The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1919-09-11
Sunk in the Pacific
II
BY R. RAY BAKER
Icopyright. 1919. by the Mcclure News
paper Syndioate)

starts III san francisco ana ends IN
the South Pacific.
She regretted 1t five minutes after
she uttered the words that sent Arthur
Westridge away from her home, and
she would have called after him and
pleaded with him TO return II he had
not walked so swiftly down the street
and II she had been able to thrust her
pride into the background. While she
hesitated he disappeared from view.
Hell never come back" she told
herself, and she went to he room and
shut herself In. When a friend called
the next morning to take her motoring
Inza had a severe headache and could
not see her.
II all started over nothing-noth
Ing when the results were considered.
Arthur was kept busy late one eve
ming ut the Office Of the Trans-Paclfic
ship office where he worked. and was
half an hour behind time when he
called TO take Inza to the theater.
That was bad enough, Inza thought,
but when 1t developed that he had
failed to get tickets and she had to
walt In the foyer while he stood In
line before the box office, she felt that
the limit had been reached.
When he had bought the tickets she
made him tear them up and take her
straight home, where a warm verbal
battle, In which he took no part, oc-
Cured. 1t terminated when she took
the engagement ring from her finger
and handed 1t to him with the words:
Don't ever show up here again. The
idea of humiliuting me as you did this
evening 1t shows how much you care
for me. Good by"
Arthur went. because he had tenn
per OF his own and was afraid he
would unleash II II he remained. He
felt she was unreasonable, because he
had told her he was detained by busi-
ness, but he complied with her wishes,
or what she stated to be her wishes,
and left her.
A week passed and Inza heard moth
ing from Arthur. BY this time she
was worrying. Her love for him
could not be questioned, but there was
her pride to consider. When that week
terminated, however, with silence on
the part of her erstwhile fiance, she
crushed her pride ruthlessly under her
heel and called up the Office where he
worked. Ii took lot of bravery for
her to ask for that number. but she
did IT.
"Mr. Westrldge Is not employed here
any more" she was told over the wire.
'He resigned his office position "a week
ago and took berth as sailor on
the steamer John Richard. which start
ed the next day for Australia"
Inza was aghast at this intelligence.
why" she faltered, why did he do
that?"
She knew very well why he did II.
because she knew Arthur. However,
she listened to the reply: 49,
"Said he was tired Of being cooped
up In an Office, and wanted get out
In the air and see some real life and
some foreign country"
Then Il real cloud of despair settled
over the Richardson residence. Inza
lost her usually healthy appetite, aud
although she had no flesh TO spare she
became as "thn as a fence rail-" as
her father put 1t. She held no one to
blame but herself. but that did not as
suage the pain In her heart.
Inza watched the mail carrier every
day from the time he came into sight
around the corner until he either passed
the Richardson home or mounted
| the porch and he never found 1t nee
essary to use the mail box. Inza re-
celyed what he had to offer. and
always there was feeling of deep
disappointment gripping her when she
entered the house.
The big crash came month later,
the crash that crumbled her spirit and
sent her over the very brink of hope
into the chasm through which flowed
the river of sorrow. II was headline
that stared up at her from a news
paper:
STEAMER Richard Sinks In Storm;
All Aboard Lost"
IL happened In the south seas, so
the story went. The British steamer
lnuTSlOu unSNtTtu tlle lNltlldEu Wire
less s. o. s.. aud arrived on the scene
| just In time TO see the distressed YES
sci 90 beneath the waves. That part
OF the ocean was searched as diligently
as possible with the storm In progress,
but not a survivor could be found.
Inza broke down completely and the
doctor warned that severe illness was
ahead for her unless she experienced
radical change. Her father offered
TO finance u voyage to Europe, but she
said she cared nothing for u visit ON
, that continent.
"Make II Australia. and I'll co." she
said; and Mr.. Richardson consented TO
this. proposing that her mother should
accompany her, INA demurred. ~
want 10 go alone" she contended. and
her father. after few moments of
silent debate with himself, said he
| uould aprpa even IN TINT ~ only N