White Bluffs spokesman. [volume] (White Bluffs, Wash.) 1907-1938, 1930-10-31
CHAPTER VIII
Call to Action

From Washington Brian wrote in \
way that revealed his heart with al
most cruel clarity. Linda could find
no doubt there; only the humility and
reverence with which some men ap-
proach the women they love. This
attitude touched her profoundly. Ten
derness was new to her.
But what was to come OF 1t ALT
When that question persistently arose
to torment her she tried to put 1t
aside with all the easy excuses that
are the habis of the procrastinator.
Brian would go away. Circumstances
would separate them; they would both
forget. But in these reflections there
was no solace; instead, far from for
getting, she found the need for him
growing day by day.
There were other troubles. Money.
The delayed check arrived from the
broker with a stiff notation of the de-
duction that was credited to Senator
Converse Her cheeks burned when
she saw that, and recalled her humili-
alton. For a moment she felt a
stinging desire to look the truth in
the face-to be honest with herself.
She was not deceived with this elab-
crate pretense, but unless she ac-
copied it nothing remained but chaos.
The check was comparatively small,
but it came at moment which ex-
aggerated it's Importance. AS If
warned by telepathy, poor Lindas
creditors seemed to have chosen that
morning for united foray. She was
facing pile of bills and letters
| some of them even threatening in
deadly polite sort of way, when the
| dove of peace dropped the blue slip
| bearing the signature of Stevens into
| her lap.
The money vanished.
How did It happen? Linda, Who
thought she had learned the lesson
of prudence, discovered her purse al
| most empty once more Some new
| pride within her rebelled against sub
| terfuge with these people who had
trusted her. and she paid it freely out
to dressmakers and milliners while it
lasted. They were placated, and
urged by her to buy again, but she
would not, although spring peeped
temptingly through the new little
leaves of the gray trees in the park.
| The shops were full of lovely things,
but she bought nothing. The hat she
had chosen on that walk with Brian
had been the last purchase. A feel
ing that in some manner an Invisible
NJ was closing around her persisted,
and there was nothing in the fmme-
date outlook to raise her spirits.
Time crept BY and brought March
She was still in the city-alone, so far
as her circle of friends was concerned,
for the frightful weather had driven
every one away. But she did not
miss them. She was marking time
until Brian would be gone
Then, she believed, she would be
SAFE 1t would be possible then to
come to some conclusion--to look
things in the face; return to her old
way of living and thinking or to find
that other channel her soul was dimly
striving for.
But not while Brian was there with
his pedestals. That would make it
much too hard; better to be silent;
far better to let him think of her
cold, Indifferent while he was near.
Converse wrote her brief note
from Washington, where he had gone
into session.
"Why not run down here for few
weeks? There's lots going on and you
might amuse yourself playing chape-
ron to your friend Anstey and little
Miss Fentress."
She was astonished at the surge of
feeling those few sentences aroused
in her. She had coupled Brian and
Daisy in her own thoughts, but this
was different. This was seeing them
through the worlds eyes, This made
possibility of conjecture.
(TO BE CONTINUED.)