The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1916-10-19


her feet and crossed the room to the
shabby dresser that stood In a corner.
Then, thrustinE the letter and the
postscript sheet into q half open
drawer. she went back to her hateful
task OF d~ishwashing.
But today the routine OF household
labor was tenfold more irksomo than
ever before.
There had been another limo or
two after the postscript's end. But
Nellie had p~ainstakirgly crossed them
out, mixing away every syllable, to
mako tho obliterated words wholly
~unreadable. This second postscript
had read:
"Your mother tells mo she and your
In a day or two to pay you a Tying
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 a surprise to
Leila. Hence the careful erasure.
After an interminnble time, the last
Of the cheap, thick dishes was washed
and dried. Juggling . boiler Of hot
water from the back OF the stove,
Leila filled the wooden washtub and
proceeded to toss carelessly into It
the pile Of soiled clothes.
The cabin door swung open and
Tom Carter tramped in-the mud on
his boots blotching the none-too-c clean
floor.
1T isn't timo to get dinner ready"
said Leila, de1antly, an she glanced
at tho chimney-shelf clock. I'm"
II know it isn't" no returned, life.
lessly. rs he threw his broad briInmod
hat on = peg and slumped into the
nearest chair. And we'll BIO lucky If
we get any moro dinners at all. We're
broke! We've gone as far as we con
on the cash we've got. The gold ia
there. I'd stake my life on that. It's
there! And with capital we could get
to 1t. II may lie only one days work
farther into the rock. Or it may be
q years work farther in. But it's be
yond US. My cash has given out"
Something in the overweight girls
brain seemed to snap. Here, then,
was tho end OF the golden dream!
Sudden anger fared UP within her.
81 won't stand IT," she ragged. e"
won't stand it,"
Hush. dear" he soothed her.
Don't take It like that. We have
zach other. And"
And nothing else!" she interrupted,
beside herself with fury. You've
cheated mo-! You've robbed me!
You've stolen my youth. nay prospects,
my happiness! And you've stolen my
money"
"Your-what?" he said, u%nbelievinG,
ly.
my money" she cried, shrilly.
"The $4,000 my father gave me. II
was my own money. You caioled me
into putting it into your worthless
mine! Where is my $4,000. Tom
Carter? Give II back to mel"
Her husband was staring At hor,
aShast, his jaw droooinS. his syes y
bulge. He did not recognise bis brave
and loyal little wife In this tsnpests-
Gus tempered visags.
He rose ana went hurriediy toward
hts wife. his arms satstrstchsd. But
she recoiled hsn him. crying hystsri-
cally:
-Don't touch Ne! Give ne back the
S16.ese I put into your empty nias!"
Now, Tom Carter knew pitifully lie
tie about ONE Had he been o
experienced he would have Understood
that Leila needed only . good CRY and
perhaps . day or "a Of absolute rest
or change Of scene.
without . word he went owe to a
wall cupboard. runra.ed in it and
returned to the sobbing girl with a
sheaf Of papers.
"Here are the stock certificates for
tho mine" he said. forcing himself to
an outward seablaace of calm. They
are made u in your name, all OF
them. Every share is yours. And the
mine 10 yours. didn't tell you. be
cause l wanted IL to be a surprise to
you when the Leila A made our for
tunes
Tenn"
"If We had struck It rich the whole
tulH8 Wwuid hdVU pcth youtS, hO Wow
on unhceding. "All nay work, ell my
hopes were fer you: not for myself.
Tho Hine was bought with your cash.
And It Is yours BY rights"
Tenn" she walled, all her babyish
resentment dying downs. TEN! Ina
so ssrry. darling! Please forgive me!
I was Just upset and Revou Won't
you try to forgot II, pleace! And !
didn't mean what I said. / want you
to keep the certificates. L"
For answer ne teek ~ tie sheaf OF
papers, crossed to he dresser ard put
them Into TT top drawer.
They are yorrs, Leila" he said,
"You must take them. I've pct tAcna
in there for yeu. Ira only gerry y0u
thtnk l have been dishonest toward
ysu..
~Dshsacctr' she vcpt, hor ARES
about his neck. why, Tom, you ars
the NEST henest, Eos< hoasrabie man
n the whole world! Oh won't yss
p1eass 1orgivs msr