The circle banner. [volume] (Circle, Mont.) 1914-1939, 1917-01-05

tirely problematical going away. Moth
| ing, that early summer night, seemed
more unlikely than that Sidney would
ever be free to live her own life. The
| Street, stretching away to the north
| and to the south in two lines of houses
that seemed to meet in the distance,
hemmed her in. She had been born in
the little brick house, and, as she was
of 1t, so it was of her. Her hands had
smoothed and painted the pine floors !;
her hands had put up the Irvine on
which the morning glories in the yard
covered the fences; had, indeed, with
what agonies of Stacking lime and add
ing blueing, whitewashed 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, as she bent over her handwork.
She was not strong enough to run the
sewing machine.
So Joe Drummond stood on the pave
ment and saw his dream of taking
Sidney in his arms fade into an indefi-
mite futurity.
'Tm not going to give you up" he
said doggedly. when you come back,
I'll be waiting"
The shock being over, and things
only postponed, he dramatized his grief
a trifle, thrust his hands savagely into
his pockets and scowled down the
street. Sidney smiled up at him.
Good night, joe"
"Good night. say, Sidney, it's
more than half an engagement. Won't
you kiss me goodnight"
She hesitated, flushed and palpitat-
ing. Perhaps, after all, her first kiss
would have gone without her heart
gone out of sheer pity. But tall fig
ure doomed out of the shadows and
approached with quick strides.
1.-THE roomerI' cried Sidney, and
backed away.
oh the roomer"
The roomer advanced steadily.
When he reached the doorstep, Sidney
was demurely seated and quite alone.
The roomer looked very warm. He
carried a suitcase, which was as it
should be. The men of the Street al
ways carried their own luggage, except
the younger Wilson across the way.
His tastes were known to be luxurious.
"Hot, isn't it?" Sidney inquired, |
after formal greeting. She indicated
the place On the step just vacated by |
Joe. you'd better cool off out here. |
The house is like an oven. I 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 up at him. He folded up awk-
on the low step. He seemed
much too big for the house. Sidney
had a panicky thought of the little
room upstairs.
II don't mind heat. II suppose I
don't think about it," said the roomer,
rather surprised at himself.
"Tm afraid you'll be sorry you took
The ROOM"
The roomer smiled in the shadow.
'Im beginning to think that you are
sorry"
His quick mind grasped the fact that
thn rri,-1sC hndroapo ho hoI fo1 I
other things he had gathered that aft
,rnoon from the humming of a sewing /;
machine, from Sidney's businesslike
way Of renting the little room, from
he glimpse of a woman in a sunny
window, bent over needle. Genteel
poverty was what it meant, and more ,
he constant drain of disheartened,
women on the youth and /,
ourage Of the girl beside him.
K. lie Moyne, who was living his |
wn tragedy those days, what with /
overly and other things, swore quiet
ath to be no further weight on the {
iris buoyant spirit. He had no in {
ention of letting the Street encroach
n him. He had built up a wall be-
ween himself and the rest of the {
7orld, and he would not scale it. But l
e held no grudge against it, Let 9TH L
rs get what they could out Of living. Il
Sidney, suddenly practical, broke in f
q his thoughts: t
where are you going to get your
eals?' C
Il hadn't thought about it. / can "
op in somewhere on my way down Il
'wn. I work in the gas office-I don't O
slieve told you"
TITS very bad for you" said Sidney, d
it'll decision. 1T leads to slovenly Ii
lbits, such as going without when W
,u're In hurry, and that sort of 81
ing. The only thing Is to have some K
lie expecting you at certain time"
1T sounds like marriage" He was 9
lilly amused.
ut sounds like Mrs. McKee's board &
& house at the corner. Twenty-one q
eals for five dollars, and your ticket s.
good until 1t is punched. But Mrs. &
cKee doesn't like 1t II you miss" E
MRS. Mckee for me-" said LIE Moyne. s.
dare say I'll be fairly regular to my f
calls"
4