The silver state. [volume] (Winnemucca, Nev.) 1909-1925, 1917-04-21

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"You Are Kind" She Averred Visit
fully, "and-l Need Friends"
laugh. "Tn short, I'm what your Eng
fish friends call a waster. But please
don't think that I'm bidding for serious
consideration"
II understand" the girl said quietly.
II didn't mean to bore you. either"
"You didn't; but you made me think
and wonder"
"Why I'm content to be-so use
less?"
She nodded, with her shadowy smile.
A wry grin answered that. "You
certainly take the curse off of It," Trait
averred. "Candor like yours is good
for the egotism. The register of my
self-esteem is now subnormal."
II didn't mean to be unpleasant, Mr..
Trait"
Don't, please. Thus far you've done
me good; but If you say more. betray
the least real interest in me, I'll get
chesty and need taking down again.
And I'm forgetting Craven"
"He was here only a few minutes
ago, and promised to come back before
long"
"Then may I wait? You don't mind?"
"No," said the girl. Indeed, I've
something to tell you. You've praised
him to my face, and that makes me
want to tell you. I'm not Lucy Car
teret, really, Mr.. Trait. My name is
Lydia Craven. Thaddeus Craven is
my father"
"Oh, / sayi" Peter stared incredu-
lousy. "Not Tad Craven's daughteri
You're serious?"
"Quite."
He nodded. 81 see you are. But
well-you have surprised me. / don't
suppose a soul who knows him would
believe Tad Craven anything but a
convinced bachelori
So-it was true-Craven had never
mentioned his daughter to his friends
Staring seward, Lydia worked her
hands together gently; and, watching
her closely, the man saw her face fugi-
lively ~convulsed. And wisely he held
silence.
Mrs. Beggarstafr knows" the girl
said presently, land Mrs. Merrilees,
and / dare say by tomorrow all his
acquaintances on the ship will know.
So, you see, I'm not violating his con-
fidence. Only you spoke of him so
warmly that you made me wan you
to understand" A quaver touched her
tone; but she persisted: I'm afraid
I've made a great mistake-embar-
raised him horribly, turning up this
way. But l didn't know he was a pas
senger. I supposed. of course, he vas
at home-in New York"
Much of Peters charm lay In his in
stinctive recognition of those times
when 1t is wisest to say nothing. No
body could leave everything unsaid In
a way more eloquent of sympathetic
comprehension. So he stood very still.
covertly watching her face and won
dering.
81 couldn't help it They forced me
to 1.-THE people / lived with In Lon
don. / knew IL wasn't right, because /
didn't love him. How can one marry
a person one doesn't love? But when
I wrote to daddy he wouldn't eve an
swer, and / couldn't help it, had to
run awayl And now, of course, he's
furious with me-turning up here like
the bad penny"
"Why should he resent that? l don't
see why he couldn't have told us he
had a daughter-especially n like
you'll 1t seems to me, the innocent by
stander. that Tad hadn't any right to
pose"
"Don'ti We mustn't misjudge him.
You're his friend; surely you ought
to make allowances for him. II I can.
I'm sure he must have had his rea-
sons-good enough reasons, If VIZ only
knew. Why must he take the world
into his confidence?"
Dumfounded, Peter stared; then re-
membered himself that oma nature
al a singular thing, its mental proc
esses defying masculine analysis.
You're right" he asserted meekly,