The Snowflake herald., 1919-12-12
The High Cost
of Loving
BY SAIDEE ESTELLE COBB
copyright. 1919. by the western News
paper Unionl

whats the answer?" challenged
I Bob Dacre, as be met his friend Earl
Foster coming out of pawn shop.
The questioner was naturally amaz-
ed. for Foster was the heir presump-
tive of John Baird. a very wealthy
man who was more than liberal with
the only living relative he seemed to
care for.
"Oh | was just getting rid of some
/ superfuous gewgaws," declared Earl
lightly.
High cost of living?"
NO the high cost of loving" cor
rected Earl, with Slight laugh. "Of
course you know who that harks back
to-
Miss Rhoda Foster, of course"
you have it right, Bob. Mind
you, am not charging that sweetest
of earth's sweet creatures with en-
couraging any extravaganza on my
] part, but that self centered uncle of
mine has allowed me the choice of
giving up Rhoda or his fortune"
with the result?"
THAT l am going to work out my
/ destiny along new lines l. of course,
took a manly, independent course and
| hope Rhoda will sustain me in it.
| thanked Uncle John for all his past
I consideration. walked out of the house
and have just financed myself for an
initial struggle with the cold, hard
world"
"But Rhoda?"
81 have written her that when can
prove to myself that / can earn my
own living, we shall resume our en-
gagement. | hope and believe she will
be true blue"
$50 much so, replied Dacre, with
a spice of Indignation, that if you
leave her without saying what you
have written it looks like the basest
desertion :"
But Earl had his own ideas, and
disdained counsel He swelled up rath-
er proudly as he remarked:
1--WE borrowed enough to give me
a farm outfit, and it's overalls and
early rising from now on. Fortunate
~ l met an old farmer. Rufus Dayton
of Warrenton He offers me a kind
of managerial position on, his farm.
4 leave tonight for the rustic grind
and | mean to make a success of it.
Which Earl seemed to have done by
/ the end of a month. If he missed the
elegant leisure of luxury he gave no
sign of it. He made friends with ev-
erybody about the place. He became
interested in farming as a science.
and sat up in his room nights and
pored over books dealing with inten-
sive methods of cultivation and the
like.
It was well onto the second month
of his apprenticeship when one eve
ming, as he chanced to look up from
the book he was perusing, through the
4 open window about 90 feet away. half
screened by some shrubbery, he made
out an unfamiliar figure. He dis
/ cerned that it was that of woman,
Judging from her garb and although he
could not distinguish the features he
was sure that her eyes were 8Ked up
! on the lighted room in which he sat.
i The figure vanished and he thought
i no more of it until two evenings later,
when the same appearance was man.
1 ifested.
For fully half an hour Earl fingered
4 in his covert. He was about to aban-
\ don his vigil when the swish Of light
garments swept the grass and a grace
full girlish form stood .silhouetted
against the streaming light from the
window. It's pose was that OF per-
son closely observing a certain polnt
of interest his room. Thither the fix
ed glance of the intruder was wildly
fixed. there could be no mistake as TO
that. and Earl marvelled, crept near
or. suddenly reached out and pinioneG
the two arms Of the mysterious WISH
for from behind. with the sharp char
lenge.
"What are you doing here?
There was huttering feminine
shrek as the intruder faced about
Earl's hands fell to his side. he fairs
reeIed with amazement.
"Rhoda Y he cried.
"Oh. Earl. | had to do it," waileo
the loved one. Il have not seen yoR
for weeks" and then as she tottered ne
steadied her in his arms, and kept
her there. She was sobbing hysteri-
cally. but she clung to him in fer
vor Of joy.
II have just spoiled ALL" whimperec
Rboda. "and Uncle John will scol6
me terribly because both of us were
to come to the farm tomorrow ano
explain"
uncle John. explain" uttered tF>
bewildered Earl.
yes" spoke Rhoda, you see' sc
have been staying at the WA'.'on
place for week. Uncle IcAi- came
to me as soon as you went away ana
fold me how to try you out. He was
going to pretend you must give me up.
Then. if, you still insisted you wou,u
IL, n