The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1917-07-19

HANSiN0 - N-NNtf~'S
loaded easements was simply planet
ary.
And yet, queerly enough, In terms OF
literal llneal measurement, the dis
tance between the windows themselves
was less than q thousand yards. And,
such Is the enormous social and spir-
ltual distance between North Clark
street and The Drive, she was as safely
hidden here, as completely out OF the
orbit Of any of her friends, or even OF
her friends servants, as she couid
have been In New York or San Fran
cisco.
OF course, wherever she went, what
ever she did, there'd always be the risk
that someone who could carry back
news to Rodney's friends would rec
ognlze her. 1t was risk that had to
be taken. At the same time she'd
protect the secret as well as she could.
There were two people, though, II
couldn't be kept from-Portla and her
mother. The story given out to Rod
ney's friends being that Rose was IN
California with her mother and Portla,
left the chance always open for some
contretemps which would lead to her
mothers discovering the truth In sur
prlslng and shocking way.
But the truth itself, confidently stat
ed, not as a tragic ending, but as the
splendid, hopeful beginning of life OF
truer happiness for Rose and her hus'
band, needn't be shock. So this was
what Rose had borne down upon her
In her letter to Portla.
=. have found the big thing couldn't
be had without a fight" she wrote. you
shouldn't be surprised. because you've
probably found out for yourself that moth
ing worth having comes very easily. But
you're not to worry about me. nor be
afraid for me, because I'm going to win.
I'm making the fight, somehow. Tor you
as well as for myself. l want you to
know that. l think that realizing l was
living your life as well as mine, Is what
has given me the courage to start.
eve got some plans, but I'm not going
to tell you what they are. But I'll write
to you every week and tell you what I've
done, and l want you to write to Rodney.
| want to be sure that you understand
this: Rodney isn't to blame for what's
happened. We haven't quarreled, ana
believe we're farther in love with each
other than we've ever been before.
know l am with him. E. Break this
thing to mother as gently as you like. but
tell her everything before you stop.
This letter written and dispatched,
she had worked out the details OF her
departure with q good deal OF care.
In her own house, before the servants,
she had tried to act just as she would
have done had her pretended telegram
really come from Portla. Her bag was
packed, her trunk was gone, her motor
waiting at the door to take her to the
station, when the maid Doris brought
the twins home from their airing. This
wasn't chance, but prearrangement.
"Glve them to me-" Rose said, "and
then you may 60 up and tell Mrs
Ruston she may have them in few
minutes"
She took them into her bedroom and
laid them side by side on her bed
They had thriven finely-justified, SC
far as that went, Harriet's decision
in favor of bottle feeding. Had she
died back there In that bed of pain
never come out of the ether at all
they'd still be just like this-plump
placid, methodlcal. Rose had thought
of that hundred times, but 1t wasn'
what she was thinking Of now.
The thing that caught her as sh'
was looking down on them, was
wave of sudden pity. She saw then
SUDDENLY as persons with the long roat
all ahead of them, as boy and girl
youth and a maid, a man and
woman.
She'd never thought of them lik
that before. The baby she had looked
forward to-the baby she hadn't had
had never been thought of that way
either. 1t was to be something to pre-
vide her. Rose, with an occupation; t
, make an alchemic change in the yer
substance of her life. The transmits
i. lion hadn't taken place. She surmise
, now. dimly, that she hadn't deserve
1t should.
, you've never had q mother O
all, you poor little mites" she sait
But you're going to have one som
day. You're going to be able to com
to her with your troubles, becaus
she'll have had troubles herself. She
- help you bear your hurts, becaus
. she's had hurts of her own. An
q she'll be able to teach you to stan
: the gaff,, because she's stood 1t he
self"
r For the first time since they wei
@ born, she was thinking Of their nee
|. of her rather than Of her need Of ther
I and with that thought came, for II
$ first time, the surge Of passionate M
@ ternal love that she had waited Il
o so long in vain. There was, suddenl
v an intolerable ache In her breast th'
$ could only have been satisfied by crus
ing them up against her breast; kis
4 Ing their hands-thelr feet.
r Rose stood there qulvering, gidt
with the force of 1t. "Oh, you do
n lings (" she said. "But wait-wait u
h I'll / deserve It'll" And, without touc
, Ing them at all, she went to the do
;. and opened 1t. Mrs. Ruston and Dor
o were both waiting in the hall.
+ 81 must 60 now," she said, "Good-b
n Keep them carefully for me-" ii
voice was steady, and, though her ey
- were bright, there was no trace
g tears upon her cheeks. But there w
10 kind Of glory shining in her ia
= that was too much for Doris, WI
~ .a ,,,,.,, ond cnhhnd IoudlV Ey,