The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1916-12-28

Inc Ice may go out any minute now,
and after that I can rest" He smiled
at her gladly. 1T will feel good to get
rid Of all this responsibility. won't It?
I think you've suffered under 1t vs.
much rs I have"
A little w~istfully she answered.:
you're going TO realize that dream
you told me about the day Of the
storm ut Kyak. You have conquered
this great country-as you dreamed"
He acquiesced eagerly, boyishly.
Eyes. Whirring wheels. II current OF
traffic. n broad highway OF st%eel-that's
the sort OF monument | want to leave"
Some time I'll come back and see it
all completed and tell myself that |
had a little part in making It,"
Come back?' he queried. why,
you're going to stay till we're through,
aren't you:"
ooh. no! I'm going south with the
spring flight-on the next boat per
haps.'
His face fell: the exultant light grad
ually faded from his eyes.
"Why. | had no idea. Aren't you
happy hcre?"
She nodded. "But | must try to
make good in my work rs You have In
yours"
He was looking at her sorrowfully,
almost as if she had deserted him.
That's too bad, butt suppose you
must go. Yes, this is no place for you.
dare say other people need you to
bring sunshine and JOY to them just
as we old fellows do. but-I've never
thought about your leaving. 1t would
not be right to ask you to stay here
among such people as we are when
you have SO much ahead Of you. Still.
it will leave a gap. Yes. 1t certainly
will-leave a gap"
She longed desperately to tell him
how willingly she would stay If he
only asked her. but the very thought
shocked her into a deeper reserve.
I'm going east to sell my book" she
said stifiy. you've given me the eli
max Of the story in this race with the
seasons"
"Is it a-love storyT' he asked.
Eliza flushed. Eyes. It's mostly
love-"
You're not at all the girl / thought
you were when we first met. You're
very-di1ferent. I'm sure l won't rec
ognize myself as the hero. WhO-or
what is the girl in the story"
well, she's just the kind Of girl that
would appeal to a person like you.
She's tall and dark and dashing, and,
of course, she's remarkably beautiful.
She's very feminine too"
whats her namey"
Miss Appleton stammered. "Why-I
called her violet-until | could think
Of a better'-
whats wrong with Violet? You
couldn't think Of a better name than
thai. I'm fond OF It."
ooh, it's a good book name. but for
real life it's too-delicate." Eliza felt
with vexation that her face was burn
ing. She was sure he was laughing at
her.
Cant | read the manuscript" he
pleaded.
Heavens. No! p She changed
the subject abruptly. I've left word
10 be called the minute the ice starts to
go out. | want to see the last act OF
the drama"
When O'Neil left her he was vaguely
%perplexed, for something in her bear
ing did not seem quite natural. He
u,oo FnrIprp fnn Of tho nrnunact nf lCu.
ing her. He wondered II fathers suf-
fered thus, or If a lover could be more
deeply panied at a parting than he.
Somehow he seemed to share the feel
ings of both.
Early on the following morning Eliza
outside her window. She lay half
dazed for a moment or two until the
significance Of the uproar made itself
apparent; then she leaped from her
bed.
Men were crying:
There she goes"
"She's going out"
Doors were slamming, there was the
rustic and scuff Of flying feet, and in
the next room Dan was evidently
throwing himself into his clothes like
q fireman. Eliza called to him, but he
did not answer. and the next moment
he had fed. upsetting some article OF
furniture in his haste. Drawing her
curtains aside, the girl saw in the
Frightening dawn men pouring down
the street. dressing as they went. They
seemed half demented. They were
yelling at one another. but she could
not gather from their words whether
it was the ice which was moving or
the bridge. The bridge. That posi-
bility set her to dressing with tremu
lous fingers. her heart sick with fear.
She called to Natalie, but scarcely rec
ognized her own voice. v
"I-don't know" came the muf1ed
reply to her question. 1T sounds like
s0mething-terrible. I'm afraid Dan
will fall in or-get hurt" The confu-