Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1916-11-30
|AMAT7ER or MOMENTUM
By ELsIE sEE.

Tomorrow, at nine, Warren"
Warren Deans car sped silently
along the parkway to Annals home
and neither of them spoke again until
he drew up at the curb.
-And when you have finished your
book7" he asked.
"Oh, another book. perhaps; that's
the usual way, believe"
"Alma, dear, don't think me unsym-
pathetic. I'm as proud Of your sue
cess as you are, but some day the book
Of your own life must have its new
chapters written In. I've asked you
twice for the big role In that book,
and shall continue to ask you until
you confront me with a rival more
formidable than your embryo books"
We've been such good friends that
truly wish we might be more, War
rem. but unless felt that we must be
more It would be unfair to us both
to give you the answer you want now >
said Alma gently.
'Goodby," said Warren, at the porch
steps. "And remember that II you
ever want me or need me, I'll be wait
ing for your call"
The next day, Alma set out for a 1T
tie mountain village where she worked
throughout the summer on her book.
By September, the book was finished.
and its first installment as a serial was
going into type for the November issue
OF a leading magazine. Alma went
from the village TO a ranch.
Books. letters and magazines reached
her In each semiweekly delivery, but
Warren's letters had gradually become
shorter and fewer.
"Ah. WELL" she said TO herself one
afternoon. Its like a man to want TO
be everything or nothing, but I'll climb
upon Eagle Rock with a new magazine
for company, and leave all men to
their fate"
She sat watching the clouds pass
below the highest point Of a distant
mountain, but her thoughts were Of
Warren. She had unconsciously been
ioOsening a round rock with the rest
less movement Of her foot, and was
surprised when the stone suddenly
bounded down the mountain side.
Alma got up and looked about for
another rock she could dislodge. She
found one larger and rounder. which
she loOsened with considerable dlfl-
Guilty.
"Tli name this rock for Warren s.
she said TO herself, "and II IL goes all
the way down 10 the gulch he loves
me; II II stops by the way he loves
me not"
She gave II a push and II went
crashing down among the agpens with
such force that Il struck sparks from
other stones AZ II drove surely and
rapidly to the gulch below, where II
embedded itself In the red sand.
HE loves me, even II he doesn't
WRITE Alma laughed ut her childish.
ness, but the incident mnde her feel
happy, and she descended the trail,
feeling strangely elated.
When she reached the ranch house
a large touring car stood at the yard
gate. Alma passed hurriedly into the
house. Then she heard the shrlll voice
OF the ranchman's wife trying 70 get
telephone connection with a big hotel
AZ summer resort 40 miles away.
The voice came clearly through the
thin walls into Alma's room. Here
they are. madam" IL said. "here's the
Eikton house."
please let me speak 10 Mr.. Brown,
the desk clerk" said the woman's rich
voice that had n familiar sound 20
Alma. When the woman spoke again
Alma clapped her hand over her mouth
TO smother an exclamation. II was the
voice Of a woman she knew and dis
liked, but a woman famed as a be.
witching widow. This Is Mrs. AT.
viii speaking, Mr.. Brown. We lost
our way and have just succeeded ia 10.
eating ourselves. I'm expecting some
friends from the East. Has Ar. war.
rem Dean Of New York rcgisteredf" A
brief silence "No7 Then he may ar.
rive on the seven O'Clock train. n so,
will you kindly tell him Of our delay,
and say we shall be there not later
than eighth Thank you"
Long after the automobile went puf.
ing on It's steep why Alma sat staring
at the ugly wall paper Of her tiny
room. but for once she was uncon-
scious Of its ugliness.
The next morning she was ready to
laugh at herself for having spent a
sleepiess night. Seated under a big
pine midway along a path that led to
a deserted mining shaft, she looked
out upon the autumn glory OF tho
mountain sides.
Good morning, Miss Mountaineer.
VIII you let weary traveller rest I'M
der your tree7" said well.known
voice.
warren DeaBi" exclaimed Alma,
and by the time the name was pro-
nouDced she was standing and War.
rem was holding both her hands in HIS.
1.-THE ranchman told me you had
started up this path" said Warren.
''You didn't call me. Alma, but came
in the hope that by this time you might
want me or need me-"
"rhen you didn't come at Mrs. At
willis calf" she asked.
MRS. Atwill7 She's been almost
killing me with kindness because Of
her interest In my military brother
whose regiment Is stationed at Fort
Lyon, near here. But ] came craving
kindness from you. my dear mountain
Ger. Have you found an answer to
that question Of miner
II think ] found II yesterday" she
ana~va~aa