The Ely miner., 1918-09-13

Il know," he interrupted gently !;
you are worn out, tired and hungry"
He caught her hand and she made a
fierce gesture of dissent. "Yes, but
you are, and / know it, and l."
And you are, tool" she broke in.
almost laughing through her tears.
i ami" he said, bluntly $50 darned
hungry / could murder sandwich
man for suggesting one!"
He stared gloomily at the low-burn-
ing fire in the CRATE. After a moment
he turned, light of determination in
his eyes.
Frances, what do you say? I've
known you for week-it seems as If
we had been friends for years I know
place where I can get chance in
the garage business. Let's throw this
art stuff up and get up or down to
something to eat and decent place
to live. What do you say?''
She looked in his flushed, eager
face and earnest eyes. "Am / to un-
derstand that you are proposing to
me?" she smiled
He rallied his faculties. ''That's 1t,
Frances. I know"
Her voice was cold '"Thank you,
but I'm not interested in the garage
business or in marriage, and when I'm
proposed to want 1t done In lovers
way"
He rose sharp, his face set 81
spoke seriously, In my way. If I
have"
Contrition came. She caught his
arm. Don't say-I know-really, |
am too tired. You have been good to
me, but can't give up my dream. /
couldn't marry garage keeper. I
might-someone who dreams as I do
you see?"
He nodded, but his face was grave,
and she knew that the slash of her
first words, when his heart was boy
ishly open, had gone deep. He looked
down into her eyes, and she saw that
in his the light had gone out.
'Yet the big thing in the world is
happiness" he said simply, and went
out, closing the door gently behind
him.
She stared at the ashes in the crate
that once had been evidence of the
quality of the old building, and the
ashes seemed to symbolic more than
she wished they did.
"He is right" she murmured to her.
self, as she turned out the lights "the
big thing is happiness"
1t rained all that night, and the next
day dawned gray, damp and forbid
ding. She worked feverishly at the
picture that represented success or
failure-and the failure seemed to be
looming large.
In the evening she heard him re-
turn. Her heart stopped as he passed
her door and went on up the stairs.
Usually he came in to make her g
brief visit. She turned away to busy
herself with something-anything.
The door opened suddenly and he
stood before her-his old, impulsive,
boyish self.
"Well, I made fifty dollars today,
from art !" he announced.
She thrilled with the words. Then
the turn of the tide had come for him
perhaps! A small beginning-just the
Opening-and then
81 am glad" she said quickly. can
He shook his head. "No, I got a |
chance to do some fresco work for a |
1ago ice cream parlor"
eSf1 af ort IoI nh ho, L
ears. Decorations for a "dago ice |
,ream parlor!" She stared at him with |
vide eyes. Something in his face held |
ler-something deeply glowing in his
Eyes. She swayed q bit toward him.
The full, deep voice of the man be-
led the tenderly smiling boyish eyes.
Yes, fifty dollars-and good job.
Little girl, let's swap dreams I'll swap |
ny dream of being Whistler or a
Sargent for home know of, where
kies are blue, mountains green and
very man and woman friend. VIII
,ou swap your dream for mine and
ny love, till dreaming is doneT'
She felt suddenly weak The dreari-
less of the worn, gray studio closed
bout her; the moving, quiet, manly
ones sang in her ears and In her
leart. She nodded.
She was swept in his arms and
leld with strength that would not
'e denied.
'"That fifty dollars will get us home,
learie. And now I'll propose as a
over should!'