The Lynden tribune. [volume] (Lynden, Wash.) 1908-current, 1917-01-04

about down there Ia the aldiers it to- /
nearly all the imagination / possessei
to see two streaks Of steel where there
/, is nothing but thicket now But as
for the bigness of it"-he laughed dep
recatingly-.it isn't so very big, you
know. Its just IA mean sort of prop
! oSition.''
ITO me-" Barbara said-"to me 1t Is
colossal! Why. | thought the work at
Morrison seemed complicated and tan
gled enough. but there-there isn't even
beginning or an ending here. There's
/ nothing but woods and water"
She pointed out across the valley to-
ward moundlike outline yellow under
the moon; pointed into the north and
asked another question.
is that part of the embankment?"
she wanted to know. rs that the d.
rection in which Mr.. Wickersham's
timber lies?''
The man nodded.
"Just few miles up through that
notch" he told her. That's the end
Of the rail bed which We have been
building along the river edge
Her next words made him start and
then try to cover that moment with a
readjustment of his long body.
I'm going up there tomorrow Mr.
Wickersham has asked me to ride with
him in the morning" She waited q
moment or two. "That-that's why
came out here tonight. Well be going
back to town the next day or two, and
/ wanted to have a chance to bid you
goodby before ! left Morrison for the
winter"
He had known that she would not
be likely to remain in the hills much
longer. He had realized that each day
which he checked off. always hopeful
that the next might open the way for
him to see her again, was steadily
bringing nearer the date of her de-
parture But he had not let himself
think that it would come SO soon.
There was no doubt this time about
the hea yiness of his voice
Il see." he said Il see''
There came a long silence. Rising
out of ii, Barbara's voice sounded very,
very little.
1--WE never known a sky in which
the stars were so thick. They're
they're like a field Of buttercups. And
have you ever seen such an irrepressi-
bly, happy creature as Miriam was to
night? She was radiant, positively
shameless. Did you know that Garry
knows
81 told him myself" said Steve sim
ply.
The girl faced around in her sur
prise.
Your
Most certainly. Why not?" His
voice was not quite so unenthusiastic
now. Its one of the few unmistak-
able opportunities I've ever had to
make two people permanently as hap
by as Miriam was tonight. I'd feel
guilty all my life if l didn't help all
could, knowing how happy am going
to be myself"
Thus did he work around. quite with.
out abruptness, to renewal of that
discussion which she had thought to
close weeks before.
'Are you trying to infer that am
to be a part of that happiness?' she
asked none too promisingly.
you ought to know. ! said all my
life"
And there suddenly Barbara laughed
Il suppose now they'll marry and
live happily ever after!" she exclaim.
ed, with an attempt at airiness.
Most certainly" asserted Steve. al
though her nlirth puzzled him. why
is it funny to you:"
1T isn't, but-yes, it is too, now
that it's no longer a thing one need
worry about. That's always the trou-
BILE with emotions which are too In
tense. They're either very sad to con-
template or very. very absurd. And
they will persist in exchanging faces.
to the confusion of the onlookers. Gar
~ was so dangerously in love with
Mary Graves. you see"
HE was in love with an idea" the
man contradicted fatty. He was in
love with just that. And it is not safe
for any man to live alone with an alb
stract conception of anything. He's
bound sooner or later to lose his grip
on tangible things If he does. He's
likely to start destroying property to
further the cause OF labor or liable TO
turn to shooting men who were born
to jobs I'm certain some of them never
wanted-kings and that sort, | mean
figuring ON solving the social problems
of men and women who must solve
that problem themselves. Perfection
is a fine thing TO anticipate; expecta'
lions of 1t are dangerous. And women
aren't made that way"
"No?', Her voice slid coolly upward.
NO." he told her and smiled with
that serenity she had come to know SO
well. Not even you, though l sup
pose I'd about annihilate any one else
If he ever limited at it." He chose to
be didactic in tone. "No, you're not
perfect. You've too much intelligence
for that. Why, right now you're fight
ing with your brain against the die
tates of your heart, and If you were
above mortal error in judgment you'd
know that you are wasting your time
"Your opinion has the merit of sin
oari+,- eba cai3 nalthnurb looking