The Meridian times. (Meridian, Idaho) 1909-1938, 1917-07-13

80
~You won't even give me the poor
satisfaction Of knowing what yours
doing" no said.
~rd lovo to- aha said. ITO be able e
write to you, hear from you every day
but don't believe you want to know,
/ think II would ba too hard for you.
because you'd have TO promise not to
try TO gwf mo bnck-not to come and
rescue me n ! got Into trouble and
thIngs went badly and didn't know
whore to turn. Gould you promise
thnf. Roddyfs
He gave groan and buried bis face
In his hands Then;
No" no said furiously. "Of course
couldn't See you suffering and
stand BY with my hands In my pockets
and watchi" He sprung up and seized
her by the arms In a grip that actually
left bruises, and fulrly shook her In tho
agony Of his entreafy. "Tell me it's a
nightmare. Rose" he said. ''Tell me IL
isn't true. Wake me up out OF It."
But under the indomItabie resolution
OF her blue eyes he turned away. This
was the last appeal Of that sort that
he made.
'TIl promise" she said presently, ito
be sensible-not to take any risks /
don't have 10 take. I'll regard my life.
and my health and all. as something
I'm keeping In trust for you. I'll take
plenty Of warm, sensible clothes when
l 80: lots OF shoes and stockings
things like that; and. II you'll let me-
I'll borrow a hundred dollars to start
myself or with. II isn't tragedy.
Roddy~not that part OF it. You
wouldn't be afraid for anyone else as
big and strong and healthy as Il"
Gradually. out Of weller Of scenes
like that, the thing got itself recog-
nized as something that was to happen.
But the putting came at last In little
different way from any they had fore
seen.
Rodney came home from his office
early ono afternoon, with a telegram
that summoned him TO New York 10 a
conference Of counsel In big public
utitity case he had been working on
for months- He must leave. IL he were
going at all, at Ave o'clock. He ran
sacked the house, vniniy at first, FOR
Rose, and found her at last in ths
trunk room dusty. iisheveled, sobhin,
quietly over something she Rugged Ii
her arms. But she dried her eyes an,
came over 70 him and asked him wha
u was that had brought him home 5,
early.
He showed her the telegram. III
hnye TO leave In an hour" he said
III I'm TO CO."
She paled at that. and sat dowr
rather giddlIy on the trunk. .'Yo,
must CO." she said. 'of course. And
Roddy. guess that'li be the easles
way. III Get nay telegram tonight
pretend to get it--from Portia. Ant
you can give me the hundred dollars
and then. when you come back. I'll b.
gone"
The thing she had been holding Ii
her hands slipped 10 the floor. III,
stopped and picked II up--stared at |
with a sort Of half-wakened recognl
fion.
''Tf-found H." she explained, aamonI
some old things Portia sent over whel
she moved. DO you know what II IL
It's one OF the notebooks that got wet.
that first night when we were put OF
the street car. And-Roddy. loolxl'
She opened It to an almost blanl
page. and with a weak little laugl
pointed TO the thing that was wrlttel
there: March 10. 1pi2r
''Your birthday, you see. and the da,
me met each other"
And then, down below. the only not
she had made during the whole OF tina
lecture. he read: "Never marry a mai
with passion for principles"
"That's the trouble with us, you see.
she said. IF you were just an ordI
nary man without any big passions o
anything. 1t wouldn't matter much /
your life got spoiled. But with us
you see. we've got TO try for the biz
/ gest thing there is Oh. Roddy, Rodd
dariingi Hold me tight for just
minute. and then III come and hel
you pack"