The Connecticut labor press., 1920-12-25

nelng mixed up in this--well. there'I
be something to settle on that score.
too. Hitch up the drivers, Allan, and
he quick about it."
you're not going to leave your
plowIng, are you?" asked his wife.
The words sprang to her lips without
any misintent. 1t was such an unusual
thing for her husband, on any account.
to leave the farm work unfinished.
The practice on the Harris homestead
was work first, all other considera-
tons second.
"That's enough of your sarcasm"
he snapped. II would think when our
name is threatened with a disgrace
like this you would be as anxious to
defend it as I am. How is it you go
back on me in a moment like this?
You're not the woman you once were,
Mary"
And you're not the man you once
were. john" she answered. "Oh, can't
you see that we're just reaping what
has been sown-the crop we've been
raising through all these years? Beu-
labs very life has been crying out for
action, for scope, for room, for some
thing that would give her a reason for
existence. that would put a purpose
into her life, and we've not tried to
answer that cry. I blame myself as
much as you. John. perhaps more. be-
cause should have'read her heart-I
should have seen the danger signals
long ago. But I was so busy. didn't
think. That's the trouble. John. we've
been SO busy, both of us. we haven't
taken time to keep up with her. We've
gathered some property together, and
our cares have grown in proportion,
but that which was more to us than
all the property in the world we have
lOst-because we valued it less" The
tears were slowly coursing down her
cheeks, and her thin, work-worn arms
were stealing about his neck. Don't
think. dear" she whispered. "that I'm
Indifferent. or that this hurts me less
than you. or that would shield my
self from one iota of my just blame,
but let US face the fact that it has
been our mistake rather than Beu-
Iah's.'
He removed her arms. not urgently.
81 never thought 1t would come to
this" he said. 81 thought humored
her every way I could. AS for our
hard work-we1l. work makes money,
and l noticed Beulah could spend her
share"
"You don't understand, John. 1t
wasn't the work, 1t was the making
god of work. and giving 1t SO much of
our lives that there was none left for
her. That's why she looked some
where else-if she has looked some
where else"
"Allan works as hard and harder
than ever Beulah did, and Allan
doesn't feel that way about It."
That's true" she admitted. "but
Allan's ambition is work. He works
and is satisfied. but Beulah thinks.
and is not satisfied. It's the difference
in their nature, and we didn't take 1t
into consideration" In every phrase
she tried to link his blame with hers,
that the burden might unite instead of
separate them.
eff she'd thought q little more be-
fore this mad prank it would have
"Well, she'll have plenty of time to
think yet" He stepped to the kitchen
door, and from the nall above took
down the repeating, rifle.
you're not going to take that!" she
cried. Don't take that. John. 1t
can't possibly do any good, and it may
do lot of HARM"
'I won't do anything foolish" he
answered, "but I'll take 1t along. just
the same"
Allan, with the drivers harnessed
to the top buggy. was now at the door.
Without saying good-by to his wife
Harris joined him, and the two set
off on their search. Almost at the
gate they met George Grant. who had
come over to haul water for another
days blowing. He stopped in some
surprise at the turnout.
ST guess we won't be blowing to-
day." said Harris. He hesitated be-
fore Georges questioning look, and
certain sense of family shame came
upon him. But 1t was evident that he
could hardly search for Beulah with
out mentioning her departure, and he
might as well make clean breast of
the affair.