The Kennewick courier-reporter. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1914-1938, 1924-11-27
n. christopher is elected

gram. Christopher is elected
MYRTLE brushed IL away. II was a
thing of no account.
81 care nothing for Christopher and
you know It," she declared passionate
ly. 81 do not care whether he is
elected or not. Nothing about him
makes any difference to me, or ever
will"
MYRTLE was speaking the truth. To
Mary il seemed amazing, but she
knew that il was the truth.
sit is only a fancy which Christie.
pher has for me-" MYRTLE went on.
at will pass-oh. am sure that il
will pass. Deep down in his heart
know that there is another feeling"
Her anguish was apparent. There
was something almost unearthly in
the sorrow which shone out of her
eyes. Mary's heart began TO fail her.
Her fingers rested ON the top of the
other girls head. A CLEAN of coming
kindness shone mistily in her eyes.
1T wasn't your fault" she said.
TT II my fault that I am aiiver'
MYRTLE moaDed. "But listen, please
I have my plans. am going away"
"What good would that do?" Mary
asked doubtfully.
sit would do great good" MYRTLE
declared. 81 shall remove myself al.
together. Christopher's fancy will
pass. And besides-I must CO."
MY father would never spare YOU"
Mary said, ashamed of the Joy with
which the thought filled her.
~ have thought of everything"
MYRTLE insisted. Lord Hinterleys
has been very kind to me, but he will
forget. If he chooses to see me some
times, 1t will be possible. Let me tell
you, please. I have q plan. Only
yesterday I heard from the cure. He
is back again in the valley. He is at
the church there now. He says, IL
need ever TO go back, can teach at
the school. All my people have gone
away many. many miles. My step
father has a larger farm. I shall go
back. should never have come
away"
''Mary looked ct her searchingly.
All the suffering In the world seemed
to be quivering in Myrtile's sensitive
face. She leaned little forward to-
wards the kneeling girl.
MYRTLE" she whispered, there II
pain In your heart, too"
"Oh, God knows itw MYRTLE sobbed.
There will be for ever and ever. II
is for my sake that must leave. i
thought that love was toy, and /
laughed to find II I'm my heart. And
now / know that Ii Is q torment. I
want to go back along the road I have
come and hide"
"We have both been little foolish"
Mary said kindly. "You looked out
into life, expecting to find happiness,
just as children go into the meadows
to pick flowers. And l. too. forgot
that happiness only comes when 1t is
earned. Now let us try and be SEN
sible. I think that yours is very
good idea. We shall miss you very
much here, but perhaps II will be best
for you to 60 away for little time"
II must Co." MYRTLE insisted fer
vently.
But teachingT
There is no need for me to teach"
MYRTLE declared. "This letter that I
have from the cure; 1t was written to
tell me that my mothers brother, who
went to Geneva many years ago. has
died and left me some money An
avocat at Toulon has 1t for me. 1t Is
quite q great deal. thought that /
would buy small farm and work In
the fields there; work and work until
I got brown and hard and grew like
those other peasant girls there, Jumps
of the earth to which they stoop all
the time. In a way used to love the
farm" she went on, when I was
alone-those first few mornings when
the fields began to show purple with
the budding violets, and the still eve
nings when the cypress trees looked
as though they had come out OF box
Of children's toys-and the colors the
sunset used to draw out Of the noun
tains, the magentas and puppies, and
the pink glow coming In such unex-
pected places"
"Why. you're positively homesicki"
Mary exclaimed.
CONTINUED next week)