The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1922-10-14

fSomettmes. But love the for.
ssometimes,Y she said, the forest
seems like a trap that l can't es.
cape. Sometimes / hate it."
tAreyou lonely, Ever"
gAs you are. You see l know
what the outside world Is. miss
~
',You.were in boarding school and
college,
eyes.
Vt must be hard for you here at
Star Pondn
The girl sighed, unconsciously:
.There are days when lean
scarcely-stand IT,. {. The wild.
erness would be more endurable II
dad and / were all alone. But even
them
S"You need young people of your
own age-educated eompan-
~ need the city. Mr.. stormont,
Ineed all It can give: I'm starving
torit.s ThatS all.
She turned on her pillow. and
hesaw that she was smiling faint,
~. Her face bore no trace OF the
tragic truth she had uttered. But
the tragedy was plain enough Ia
him even without her passionless
words Of revolt. The situation oil
thisyoung, educated Clrl, aglow
with youth, fettered body and
mind, TO the sQualor OF Clinch's
dump, was perfectly plain TO any
body.
Shesald, seeing his troubled ex,
preston: "1'm sorry I spoke that
way
Isknew how you must feel
anyway
III seems ungratetul," she muir.
INJURED. ~ love my steptather."
You've proven that" he re-
marked with a dry humor that
brought the hot flush to her face
again.
81 must have been crazy that
day. sho said. at scares me to
remember what l tried to do
What a frightful thIng-if had
sIlllcd you--How can you forgive
me?n
How can you forgive me
she turned her head: "- do"
sBntirely?"
Yes
he said-a slight emotion no,
ticeable in his voice: well,
torgaye you before the darneo
stn exploded in our hands"
How could your" she protest
was thinking all the while
hat you were acting as I'd have
scted if anything threatened my
father
Were you thinking of that?'
Yes-and also how to get hold
Of you before you shot me-" He
began to laugh.
After q moment she turned her
head TO look at him, and her smile
glimmered. responsive to his
amusement. But she shivered
slightly too.
.'How about that egg'" he in.
qpired.
t,f can get up"
Better keep off your feet. VIVA;
IS theer in the pantry? You must
be starved. ("
Y could eat a little before sup
par time" she admitted. ~ torgol
70 take my lunch with me thIG
morning. It Is still there In the
pantry on the bread box, wrapped
up in brown paper, Just as l left
it,,
She half rose in bed, supported
on one arm. her curly brown-goid
hair framing her face:
1.-TWO cakes OF sugar.milk cho-
eoIntet IN q flat brown packet tied
with q string" she explained.
smiling at hts amusement.
sphe went down to the pantry
and discovered the parcel on the
bread box where she had left II
that morning before starting cor
the cache on Owl Marsh.
BE brought II to her placed both
pillows upright behind her. step.
ned back gaiiy to admire the et.
feet Eve, with her parcel In her
hands, laughed shyly at his COM
begin on your chocolate" he
saIds :iI'm going back to fix You
some bread and butter and cup
Of tea. 2,
When again he had disappeared
the girl still smiling. began o.
unite her packet, harriedly, slowly
loosening string aud wrapping.
Her attention was not fixed on
what her slender fingers were
She drew from the parcel a fla;
morocco case with a coat OF arr1s
and crest stamped on 1t In gold,
black and scarlet,
For b few moments. she stared
at the object stupidity. The next
moment she heard Stormont's
spufrsd tread on the stairs; and
she thrust the morocco case and
the wrappilg under the pillows
behind her,
she looked up at him In o
dazed way when he came in with
The tea and bread. He set the
tin tray on her bureau and came
over TO the bedside.
"Eye, he said, you look very
white aud III, Have you been
hurt somewhere, and haven't you
admitted tt?n
She seemed unable to speak,
looked anxiously into the lovely,
pallid features.
After q moment she turned her
head and buried her face in the
piifdu Trembling noE IN over.