The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1918-07-11


with critical eye. Certain Of her
friends had become tentative enemies
NIFTY Brooks and the Bray womenfOlk
VINO were numerous and influential
tribe, not only turned silent faces
when they met, but they made war on
her In the peculiar fashion of women
A word here, suggestive phrase
there, a shrug Of the shoulders. 1t all
bore fruit. Other friends conveyed the
avid gossip. Hazel smiled and ignored
1t. But in her own rooms she ragged
unayaillngly.
Her husband had left her. There
was n man in the case. They had lost
everything. The first count was suf-
iiciently maddening because It was a
half truth. And any Of 1t was lrritat-
ing-even If few believed-since 1t
made a choice morsel to digest In gos-
slpy corners and brought sundry curl
Gus stares on Hazel at certain times
Also Mr.. Wagstaff had caused the
stockholders Of Free Gold heavy loss
which was only Offset by the fact
that the Free Gold properties were
producing richly. None Of this was
even openly flung ut her. She gathered
1t piecemeal. And 1t CALLED her. She
could not openly defend either Bill or
herself against the shadowy scandal
mongers.
Slowly 1t dawned upon her, with a
bitterness born of her former expert
ence with Granville, that she had lost
something of the standing that certain
circles had accorded her as the wife
Of successful mining man. 1t made
her ponder. Was BIZ so far wrong,
after ALL In his estimate of them? 1t
was disheartening conclusion. She
had come Of family that stood well
in Granville; she had grown up there
II lifetime friends blew hot and cold
like that, was the game worth playing?
In so far as she could she gave the
lie to some Of the petty gossip. Where
as at first she had looked dubiously on
spending Bits money to maintain the
standard Of living they had set up, she
now welcomed that deposit Of five
thousand dollars as means to DEM
onstrate that even in his absence he
stood behind her financally-which
she began to perceive counted more
than anything else. So long as she
could dress In the best, while she could
ride where others walked, so long as
she betrayed no limitation Of re-
sources, the doors stood wide. Not
what you are, but what you've got
she remembered Bill saying that was
their holiest creed.
1t repelled her. And sometimes she
was tempted to sit down and pour 1t all |
out in letter to him. But she could |
not quite bring herself to the point.
Always behind Bill loOmed the vast |
md dreary Northland and she shrank
from that.
On top of this, she began TO suffer |
1 queer upset Of her physical condi-
ion. All her life she had been splen-
idly healthy; her body a perfect
machine, afflicted with no
Now odd spasmodic pains
occurred without rhyme or reason in
ler head, her back, her limbs, strlk-
ng her with sudden poignancy, disap-
)earing as suddenly.
She was stretched on the lounge one
afternoon wrestling nervously with
acute attack, when Vesta
.orlmer was ushered In.
you're almost a stranger Hazel
after the first greetings.
Your outing must have been pleasant
o hold you so long,"
ut would have held me longer"
Vest returned, "if | didn't have to be
n touch with my market. codAd live
luite happily on my island eight
months in the year. But one can't get
,eople to come several hundred miles
o a sitting, And feel inclined to ac-
Iuire a living income while my vogue
asts."
you're rather a wilderness lover,
rent your Hazel commented. 81
Ion't think you'd love 1t as dearly IL
'ou were buried alive in It,"
"That would all depend on the cir
vesta replied. zone es-
apes many dlsheartening things In
ountry that Is still comparatively
primitive. The continual grind of
.eeplng ones end up in town gets
VIM 80, N0fll% ~,