The Tucumcari news and Tucumcari times. [volume] (Tucumcari, N.M.) 1907-1921, 1918-01-24

ed after ii straight look into Roses
face. you look. this morning, rs IL
bed was lust whcr" you ought to be-.
What's the matter with you, child!'
Nothing" said Rose, nothing
that you'd call anything, at. any rate
l'"rt!u SMILED ironically. I'm still
tn" same old draon. thcn,' she said.
And thcn-"I'm sorry. ! didn't mean
to say that, either. I've had II rather
worrying sort of week."
"Whnt is III" said Rose. "Tcll me
about it.. Can | help
NO." said Portia. "Ivc thought II
over and 1t isn't your job" She got
up and went to the window and stood
looking cut where Rose couldn't see
her face. IT'S about mother" she
concluded.
Rose sat up with a jerk. about
mother!" she echoed. "IIus she been
i'll again this week? And you haven't
let me know! It's n shame | haven't
been around, but I've been busy"-hcr
smile reflected some OF the irony of
POrtia's-"and rather miserable. or
course | was going this afternoon"
Yes" said Portla, 81 funcied you'd
come this afternoon. That's why |
wanted to see you alone first"
alone" Rose leaned sharply for
ward. "Oh, don't stand there where |
can't see you! Tell me what it is."
"Im going to-" said Portin. "You
see, l wasn't satisfied with old Muir
ray. | thought ii was possible, either
that be didn't understand mothers
case, or else that he wouldn't tell mo
. what he suspected. So II week ago
specialist" Her voice got II little
/, harder and cooler. "Mothcr'll never be
we'll, Rose. Her heart is getting fab
, hy-dcg"ncruting, he called it,. He
says we can't do anything except 10
rcturd the progress of tn" disease. 1t
may go fast, or II iuUy ~ slowly. That
attack she hnd was just II symptom,
he said. She'll have others. And by
and 10y, of course, II fatal one"
= Still size didn't look around from
a., III" window. She knew Rose was cry
ing. She had heard the gasp and
choke that followed her first announce.
m"nt of ia" news, ana since then. IT.,
regularly. Il muIil"d sound of sohbine,
She wanted to go over and comfort
the young, stricken thing there on the
, bed. but she couldn't. she could feel
nothing but Il dun, irr"SiStibl" anger
-: Ihi I Rose should have the easy relici
Of tears, which had been denied her
Because Portia couldn't cry.
lie Suid." she went on. that In thi,
climate, living as She has been doing
she'd hardly last six months, but thai
in Il bland climate like southern Cali
fornin, il she's carefully watched al
: III" time to prevent excitement or over
cxcrtlOn, she might live II good man.
years.
$50 that's what we're going to do
I've written the Fletchcrs to lock on
a place for us, and I've sold out m!
busincss-took an offer that I refuse,
II month ago. As soon as we hear from
:, the FlrtchcrS, we'll begin TO pack
~ Within II week, | hope"
;, Rose said n queer thing then. Sh'
cried out in~creduously: "And you an'
mother are going away TO Californi,
80 to live! And leave me here all alone !!
"a "All alone with the whole OF you
own llfe," thought "ortia, but didn'
Dr say II.
II can't realize II at all," Rose wen
,r on after II little silence. at docsn'
Is Seem-possible. DO you believe III
specialist Is right? Can't we go 1
IA someone else and make surc:"
whats the use?" said Portin. IL,
K. sides, IL ! drag mother around to IN
raj more of them, she'll know"
re Rose looked up sharply. "Docsn'
M she known"
X mo-" said Portla In that hard. eve
- voice of hers. III lied to her. of cours,
lis You know mother well enough Ia knO,
rs what she'd do II she knew the trut
e. about II. Don't you know how IT.
in always pleased her when old pcnpl
n, could dic-'in harness. us she says:
to The ordeal, or the worst If II, WI
Ill over. Rose was dropping forlornl
forward, one arm clasped around h,
cs knees, md she was trying To dry h,
ne tears IN the sleeve Of her niGhtgowl
cd The childlike pathos of the attitud
caught portiu like the surge of II way,
10, She crossed the room and sat down q
ht IA, edge of the bed. Shed have CON
ng s,ill closer and taken the girl In h,
lie arms. but for the feur of starting h,
crying again.
lat "Ycs," Rose snid. THAT'S mothc
NJ And ! guess she's right about II.
mt must ~ horrible to be hulf-ullye-l
MS know you're no use and never Will b
III. Aud you've gone through this all alor