White Bluffs spokesman. [volume] (White Bluffs, Wash.) 1907-1938, 1930-04-25
CHAPTER Iv-continued

He sealed and addressed the letter
and put 1t in the compuny's mail.
What a glory life would be If his wife
would come at lastl He had painted
q picture for her In the letter-her
golden beauty part of the blue of
open skies, thing near and wonder
full for him to have. But when he
went out into the night and looked
at the row Of lighted cottages on the
hill he thought of Carla, and yearn
Ing to be near her possessed him
again.
This impulse bewlldered him. He
went to his bachelor quarters and
tried to read. One by one the houses
grew dark Still he endeavored to
make his books and magazines inter.
est him. Never had his nerves been
more sleeplessy alert, and their OBJ
stinacy persisted after he had un.
dressed and gone to bed Something
kept him awake-an ,1cessant stream
of things passing through his mind
detached, Illogical, unreasonable, and
always bringing him back in one way
or another to Carla and her mother
He got up and dressed. 1t was after
midnight. Over the pit hung an H.
Elimination which reached up into the
Sky like the glow from volcano
He turned down the cinder path and
was soon among the men. No one
was on the job who did not know him
even in the night Shifts. Many of
them spoke to him tolight. but their
friendliness failed to wipe away the
disquiet of mind which had compelled
him to get out of bed He looked at
his watch and found 1t was one
O'Clock when he reached the far end
of the workings. gravel-nade road
led to the forest trail higher up. and
he took this road out of the pit
After little he came to the row
of cottages. There was light In thu
Haldan home, and he found himself
wondering what Carlo did with the
long nights in which she waited for
the coming of death. Was 1t possible
for her to sleep? Or did she sit
alone through dragging hours watch
ing her mother praying for the day I
He stopped at the gate to the pickle,
fence which enclosed her flower gar
dens, and his ears caught sound
which did not come from the pit. II
was like a cry. He opened the gate
quietly and went in. window. was
open somewhere, and he could hear
clearly voice that was sobbing. II
was Carla No one else In the cot.
tage could be crying like that-surey
not Carla's mother. tIis heart thumped
against his ribs. His breath came a
little short He went to the door and
knocked against 1t gently Then more
loudly. Some one came. and the door
opened. He entered and stood beside
Carla. She had not been in bed had
not undressed. She was as he had
left her hours before. except that hel
face and eyes we're stricken with a
grief that terrified him. Then In the
dim light, a miracle happened. She
smiled at him through tears. II was
hoping for you." she said
II was passing-heard you crying
He said no more, because he had
guessed only half the truth He was
careful to speak so that his voice
would not awaken CarIas mother. If
she were asleep. His mind was moi
working quickly, he was bewildered
and frightened by the agony in carla's
face, the way she turned and wanf
ahead of him into the big room with
Mrs Haldan's empty chair near the
window. and from that to another
room that was full of light. and from
the gate. In the open door ot this