The Challis messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1912-current, 1924-04-30

be home to spend the day with his
mother. She would see him then He
would be at church and would probably
wait for her and take her home, vol
uble with reasons why it would be
best for them to break their engage
ment. She knew Jack Reeves, but
she would not give him a chance to
talk to her.
Easter morning, Joan, in a smart
new costume, started for the little
church where she was both organist
and choir leader. Under her arm she
carried a large roll of music. 1t was
to be a gala day. Never had there
been such an elaborate musical pre-
gram given in any church in Clear
field. She had practiced every night,
determined to set the whole church
astir, and particularly Jack Reeves.
She would put her whole soul into play
ing that organ. She imagined she
could see the effect 1t would have on
him. He would be touched, sorry he
had written that note, anxious for for
giveness. And then-then would be
her chance tC freeze him.
She walked down the street with
her head high. People spoke to her
with a little more than the respect
she always commanded. There was
frank admiration In their glances for
this tall, stunning girl in the tailored
blue suit. Joan was not unconscious
of the effect she produced, and it
pleased her enormously. The side
walks were still wet from the rain
of the night before, and spattered with
fresh, red mud, washed down in little
gulleys from the lawns There was a
crisp odor of earth in the air that
made one keenly aware of the new
life that was beginning to stir under
ground A typical early spring day !
The kind of day that makes one glad
one is alive.
The little church was crowded to
the doors. Joan walked majestically |
up the main aisle to take her place at |
the organ. She was like some ancient |
priestess in the serene arrogance of |
her bearing. And she played as she |
had never played before. The choir |
was in perfect harmony, and the con-
gregation sang with the happy joyous
ness that only Easter can inspire. 1t |
was the kind of thing an organist can
rightly feel proud of, and Joan was
proud.
She remained at the organ long after
service. She felt that somewhere in
the church Jack was waiting for her,
and she would let him wait! But
when a half hour had passed, she put
on her coat, drew on her long gloves
and left the church. He was nowhere
about. Could 1t possibly be that he
would ignore her that way? Had he
gone off with never even
an effort to see her? She was en-
ragged. Back of her eyes the blood
rushed in angry pulses. He had can
,eled their engagement with a single,
short note. Surely he could not be
such beast or such coward to let
he thing drop there and avoid making
'urther explanations to her.
She hurried down the steps and
walked hastily off towards the East,
scarcely knowing what she was doing;
Tor did she realize where she was I'M
il the paved street abruptly ended and
he deeply-rutted mud road began
Then suddenly she realized, with a
PECULIAR sense Of shame, like that of
'eople in dreams when they suddenly
ind themselves naked in some public
lace, that she was walking directly
owards the Reeves home. They lived
own the dirt road about two miles
rom where she now stood. On the
eft was a deep ravine. There were
wo ruts leading off the road and down
he side of the hill as If some heavy
ehicle had gone over. Joan, her curl
sity aroused ran on a few yards to :
ee what had happened. She uttered =
sharp cry when on looking down
he saw the turned-over body of an
utomobile. Quickly she ran to the '
earest house and phoned the hospital
nd the local garage man. Almost
the ambulance and truck
rived The men had difficulty in '
citing down the slope because of the 4