The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1918-05-04
THE CABIN
BY NEWTON LAWRENCE.

,rSSSsSS@+sSs-1SS.Sss 1SSssTsSe'
per sAndicate)
"Old Wilder's cutting timber on the
ledge" the big VOICE OF Doctor Frost
booned from the hallway, and the
tread of his great lumbernan's boots
shook the frail New Hampshire farm.
house.
/ Carroll Larue, wrapped in patch
work quilt, in an armchair by the
window, did not look up when he en-
tered. or answer his CHEEKY: Allows
the little patient, this cold morningT
His bit of gossip about old Wilder
cutting timber. had brought two dull
red patches into her pale cheeks and
she fearCd to meet the DOCTORS kindly,
piercing eyes. "Could it be-" She ask
ed herself "that he kncw-that ne
knew, how she and Jim had planned
to build their house among the pines
on that ledge, when Jim got his
| patents--and sold them"
/ So she stared at the glass Of potash
and water covered with saucer, ON
i the window sill, and her mother an
swcrcd for her: "She's inst the
same, doctor Gargles her throat with
] potash and takes the tonic you left
for her. But she doesn't take any in
terest. Are you sure, DOCTOR that It's
not--that 1t isn't"
Consumption Rahr snorted the
doctor. There's lust one thing more
than this influenza that's ths matter
with her, and that's. Well, it's
psychological. Not case for path
ologist at ALL" and he pulled up a
chair beside her.
From the corners of her eyes, Car
roll saw mis- huge bulk in its shaggy
fur coat settled into the chair. The
coat and his beard were frosty, where
his breath had condensed ard frozen.
"Here you are, young lady" he nm
nounced, brusquely, and slipped
thermometer between her lips. "Smoke
that for a while, and listen to me.
"vou and Jim Langley were both
born on Christmas day twenty-five
years ago. And I've known you both |
just that long. There isn't a likelier |
girl than you in Claremont county; |
but Jim, well, he's Il ne'er-do-well a |
dreamer. He lost his job at the elee- |
trlc company for wasting the com
pany's time on his fool inventions and |
such. You know more about that than
l do, because you worked in Mr..
ThOmpsons office and earned more
money, III bet, than lie did in the shop.
''But now, because Jm's gone off to
the city on wild-goose case, most
likely, there's no use losing your grip
on yourself, little girl, ana noping'
The girl said nothiug, but shook her
head slowly, apQ looked out across the
fields toward the dark
fringe of pines OF Wilder's ledge.
Later she watched the doctors cutter
disappear down the road. Then she
crossed the room to writing desk,
and took out a letter-Jim's last.
IT was written in New York, and
there was the picture of hotel on
the envelope. Ii began:
Dearest Carroll: They won't take
any interest in my invention. And
I'm almost discouraged. l can't man.
age to see anyone in the big electric
whQ has authority to buy
my direct-current converter, if they
wanted it. They all say wen investi.
gate. and let you know, Mr.. Langley
It's six weeks now, but I'll stay un-
ii t%e converter's marketed, if it's
'oreyer. What's the use coming back
before? I couldn't get Job paying
enough for us hc@h 10 live on--even if
We didn't build the cabin on Wilder's
edge by the lake, And simply won't
ave you working for that Thompson
fter we're married"
If Jim could only understand, she
hought looking up from the letter.
hat it was he with his dreams ana
ancies, his Imagination that she
1anted. What if they did call him a I
e'er-do-well? What if he was? She ,
panted him.
What If some of his dreams didn't
ONE true2 They couldn't all come
rue. And so, with a little sigh she I
urned baR to the letter. J
'D'y know" ii went on, "that it's
My the thought of you, and our cabin
n the rocks above the lake with the
tle workshop behind, that gives me .,
ny courage at all. Well it surely
oes; and it's the only thing, some
mes, when come in feeling down
earted and blue, that makes me put is
ut the gas In the usual way" v
She laid down the letter and again
'oked out toward Yilders ledge
here they were cutting. It was an
ridescent day, and the snow glittered
ue-white in the sunshine. The Jag P
ID rocks Of the ledge showed deep p
lrple above the white fields, zig
lgged by dark rail fences.
Even as she looked. one of the great >
mes on the top of the ledge seemed
topple and disappear. J.
''So that's the end of another dream" II
lie thought, with a choking sensation Il
her throat. And she reached for =
sr handkerchief. 7
There was a hollow crunch Of foot
cps on the front porch. The front =
,or banged, her own burst open. And =
ere stood Jim. -