The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-07-19

lie laughed indulgently. I'm getting
| pretty prosperous. If | found | could
manage it--you'd like to live there,
| wouldn't your"
Don't he foolish, George" she an
swcrcd.
81 shant be; I'm a practical, hard
| headed business man. Some of tn, Sc
days | may he making you present of
the Dennson place"
lie saw that she was pleased-both
| by his generous eNtravagant wish and
| by its indication Of prosperity.
lie was annoyed when late that even
ing reporters from various newspapers
visited him. eager to learn why he had
| resigned.
There was no friction Of any sort.
resigned for reasons entirely private and
personal; further than that | don't care
to talk" he said to them. They were
persistent and suspicious, hut they
, could not draw from him any fuller
statement.
1t was with n mingling of eagerness
and apprehension that he took up the
newspaper the next morning. There ON
the first page was the heading. "Selwin
Resigns" What followed was more seri
Gus; the article intimated that the com
mission was indignant anu NOulu lsSut
statement about the case.
Sclwin took the newspaper with him
when he left the house: he hoped to
spare his wife needless concern and
himself disturbing questionings. Prob
ably the newspaper limitations were
quite unaut horzed and would never be
fulfilled 1t was, however emharrass-
ing To realize that his friends downtown
viewed him on this day with certain
curiosity; he grew tired Of explaining
To every one that he had thrown up the
irrigation work for family reasons
That day he bought the d nnison
place, paying 900 in cash and giving
a mortgage on it for Slj0.000. Jim
Norris told him that four or five others
had the property in view, aad this had
contributed to his haste. Besides he
was in a mood to plunge recklessiy into
any bargain which would bind him at
once to the world and life of the very
, rich. put him in possession of that for
+ which he had mad his sacrifice. The
| purchase would cramp him for a while,
but when one had the income Of
/ millionaire with chances constantly to
Increase it temporary stress was not
! to be regarded.
He appeased his wife's anxiety about
! his extravaganza 10y charging on he
| emo,uments. direct and indirect, of his
new office he won her enthusiasm 10y
describing all the advantages which the
Dannison place would have for the chill
dren.
He was downstairs before her In the
morning: his eyes fell on a heading in
/ the newspaper that seemed To scorch
| them. He was reading the article when
| his wife entered he did not look up.
She spoke to him twice. hut ne was alb
sorbed in the stenographic report of all
that the Commissioner had said To him
and of his own foolish and blunderrS
| excuses.
There was also a despatch from the
| little settlement in the desert where the
| farmers who were depending on the
| State irrigation plans were clustered.
"Panicstricken by Selwin's Retirement
was the heading. So they had been
! leaning on him, The despatch told of
their amazcment, their indignation.
He passed he newspaper to his wife
| with the remark. Here Is something
unpleasant for you to read, Sally"
He saw her frightened look as the
words of the headline jumped at her
he saw the quick rush of color to her
checks and the sad, downward droop of
her mouth as comprehension dawned.
George, Is it true?'
IT'S the steuographer's report az
what passed between US. l think h.
hasn't got some things quite right
rs it true-what the Commissioners
says-about your abandoning the work
when you were so needed, and for such
| reasons?"
Yes. suppose it's true
She passed her hand across her fore
head as if to brush aside an obscurng
| veil. Then she took up the newspaper
and looked at It again for a while list
lessly.
"Oh. George. If you had taken me
into your confidence-let me understand
do you think | could ever have con-
scented to this? My dear, my dear
couldn't you see-couldn't you see?"
Sorrow for him and compa sslon had
succeeded reproach. She came To him
and stood by his chair with her hand on
his shoulder.
IL regretted IT," he acknowledged de-
spondently. II don't know didn't see
the other side until 1t was too late. IT
was an error of judgment, Sally; II
wasn't anything worse than that"
He did not see her brows contract al
this effort 10 minimize his culpabiity
She was done, however, with reproach-
ing him
"Those poor people! j suppose they
have gone down there and invested al
they have! And now they may lost
ALL"
He stirred uneasily "That's hard,
possible one man isn't so indispensable,
to the success Of an undertaking"
"Not the ultimate success, perhaps
But If It's too long delayed-not every
one can wait. Well. how Is this golnl
TO affect your future?"
Not at ALL"
you are sure OF that? You thinl
people will trust you-respect you-a'
they dido"
"Of course. After all, Sally, many
will realize that this attack on me
this publication Of it's unfair. i
makes me out far worse than I am; any
one who knows me will know that. II
he more likely to receive sympathy fol
the unwarranted publicity of the attach
than condemnation"
1.-THE Idea of receivlng-of endurini
sympathy can't bear it," cred hi
| q. A