The Dolores star. [volume] (Dolores, Montezuma County, Colo.) 1901-current, 1917-03-09

l eouAl0G8OU, Wa 0ePeuolnB O IN en-
tireiy problematical going away. Moth
Ing, that early summer night, seemed
more unlikely than that Sidney would
ever b free to live her own Me. The
Street, stretching away 10 the north
and 10 the south In two lines Of houses
4 that seemed to meet In the distance,
hemmed her In. She had been born In
the little brick house. and. % she was
Of Il. 20 It was Of hef. Her hands had
smoothed and painted the pine floors;
her hands had put up the twfne on
which the mornings orieS In the yard
covered the fences; had, indeed, with
what agonies Of stacking lime and add
Ing blueing. Whitewsshed the fence It.
self
"She's capable" Aunt Harriet had
grumblingly admitted, watching from
her sewing machine Sidney's strong
young arms at this humble spring task.
"She's wonderful her mother had
said, ~ she bent over her handwork.
She was not strong enough tosrun the
sewing machine.
80 Joe Drummond stood on the pave
ment and saw his dream Of taking
Sidney In his arms fade into an indef-
mite futurity.
I'm not going to give you mp" he
said doggedly. when you come back,
I'll be waiting"
The shock being over. and things
only postponed, he dramatixed his grief
q tribe, thrust his hands savagely into
his pockets and scowled down the
street Sidney smiled up at him.
.Good night. Joe"
.Good night. I say. Sidney, its
more than half an engagement. Wont
you kiss me sood-nightr
She hesitated, flushed and palpitat-
ing. Perhaps, after all, her first kiss
would have gone without her heart
gone ovt Of sheer pity. But . tall flg-
ure doomed out Of the shadows and
approached with quick strides.
'sThe roomerr" cried Sidney, and
backed away.
D-n the roomeri"
The roomer advanced steadily.
When he reached the doorstep, Sidney
was demurely seated and quite alone.
The roomer looked very warm. He
carried q suitcase, which was a. It
should be. The men Of the Street a
ways carried their own luggage, except
the younger Wilson across the way.
His tastes were known to be luxurious.
1Hok isn't 1T" Sidney inquired,
after formal greeting. She indicated
the place ON the step just vacated by
Joe. you'd better cool OF out here.
The house II like an oven. think I
should have warned you Of that before
you took the room. These little houses
with low roofs are fearfully hot"
The new roomer hesitated. He did
not care to establish any relations with
the people in the house. Long eve
nings In which to read, quiet nights in
which to sleep and forget-these were
the things he had come for.
But Sidney had moved over and was
smiling mp at him. He folded up awk-
wardly ON the low step. He seemed
much too big for the house. Sidney
had q paniciy thought Of the little
room upstairs.
II don't mind heat III suppose I
don't think about it." said the roomer,
rather surprised ut himself.
| "rm afraid you'll b sorry you took
the room"
The roomer smiled in the shadow.
Tim beginning to think that you are
sorry"
His quick mind grasped the fact that
|it vas the girls bedroom he had taken.
Other things he had gathered thaA aft
ernoon from the humming Of sewing
machine. from sldhey's businesslike
way Of renting the little room, from
the glimpse Of woman in q sunny
window, bent over needle. Genteel
poverty was what 1t meant, and more
the constant drain Of disheartened,
middle-aged women on the youth and
courage Of the girl beside him.
4 Z. L. Moyne. who was living his
own tragedy those days, what with
poverty and other things, swore quiet
oath to be no further weight on the
girls buoyant spirit He had no in
tention Of letting the Street encroach
on him. He had built up a wall be-
tween himself and the rest Of the
world, and he would not scale It. But
he held no grudge against It Let 9TH
ers get what they could ont of living.
Sidney, suddenly practical, broke in
on his thoughts:
"where are you going to get your
mealsf .
II hadn't thought about It can
stop In somewhere on my way down.
town. I workia the gas ofice-I don't
believe told you." f
tits very bad for you," said Sidney,
with decision. ut leads to slovenly
habits, such - going without when
you're I'm q hurry, and that sort Of
thing. The only thing ID to have some
one expecting you at a certain time
/ TT sounds like marriage" He was,
laxily amused.
/ ut sounds like Mrs. McKee's board.
Ing house at the corner. Twenty-one
meals for I'VE dollars, and your ticket