Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1919-09-26
JUDlTH'S CAREER
BY FLORENCE sHEoD.

face relaxed For months he had been
hard at it, writing magazine articles,
with steady purpose to obliterate
other grievous thoughts. He allowed
himself no surcease, for this was the
only way.
The girl who had entered his life,
but to make of it mockery, must be
forgotten if life was TO be endured at
all. Repeatedly he had been warned
against her lure. Brothers and other
friends of the small Bohemia in which
Bentley recently moved had testified
to the girls unusual power of enchant-
ment and lack of heart. He had been
curious.
Why was it that eager and worthy
suitors were left always the losers,
while the girl herself continued heart
whole upon her chosen way? Bentley
doubted the invincible charm of which
they spoke In his own strong conf
dence he desired to meet the much
talked-of girl-and he did.
He was disappointed just at first.
She was not the "raving beauty" he
had naturally expected Rather q
quiet little person, instead, with child
ishly appealing eyes and a sort Of diff
tidence in her manner which made one
smile mentally at her reputation for
conquest.
She was learning to draw at the art
school when Bentley met her, and she
told him, with a shy, fleeting glance,
that her name was Judith earn. The
quaintness of the name seemed some
way to suit her personality. Bentley
found it necessary to draw her out
concerning her work; she was ex-
tremely modest about her undoubted
skill. He marveIed, in his own expert
ence, at her clever use of color; and
Judith cast on him a smile of graft
tude.
After that, unaccountably to him
SELF he was often at her side, resent
ing openly any other manly presence
which might forestall him there. He
was quite sure of the girls favoritism !;
had he ever been known to fail where
his fancy would conquer2 The blow,
therefore, was as bitter and unexpect-
ed, when 1t came, as 1t had been to his
fellows.
Bentley, successful writer and man
of the world, had asked the little Illus
traitor to marry him. and had beeh
quietly, and with no given reason, re.
fused. Injured pride forbade him to
urge the question, even while his heaE
yearned desperately. So Bentley
packed up and went off TO the forest.
His last article, most interesting
treatise on birds, finished and com
plete, awaited but the photographs
which were 70 accompany IT, The diff
ficulty he would encounter procuring
these life photographs added promised
zest to his trip.
But the great green silence seemed
now everywhere eloquent of the girls
magnetic presence. Never had she
seemed so near or dear to him before.
And 1t was here that he had hoped to
find forgetfulness
Disconsolately he placed his camera
and waited. The strange, mournfuI
murmur of the timld bird which he
sought would, he knew, inform him or
its nearness. And at last with his eyes
closed in sad retrospection, Bentley
heard that soft call. In moment he
was on his feet, stealthlly following
where the murmuring note led
At a break between the trees he
paused breathessly. A girl stood be-
fore him there-the girl She looked
like a nymph of the woods. in her
brown cotton dress, with the sun CLINT
ing down upon her bronzed hair: her
red lips were parted in a smile. differ
ent some way from other smiles that
she had given him, and the laughter
CLINT of her eyes changed TO sweet
seriousness.
Judith :" he whispered
you are surprised to see me" she
answered softly. 81 will tell you why
/ came here; it was TO sketch from
life-the birds. 1t was your. article"
she added, (which gave to me the idea.
You discussed it with me at one time,
you will remember, and you were so
anxious for its success"
She seated herself on a bank of pine
needles and motloned him to her side.
Then hastily she unwrapped a port
folio.
There was the timid bird Of the
marshes which you so feared you could
not get" she went on. We'll. here is
my sketch of the mother. ! had such
time learning her plaintye call that
| might coax the young from their
hiding And here
Bentley, leaning forward, gazed I'M
believing into the girls face.
You came out here" he interrupt
ed, "and you have been doing all this
-why?"
The girl rested her curly head
against the tree and raised her appeal
ing eyes to his.
For your sake" she answered sim.
ply ~ also wished for your success,
because, you see--I love you"