Gilpin observer., 1915-05-27
THE GIRL OPPOSITE
BY BEVERLY sLAusoN.

Travers was looking backward owe
his life. as he sat. revolver In hand
before the mirror in the upper room
Of his closed house. and 1t was strang,
how all the interests of the mature
mans life narrowed to those Of the
boy Of long ago.
Pictures flashed across his menta
vision. and he saw himself again, 9
little boy. standing before that same
window and holding his fathers hand
why mustn't play with the little
girl across the street?" he asked his
father.
But 1t was long before. he learned
that the man across the street was q
famous atheist lecturer, and Stunned In
horror by the narrow society of the
little place. whose ostracism extended
to the loyal wife and the little girl.
Later the little boy had gone to
school, a boarding school in distant
city. There the interests Of school
days drove the thought Of the little
girl out of his mind.
So completely, in fact. that when
he returned, he did not at first rec.
ognize the young girl of fourteen
whose face he saw at the window
/ opposite.
Who are those people across the
road?" he asked his mother, with an
interest whose cause he was careful
to conceal.
"The same" she answered That
Is Danvers. the abominable atheist
lecturer, John. l hope that you will
have nothing to do with any of them
at any time"
Time passed. John Travers went to
caught him up, and only the most
elusive memories remained of the girl
at the window. Yet, when he came
home with his degree. he found him
self looking across the narrow street
at a young woman who watched him
from her window. And this time
there was a look of recognition upon
her face, though she made no sign
of greeting, and neither spoke.
Then John Travers went into the
world of business. Eight years had
passed, and he had fought hard dur
ing those years. He had made name
for himself in the financial world; at
thirty he was a rising power in the
street. 1t was no wonder that his
grew stronger.
And as the years went by Travers
began to realize that he was obtaining
singularly little out of life. At thirty
he seemed already an old man in ex-
perience. Life brought him no hap
piness. He did not understand the
cause of this. but he realized that he
had somehow missed something which
all his wealth could not supply.
Then came the panic. and the fight
for survival Everybody was leagued
against Travers to pull him down. For
a whole week. during which time he
hardly slept, John fought. Then the
pack had him down, and his fortune.
swollen to millions. crumbled to moth
ing in single day.
So he had gone home to the little
village. to the house which he had
inherited after his parents death, but
never occupied.
At last he had resolved to end 1t,
TO plunge out of the life that had
brought him nothing into one which
could at least offer nothing worse to
him. And. after long thought, he had
drawn from his pocket the revolver
which he had always carried since the
beginning of his debacle.
A knock at the door startled him,
and he thrust the weapon away and
opened the door. He gasped to see,
opposite.
She came into the room impulsively.
"Mr. Travers." she began, Il know
you will resent this intrusion. but we
are old neighbors. My name is Mar
1orie Danvers, and often used to see
you when we were children. live
opposite--I have lived there alone
since my parents died two years ago.
And l heard you were back and in
trouble.
You know how people gossip in
this little place. We heard you were
alone here and had not left the house.
We were all afraid some harm had
come to you. So l went to the door
and knocked. and when you did not
answer l came up. Is there anything
| can do for you?"
Her eyes fell upon the revolver
muzzle. protruding from the book
case in which he had hidden it. She
looked at 1t and at him wildly.
You we're not-not thinking of
that?" she cried.
Yes" he answered. II was. But
you have cured me now. Miss Dan
vers, l have lived a selfish life, solely
for myself and have had little pleas.
. ure out of 1t. But now / have come
home, and-and I want life to begin
to mean something to me. Do you
know how often | have thought Of
you?"