The Dolores star., 1924-11-21
Why Lucy Did
Not Leave Ned
for City Chap
BY MAY COBB
-+t++t+4+44.1..
20, i924, western N..F n.


-. ~ a'is' AT his side stood a pret.
W petulant-looklng girl of about nine.
, MS adopted daughter. Lucy.
r"ther' she said, with the susn,.
eioii OF sob in her voice, "Pm think.
ot going to N'York tomorrow
John Eldridge's face becama q ,,..,.
"',u o'er 1t a white pallor crept
he said. -'e''
lie wants to remain here after
ere married, father" the girl nro.
.es'ed' , "lts-so slow here. l want to
see life and galety"
wan! shouted Eldridge. "Put a
pm IN them words, girl, and remember
.'''lll III going to tell you a story.
You don't know how l came to
huopt you nor who your folks was do
yont Didn't know your mother lived
III These parts? Yet everybody round
ABOUT here knew Milly Torrance when
S'ie was slip of thing like Won.
mad the same ideas. too, she had
about seeing life She was engaged
10 a Young fellow who had Just got the
'harge of this lighthouse.
There was young fellow whom
wen call Cray, because that wasn't
us mime. Son of millionaire, and
Hauh never done days honest work
IL MS lie. He was a flashy chap, with
ms gold jewelry and ostentatious
ways"
Inc speakers voice had become
inenacing: the girl recolled and looked
at him in diSmay.
'Niilly and he struck up an acouaint-
ai'ce' she had seen few men of his
elass-she didn't understand. Used to
talk to her for hours about New York
and foreign parts. Then he went
away.
The young fellow at the lighthouse
was eating his heart out in grief. After
Cray had gone back to New York.
Mllly seemed 10 realize that she had
played with an honest mans heart,
She asked him to forgive her. He for.
gave her, and they arranged the day
for the wedding. But there was always
something between them.
The minister was to bring the girl
out in his boat, and they were to be
married in the lighthouse. The day
bsore the wedding note from MilIy
told him that she and Cray were sail
Ing for Europe together I love him,
the letter said and he has promised to
marry me. You must forget me and
find some better woman
He knew the ship on which she was
to sail, the Grosvenor, would pass the
light at ten in the night. He knew If
that little light went out the ships that
were eastward bound would dash them
selves to pieces upon Rockman's ledge
five miles away thinking that they
were on the high seas before they had
cleared the shoals. And as the young
man stood, helpless, beside his light a
dreadful temptation assailed him.
"If only he let the light so out, the
Grosvenor would run aground on
Rockman's ledge and, in that tide, split
up before morning. Many would die
Perhaps Milly would die. or Cray
well, even that would be better than
the future in store for her.
"At nine o'clock he was waiting on
the platform. When he saw the distant
twinkle Of the Grosvenor's lights he
meant to put out his own. He gloated
over the thought.
And the lights appeared, and-he
couldn't For you know, girl. habit
forms character, and he, who had held
his post so long the one trust Of many
a mighty ship, he couldn't fail. His
hand wouldn't move; the light burned
steadily, and the ship swept past.
That's all, girl. For I mustn't speak
Of the rest, nor how she crept back
home to die, with the little girl. But
she saw the young lighthouse keeper
before the end, and he forgave her,
and that's why-that's why"
His voice grew incoherent. and the
girl, who had been staring, open
mouthed at him, feeling something of
the tragedy. recOiled and gripped the
stair railing in her terror. All the de-
sire had gone out of her. She wanted
a home now, as this lonely man had
wanted one for so many years Before
either could speak heavy tread
sounded below and boat began
splashlng at anchor beside the light
house landing. Then a young man,
tanned by the sun and weather-bsaten
and distinctly anxious. strobe up the
stairs.
Lucy" he cried. $50 you are here !!
I heard II heard"
He caught her in his arms and her
head dropped and nestled against his
shoulder.
81 heard you were going to NSork, y
ne exclaimed, with a terror | n his
voice that contrasted strangely with
his looks. Lucy, it isn't true? You
wouldn't go there, when l want you, to
make a home for both Of us? ! know
IFS quiet here child, but-but maybe
youlI get to like 1t when the babies
come" he added with rough honesty.
"Yourl stay, Lucy, won't you, my dear,
for ever and ever?"
-, =, .tnoJ bor ovos to his