Connecticut western news. [volume] (Salisbury, Litchfield Co., Conn.) 1871-1970, 1918-02-14


rayed in Il semi-tailored suit of gray,
spring hat, shoes and gloves to match.
She felt once more at ease, less con-
scious that people stared at her frayed
and curious habiliments. With a COM
plCte outfit of lingerie purchased and
a trunk i'm which to store il forwarded
to her hotel. her immediate activity
was at an end, and she had time to
think of her next move.
And, brought face to face with that,
she found herself at something of
loss. She had no desire to &C back tc
Cariboo Meadows, even to get what
few personal treasures she had left
behind. Cariboo Meadows was wiped
OFF the slate as far as she was con-
cerned. Nevertheless, she must make
her way. Somehow she must find
means to return the unused portion of
the-to her-enormous sum Roaring
Bill had placed in her hands. She must
make her own living. The question
that troubled her was: How, and
where? She had her trade at her fin
ger ends, and the storied office build
ings of Vancouver assured her that
any efficient stenographer could find
work. But she looked up as she
walked the streets at the high, ugly
walls of brick and steel and stone, and
her heart misgave her.
At nightfall she went up to her room
and threw herself YEARLY on the bed.
She was tired, body and spirit, and
lonely. Her brief experience In Carl
boo Meadows had not led her to look
kindly on teaching as a means of live
lihood. And stenographers seemed to
be in demand. Wherefore, she rea-
soned that wages would be high. With
the list in her purse, she went down on
Hastings runs like huge ar
terry through the heart of the city,
with lesser streets crossing and diverg-
ing.
But she made no application for en-
ployment. For on the corner of Has
tings and Seymour, as she gathered
her skirt in her hands to cross the
street, someone caught her by the arm
and cried:
"Well, forevermore, If it isn't Hazel
Weir!"
And she turned to find herself facing
Lorraine Marsha Granville school
chum-and Loraine's mother. Back of
them, with wide and startled eyes,
doomed Jack Barrow.
He pressed forward while the two
women overwhelmed Hazel with q
flood of EXPLANATIONS and questions,
and extended his hand. Hazel accept
ed the overture. She had long since
gotten over her resentment against
him. She was furthermore amazed to
find that she could meet his eye and
take his hand without a single flutter
of her pulse. 1t seemed strange, but
she was glad of 1t.
They stood a few minutes on the
corner; then Mrs. Marsh proposed that
they go to the hotel, where they could
talk at their leisure and in comfort.
Lorraine and her mother took the lead.
Barrow naturally fell into step with
Hazel.
'I've been wearing sackcloth and
ashes, Hazel" he said humbly. "Short-
ly after you left, somebody on one. of
the papers ferreted out the truth of
that Bush affair, and the vindictive old
hounds reasons for that compromising
legacy were set forth. Bush appears
to have kept a diary-and kept 1t post
ed up to the day of his death-poured
out all his feelings on paper, and re-
peatedly asserted that he would win
you or ruin you. And ii seems that
that night, after you refused to come
to him when he was hurt, he called in
his lawyer and made that codicil-and
spent the rest of the time till he died
gloating over the chances of 1t be-
smirching your character"
'Tve grown rather Indifferent about
it," Hazel replied impersonally. "But
he succeeded rather easily. Even you,
who should have known me better,
were ready to believe the very worst"
1--WE paid for it," Barrow pleaded.
you don't know how I've hated myself
for being such a cad. But 1t taught
me a lesson-if you'll not hold a
grudge against me. I've wondered and
worried about you, disappearing the
way you did. Where have you been,
and how have you been getting onf
You surely look we'll" He bent an
admiring glance on her.
ooh, I've been every place, and I
can't complain about not getting on"
she answered carelessly.
For the life of her. she could not
help making comparisons between the
man beside her and another who she
guessed would by now be bearing up
the crest of the divide that overlooked
the green and peaceful vista of forest
and lake, with the Babine range lying
purple beyond. She wondered If Roar
ing Bill Wagstaff would ever, under