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

had gone. From his chair he could
look through another window to
clean and unbroken sweep of country
where the forest had stood. and where
now were rows of cottages built ror
the men whose wives and families had
come with them to the workings He
could see Lucy Belle I)erwent's home
and not far from 1t the cottage In
which Carla Hadan and her mother
lived. He had often felt an empti
ness of heart and great longing
when his eyes rested upon these half
hundred homes of the women whose
love and loyalty had urged them to
follow their husbands fortunes. His
wife was not among them. Only twice
what she had called "these horrible
woods" and then she had departed
after day or two. tler picture was
on his desk. He knew she was beauti-
full, In vivid, golden way. But her
beauty had never touched him deeply
It had been for him like beauty of
| a flower made by master craftsman
from paper or glass, without the rare.
sweet perfume which should have been
part of it, and for which he had
yearned all his life. lie had thought
of her as lovely bird in gilded
cage-and the cage was the palace
which he called his home, 1t was q
hold her often She was in Europe
now Last year 1t was Egypt. Next
year II would be some other far-away
place.
He had been true to the woman on
his desk, just us he knew she was true
to him, and whatever he had wanted
in woman he tried to build up about
her He wanted to love her. He did
love the ideal which he created of
| her, kind of dream woman, whom
he endowed with great love for him
self and placed in one of the cottages
4 which he could see from his office
window.
He did not realize that during re
cent months he had clothed this ideal
little at time in what he found in
Carla Haldan.
Yesterday he mad received a. letter
from Parts. 1t was friendly and full
of interest, quite long letter, hut
without line in 1t to say she wanted
/ him or was looking forward to the
time when she would see him again
She must have written 1t in her dress
Ing room, with her hair down. for one
of the long, finespun golden flaments
had got into the letter somehow, and
at first he wanted to believe she had
put it there. Then he recalled that
previous to this letter 1t had been five
weeks since she had communicated
with him. So there was no sentiment
about 1t. Just accident. With CarIa
1t was different. Flowers which she
cut from her garden were always on
his desk. vase of gorgeous autumn
nasturtiums was there now. Usual.
t,arla sent them over by one of her
school children, but occasionally she
brought them herself. She made n"
display of rhe act, nor was there
motive in II. except The one Inspired
by kindness Paul Knew size. would
nave Ntp6 LliG SGuiC tlttIiS ~ WIZ
had been there. The two had met
Carla had seemed to bear In her heart
warm and tender feeling for the
woman TO whose husband she brought
flowers. A curious FACT had come pui
between them. They were the same
age-twenty live both born on the
same day Funny. Paul had Thought
how much two wOfiien could learn
from each other In short time.
Paul was ltoking at the HaIdan cot
tage as he sal thinking. aud saw t'arla
come out into the rain and turn down
the cinter path toward his office. In
q little while he knew she was OF
her way to visit hirn. He stood VI
to watch the slim figure In it's close
fitting silken raincnHi and hood Tie
knew how she would come in through
his door, hiding her grief as much rs
she could from the world that Its
gloom might not Cypress nr embarrass
others. To have mother al home
dying, and then to smile was-t'ara
He met her at the door. and t'ara
had wet fresh nasturtiuns in hel
hand. glow OF greeting was IN l,ei
eyes and the smile was On her lips. as