The Arvada enterprise., 1923-12-20

saId-he had told her his first lmpres-
sion Of her.
She took the box haughtily and
walked with 1t over to her chair. But
ne came and kissed her.
jealous Of my mail7 You foolish
child. What q girl-thing you are! 1t
doesn't matter. does 1t. how we train
you or leave you unframed. you're all
alike, you women. under your skins.
Open your box and thank me prettily,
and leave matters you don't under
stand alone. That's the way to talK'
isn't IT."
She flushed and smiled rather doubt
fully. but. at sight Of his gift, she Tor
got everything else for a moment. II
was a collar Of topaz and emerald
vet in heavy silver. She was awe
struck by It's beauty, and went, after
he had fastened II for her, to stand
a long while before the glass looking
at 1t. She wore her yellow dress cut
into a v at the neck and the jewels
rested beautifully at the base OF her
long, round throat. family brown Ike
her face up to the brow. The yellow
and the green brought out all the
value of her grave scarlet lips. the
soft, even tints Of her skin. the dark
lights and shadows Of hair and eyes.
"It's beautiful" she said. ITS Won
derful. I love It,"
All the time very grave and still. she
took It of. put 1t on lis box. and laid
1t on the mantel. Then she went out
OF doors.
Prosper hurried to the window and
saw her walk out to the garden they
had made and begin her work. He
was puzzled by her manner, but pres
emily shrugged the problem OF her
mood away and went back to his mali.
That night he finished his novel and
got 1t ready for the publisher.
Again Wen Ho, calm and uncom-
plaIning, was sent out over the hill,
and again the idyll was renewed, and
Joan wore the collar and was almot
as happy as before. Only one night
she startled Prosper.
81 asked Pierre" she said slowly,
after a silence, in her low-pitched
voice, "when he was taking me away
home, I asked. Where are you going?
and he said to me. Don't you savvy
the answer to that question, Joan?
And. Prosper. I didn't savvy. 80 he
told me and he looked at me sort Of
hard and stern. Were a-goin' to be
married. JOAN"
Prosper and Joan were sitting be-
fore the FIRE. Joan on the bearskin at
his feet, he lounging back. long-legsed.
smoke-veIled In one Of the lacQuered
chairs. Sire had been lingering her
collar and she kept on lingering 1t ~
she spoke and staring straight into
the flames, but. at the last. quoting
Pierre's words and tone. her voice and
face quivered and she looked at him
with eyes Of mysterious pain. In them
a sort Of uncomprehended anguish.
"Why was that. Prosperr' she
asked; II mean. why did he say It that
way1 And what-what does It stand
for. marrying or not-r'
Prosper jerked little in his chair.
swell, Joan. I'll 20 into the subject
with you one Of these days, when the
weather isn't 20 beautiful. It's really
a matter Of law. property rights, and
40 forth. Come out and look at the
moon"
Listen" They stood side BY side
at the door. "Some silly bird thinks
that II the dawn. Look At me, Joan y
She lifted ohedlent eyes.
"There! That's better. Don't gel
that other look. can't bear It.
love you"
A moment later they went out Into
the sweet. silver silence down to the
silver lake.
Four months later the name Of Pros
per Gael began to be on everyone'i
lips. and bsfore everyone's eyes: tht
world. his world, begnn to clamor FOL
him. Even Wen Ho grumbled at this
going out on tremendous journey,
after the mail for which Prosper grew
more and more greedy and impatient
His novel. "The Canyon" had beer
accepted. was enormously advertised
had made an extraordinary success
All this he explained to Joan. who
tried to rejoice because she saw that
It was exquisite delight to Prosper
He was by wny II thinking now that
his exile. his Wyoming adventure. wa,
10 thank for his snccess. but when q
woman. even such a woman M Joan
begins 10 feel that she has been q
useful emotional experience. there he
gins pain. For Joan pain began ant
daily II increased. II was suffering
for her TO watch Prosper reading his
letters. forwarded to him from th'
western town where his friends ant
his secretary believed him TO be re
covering from some nervous illness: e
watch him smoking and thinking ot
himself, his fame. his talents, his fu
turc: 10 watch him scrihhling notes
planning another work. to hear his ex