The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1916-07-29
Presently. with q sigh, she cot "a

her feet and crossed the room to the
shabby dresser that stood in corner.
Then, thrustlng the letter and the
postscript sheet into half open
drawer. she went back to her hateful
task Of dlshwashing.
But today the routine Of household
labor was tenfold more irksome than
ever before.
There had been another line o,
two after the postscript's end. But
Nellie had painstakingly crossed them
out, mixing away every syllable, to
make the obliterated words wholly
unreliable. This second postscrip,
had read:
"Your mother tells mo she. and yepr
father are starting from New York
In a day or two to pay you a flying
visit. I'm sending my love by them.'
Nellie had belatedly remembered at
this point that Mrs. Austin had told
her the visit was to be surprise to
Leila. Hence the careful erasure.
After an interminable time, the last
Of the cheap, thick dishes was washed
and dried. Laughing boiler of hot
water from the back OF the stove,
Leila filled tho wooden washtub and
proceeded to toss carelessly into II
the pile Of soiled clothes.
The cabin door swung open and
Tom Carter tramped in-the mud on
his boots blotching the none.too-cleau
floor.
at isn't time to get dinner ready.
said Leila. defantly. as she glanced
at the chimney.shelt clock. 'Im-"
II know 1t isn't" he returned, life
lessly, as he threw his broad.brimmed
hat on peg and slumped into the
nearest chair. "And we'll be lucky II
we get any more dinners at all. We're
brokel We've gone as far as we can
on the cash we've got. The gold Il
there. I'd stake my life on that. It's
there! And with capital we could gel
to it. 1t may lie only one days work
farther into the rock. Or It may be
years work farther in. But it's be
yond US. My cash has given out"
Something in the overweight girl's
brain seemed to snap. Here, then,
was the end Of the golden dream!
Sudden anger fared up within her.
II won't stand I'll" she ragged. Il
won't stand III" 4
Hush. dear!" he soothed her
Don't take 1t like that. We have
each other. And" 4
"And nothing else!" she interrupted,
beside herself with fury, You've
cheated me! You've robbed me!
You've stolen my youth, my prospects,
my happiness! And you've stolen my
money!")
"Your-what" he said, unbelievins.
ly.
"My money!" she cried, shrilly.
1.-THE $4,000 my father gave me. II
was my own money. You cajoled me
into putting It into your worthless
mine! Where Is my $4,000. Tom
Carter? Give 1t back to mel"
Her husband was staring at her,
aghast, his Jaw dropping, his eyes y
bulge. He did not recognize his brave
and loyal little wife In this tempestu.
Gus tempered visage.
He rose and went hurriedly toward
his wife, his arms outstretched. But
she recoiled from him. crying hysteri.
cally:
Don't touch me! Give me back the
10000 put into your empty mine!"
Now. Tom Carter knew pitifully Lit.
tie about women. Had he been more
experienced he would have. understood
that Leila needed only good CRY. and
perhaps q day or so Of absolute rest
or change Of scene.
Without o word he went over to
wall cupboard, rummaged in It and
returned to the sobbing girl with
sheat Of papers.
Here are the stock certificates for
the mine," he said, forcing himself to
an outward semblance Of calm. They
are made out In your name, all Of
them. Every share 10 yours. And tho
mine 10 yours. didn't tell you, be-
cause I wanted It to be q surprise to
you when the Leila A. made our for.
tunes."
Toni"
IF We had struck II rich the whole
thing would have been yours" he went
on unheeding. "All my work, ali my
hopes were for you; not for myself.
The mine was bought with your cash.
And It is yours by rights"
"Tom!" she walled, all her babyish
resentment dying down. Toni I'm
SO sorry, darling! Please forgive mel
+ was Just upset and nervous. Won't
you try to forget It. please? And I
didn't mean what ] said. I want you
to keep the certificates. r."
For answer he took up the sheaf Of
papers, crossed Il. her dresser and put
them into its top drawer.
"They are yours, Leila" he said.
"You must take them. I've put them
in there for You. I'm only sorry you
think / have been dishonest toward
you"
"Dishonesti" abe wept, her arms
about his neck. why. Tom, you arc
the most honest. most honorable man
in the whole world! Oh. Wont you
please forgive NOR