had risen to her feet and stood
/ pale, but calm, gazing at her mother.
! Her expression caused the elder woman
/ to catch her breath sharply.
/ 'Why-Mary-wh is the matter2"
/ she asked TREMENDOUSLY. Don't look
! like that You brighten mer
/ There is nothing to be frightened
{ about, dear" the daughter said slowly.
/ OILY l would rather that you did not
/ talk to me again about Gordon Craig
/ For l shall never marry him"
! Although the widow burst into hvs-
/ terical sobs, the girls calmness did
/ not desert her, nor did her voice quaver
} when. after having SOothed the agitated
/ woman, she gave the brief explanation:
1t is all for the best, mother Cor
I don and do not love each other any
! longer And I would not marry him
( II he were the only man in the world"
! Continued in next issue