The Monte Vista journal. (Monte Vista, Rio Grande County, Colo.) 1888-1921, 1915-06-05


disappoint your expectations"
She turned, and had started to go,
when his voice again arrested her.
Your. idol seems to have clay feet.
You indulge in the common fallacy
of imagining that every man you have
no intimate acquaintance with is
model of propriety No one who is
acquainted with your reputation as the
watchdog of society"-here he grinned
would ever believe you to be SO
frightfully unsophisticated. Why 1t
was only short while ago, when
glancing casually out of this window
and across the court, | saw Norris
holding hands with his pretty stenog.
rapher."
Mrs. Fall recovered quickly from
an involuntary expression of surprise,
and casting scornful, contemptu-
GUS glance at the man who justified
his indulgences by eliminating an
other, turned and was gone
Blindly, angrily, Mrs. Fall rushed
from the building, and in Central
Park, where she went for rest and
air, she met Mrs. Norris. Forgetting
that she lived ''in glass house," for
getting everything except that misery
loves company" she warned her
against the pretty stenographer in her
husbands office. BY a few careless
words the seeds of an awful suspicion
were sown.
All through, Miss Foster?"
YES YEARLY, all through
Has that vicious headache left
your
No, it's still with me-" she replied
with the ghost of SMILE Its been
such constant comrade, lately,
don't wonder but ! '-0nld miss it were
1t to leave"
That's shocking state of affairs,
certainly. Tell me- does your father
seem too great care, lately? Do
you find 1t difficult to give your work
your best attention, with the worry of
his ailing health on your mind? You
know" - whimsically you're too
great necessity here for me to allow
anything to distract you from your
work"
Her face, flushed with fever as it
was, beamed softly as he mentioned
her father, and connected that word
with too great a care" Her father
too great care.
Father a care?" she answered half
tnterrogatively. you don't know
father Mr. NOrria uo &c, ha low
of my life. For years before l was
old enough or able to work, he was
father and mother to me. Up with
the sun each morning, he saw to it
that my clothes were brushed, my
pencils sharpened for school-made
warm fire and prepared my breakfast.
Then. off to the frightful bleach fac
tory where he got his cough, and at
work all day, and sometimes part OF
the night, that | might have a pretty
hair-ribbon, or pair of new slippers.
All my youthful hopes, desires, trou-
bles were poured into his willing ears
at night and he was ever sympathetic
with the extravagant fancies of my
highty, childish Imagination, and al
ways gentle in his reproaches for my
many faults. No, fathers no care to
me. 1t gives me pleasure each morn
ing that | have strength to go out to
work,-that l am responsible for his
comfort,-and it lightens my weari-
ness each night that l may go home
and. try to anticipate his every I'M
spoken wish
w.
You love me, Ray?"
Mrs. Norris asked the question OF
her husband He had come home,
his step light, his face expectant. He
met cold and unresponsive wife.
The seed Of suspicion planted by Mrs.
Fall had taken root on fertile soil.
And SO she asked the question.
Love you?-why what a question!
| passionately adore you. You are the
guiding spirit, the hottest inspiration
of my life! Without you all the rest
Is a meaningless tumble. But, and
here his voice took on tone OF be-
wilderment-"I didn't think you need
ed assurances"
1t was now tenfold difficult for her
to 70 on; but she felt that this was no
time to falter.
"Would you do anything, sacrifice
anything In the whole world for me!
Anything. Everything"
"Then send that girl away from your
ofice-and get another one
Send that girl away You mean