Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1916-08-05
When the Mail
Came In
BY REX BEACH.
Copyright by Otis L. Wood.

end Of his envelope, tearing OF tiny
bits, dropping the fragments at his
feet. Now and then he stopped. and
when he did he shuddered.
Buck up, old pal" said. Then.
recognizing me, he thrust the missive
into my hand.
Tell me-for Gods sake-tell me
quick. l can't-no. no-wait! Not
vet. Don't tell me. III know from
your face. They said she couldn't
live"-but she had and he watched
me so fercely that when the light
came into my face he snatched the
letter from me like madman.
"Ah-h. Give it to me! Give 1t to
me! I knew 1t. told You they
couldn't fool me. No. sir. felt all the
time she'd make it. why, knew 1t
in my marrow"
whats the date?" inquired.
Sept. go" he said. Then. as be
realized how old 1t was. he began to
worry again.
"Why didn't they write later? They
must know I'll eat my heart out. Sup
pose she's had a relapse. That's It.
| They wrote too soon, and now they
don't dare tell me. She-got worse
died-montAs ago. and they're afraid to
let me know
stop it," said and reasoned sanity
back into him.
Monty had taken his mail and run Oh
like puppy to feast in quiet, so went
o7er to Eckert's and had drink.
Sam winked at me as l came in. A
man was reading from Il letter.
60 on. I'm interested" said the pro-
prietor.
The fellow was getting full pretty
fast and was down to the garrulOus
stage. but he began again:
Dear Husband-I am sorry to hear
that you have been so unfortunate. but
don't get discourage | know YOU will
make Il good miner if you stick to It
long enough. Don't worry about me.
have rented the front room TO very
nice man for SIS a week. The papers
here are full Of a gold strike In Siberia.
Just across Boring sea from where You
are. If you don't find something dur.
ing the next Two years why not try It
over there for q coupler"
That's what l call persevering
woman" said Eckert solemnly.
Shes q business woman. too" said
the husband. "AN l ever got for that
room was $3.50 a week
1t seems I'd missed Monta que at the
store but when the crowd came out
Ollie Marceau found him away In At
the back. having gone there to be alone
with his letters. She saw the utter
abandon and grief in his pose, and the
tears came to her eyes. Impulsively
she went up and laid her hand on bis
| bowed head. She bad followed the
| frontier .&.lough to know tide signs.
oh. Mr. Prosser." she said. I'm 80
sorry. IS it the LITTLE mother:'
Yes" he answered without moving.
"Not-not"- She hesitased.
II don't know. The letters are up to
the middle Of December. and she was
very sick Then. With the quick senti-
ment of her kind, the girl spoke to him.
forgetting herself. her life. his preju-
gray woman off there who had waited
and longed just as such another had
waited and longed for her, and mas
much as Ollie had suffered before rs
this boy suffered now in her words
there was a sweet sympathy and a Per
| feet understanding.
1t was very fine. l think. coming
so from her. and when the first shock
| had passed over he felt that here.
among all these rugged men. there was
no one to give him the comfort be
| craved except this child OF the dance
halls. Compassion and sympathy he
could get from any Of US. but he was
boy and this was his first grief. 90
he yearned for something more. some
thing subtler. perhaps the delicate COM
prehension of a woman. At any rate.
he wouldn't let her leave him, and the
tender hearted lass poured out all the
best her warm nature afforded.
In few days he braced up. however,
and stood his sorrow like the rest OF
us. 1t made him more Of man In
|
scoffed now at any Of the nine women
which, taken as an indication, was
good. In fact, saw him several times
with the Marceau girl, for he found heI
always ready and responsive. and came
to confide in her rather than in Mar
tin or me, which was quite natural
Martin spoke about It first.
II hate to see 'em together so much, .
said he. Zone Of EN- is going to fall
in love, sure, and it won't be recfpro
Gated none It would serve him right
| to get it hard, but II she's htt-ieu b
too pitiful. You an Will have to com
bine forces and beat him up, reckon.
The days were growing long and
warm, the hills were coming bare OF
the heights, while the snow packed wei
at midday when we went into town e
sled out grub for the cleanup. w
found everybody else there for thu
same purpose, 80 the sap began to rur
through the camp. We were loading
at the trading post the next day wheI
heard the name of Ollie Aarceau- i
was a big limbed fellow from Aldel
Greek talking, and, as he showed *
liquor in his face, what he said sound
ed all the worse. have heard a. bad
many q time without o6ense, for thsrt
e 20 code Of loyalty concerning thes'
girls, but Ollie had got my sympath!
somehow, and resented the remarks
particularly the laughter. So dill
Prosser, the Puritan. He looked ul