Mountain advocate., 1922-06-23
THE SACRIFICE
sy GRACE o. wEATHEasY

while, with fingers that shook a trifie,
Anthony Pyrton slipped a cleaning
diamond on the third finger Of small
white hand that lay coldly passive In
his.
The girrs face was deadly pale. her
eyes wide and very blue, her lips com
pressed ever so slightly. You see, this
was rather an ordeal for the gay Mar
ion. She didn't love Anthony the least
little Bit II was one Of those unfor-
tunate affairs where love is sacrificed
on the altar Of family protection, and
yet there was a strange twist TO II
that seldom enters into the nch-man
poor-girl stories.
Anthony wasn't the sleek, smooth
gentleman that the rich man usually
is. He was just a plain, homely man,
with long, lanky legs that moved a
trifie awkwardly, and eyes that re-
minded the exasperated Marion Of a
faithfui dog she once had What mat
ter II he did have millions1 He wasn't
the type Of man she could love.
These were the thoughts that finally
prevailed upon the girl to give up her
dream of love and to place her hand
In Anthony's when he proffered the
ring.
Marion" his voice was husky with
eagerness. Il know you don't love me,
but, honey, I'm going to try my best
to make you very happy"
And so-she was married. With
mother and dad installed In the big
house on the hill where there was no
cold. nor hunger, nor housework, nor
worry, where every whim was salts
fed, every want anticipated, Marion
seemed TO relax. .s-
One night, a year after they had
been married, q sudden Illness pre-
vented the dinner guest from coming.
and IN evening at home resulted. Sud
denly, very tired, Marion curled up on
the wide couch before the open FIRE
place and fell TO dreaming. Anty, 1nd-
ing her thus, her cheeks flushed by
the flames, thought her lovely In
deed.
Honey" he pleaded, I'VE haven't
had our honeymoon yet. Don't you
think a trip to California would be
nicer
But the prospects Of a trip alone
with Anty did not seem to appeal to
Marion, and she shook her head mo,
Anty, please. II is so coEy here, and
couldn't leave mother and dadr'
There was nothing more said, and
turning presently, she found he had
in her cushions II was nice to stay
home once in a while.
So II went on until Judy came. The
sudden death Of a relative brought her
from her western ranch, and as she
and Marion had not seen each other
for many years, she planned to stay a
week at the big house. An hour after
her arrival she discovered Anty sit
ting alone before his fire.
as this the famous Anthony"
Startled, he rose to his feet, stammer-
ing, but she gave him no chance to
speak. I'm Judith Wentworth, and
I'm Just as happy as can be to meet
you"
Marion, coming in search Of her
friend, felt a queer sinking In her
heart when she saw Anty respond to
Judy's cheerful flattery.
The week heightened into q month,
and threatened to last longer! Marion
saw very little of her friend. She
walked with Anty-long hikes that
brought them back rosy and tired out
riding with Anty in the park, and
Judy was using Marion's own particu-
lar horse.
The climax came one terrible night
when the wind howled and the snow
was drifting fast. Inside the big house
all was CHEEKY. CARRIED In a witching
evening gown Of blue and silver, she
tralled her fingers aimlessly over the
piano keys, longing for peace-with
Anty. She rose, nervously, and wan
dered out into the spacious hall. The
front door opened noisily and admitted
a gust of cold air and snow, and Judy
and Anthony! The Western girls
black eyes were dancing, her cheeks
rosy. They didn't see her-they never
saw her!
"Oh, isn't It just too wonderful ]
hated TO come in" Anty was very at
tentive. Marion turned away, crying
weakly, and then, drawn by an ir-
resistlble impulse she looked again,
and found them close together, Judy's
face buried in the mans shoulder.
A log fell, sending a shower Of
sparks into the air. Marion stirred,
sat up. There were tears wet on her
cheeks-she had been asleep, and 1t
was all horrible dream! There was
no Judy here! She ran out into the
hall looking for Anty. She hurried up
the stairs, opened his door. The lamp
by the table was burning, revealing
Anty asleep in his arm chair, his
book fallen from nerveless fingers.
She crept TO his side and knelt on
the floor The man stirred and lifted
his head.