Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1917-03-08

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! I've been looking back. wondering II
ever thought that about him. l don't
believe ever did. wonder"
3 She checked herself abruptly and
sat down. After a moment: elias II
ever occurred to you how terribly
mixed up things are7 Take this
Street, for instance. Can you think OF
anybody on II that-that things have
gone entirely right wlthT
Its little world OF its own, Of
course" said K, "and Il has plenty
Of contact points with lifA But wher-
ever one finds people. many or few,
one finds all the elements thnt make
up llfe-joy and sorrow, birth and
death, and even tragedy. That's ruth
or trite. isn't ltY'
Christine was sill pursuing hSr
thoughts.
"Men are different" she said. ITO
a certain extent they make their own
fates. But when you think Of the
women on the Street-Hnrrlet Ken
nedy, Sidney Page, myself, even Mira
Rosenfeld back In the alley-some-
body else molds things for us. and all
we Gun do ls.to sit back and suffer.
i am beginning TO think the world 10
a terrible place, K. Why do people
so often marry the wrong people2 Why
can't mnn care for one woman aud
only one all his llfe7 Why-why Is It
nn so complicated?"
There nre men who cnre for only
one woman nll their lives"
YOU'RE that sort. nren't your"
Il don't want to put myself on any
pinnacle. II cared enough for wom-
an to marry her, I'd hope to But
we are being very tragic, Christine"
II feel tragic. There's going to be
another mistake, X. unless you stop
It."
He tried to leaven the conversation
with little fun.
If you're going to ask me to inter-
fere between Mrs. Mckee and the
deaf-nnd.dumb book and insurance
agent, shall do nothing OF the sort.
She can both speak and hear enough
for both of them"
II mean Sidney and Max Wilson.
He's mad about her, X. and, because
she's the sort she Is, he'll probably be
mad about her all his life, even If he
marries her. But he'll not be true to
her; ] know the type now"
X. leaned back with a flicker Of
pain in his eyes.
"What can / do about it,"
Astute as he was, he did not suspect
that Christine was using this method
to fnthom his feeling for Sidney. Per
haps she hardly knew 1t herself.
"You might marry her yourself, T."
But he had himself in hand by this
time, and she learned nothing from ei.
Their his voice or his eyes.
ION twenty dollars a week. And
without so much as asking her con-
sent?" He dropped his light tone. I'm
not In a position to marry anybody.
Even II Sidney cared for me, which
she doesn't, of course"
"Then you don't intend to interferef
You're going to let the Street see an
other fallureT
II think you can understand" said
X. rather YEARLY, "that If cared less,
Christine, 1t would be easier to inter-
fere."
After all, Christine had known this,
or surmised It, for weeks. But 1t hurt
like a fresh stab in an old wound. It
was X. who spoke again after pause:
"rhe deadly hard thing. Of course. 10
to sit by and see things happening that
one-that one would naturally try to
prevent"
II don't believe that you have al.
ways been Of those who only stand and
wait" said Christine. Sometime, K,
when you know me better and like me
better. want you to tell me about II,
will your"
"There's very little to tell. / held
O trust. When discovered that I
was unfit to hold that trust any longer.
quit. That's all."
Els tone of inallty closed the discus
sion. But Chrlstine's eyes were on
him often that evening, puzzled, rather
sad.
They talked Of books, Of music
Christine played well In a dashing way.
X. had brought her soft, tender little
things, and had stood over her until
her noisy touch became gentle. She
played for him a little, while he sat
back in the big chair with his hand
screening his eyes.
When, at last, he rose and picked
up his cap. 1t was nine o'clock.
ave taken your whole evening" he
said remorsefully. "Why don't you
tell me / am q nuisance and send me
off?"
Christine was still at the plano, her
hands on the keys. She spoke with
out looking ut him:
you're never nuisance, K, and
Something in her tone caught his at
tention.
II forgot to tell you" she went on.
'Father has given Palmer i've thou
sand dollars. He's going to buy q
share in a business"