The Daily Alaska empire., 1933-03-08
CHAPTER 49. THE SOLUTION

There was a long silence. The vicar's stick leaned idle against This knee. Barbara began to won- der whether the old man had gone to sleep When he moved, how ever, and eyed her from under the wide shadow of his hat, she saw that he was very much awake.
 Whats in the back of your head, my dear Barbara, is that, in the end the only reason Farrell has not been able to buy you is that he has too much money"
 She drowned
 well, in a way Yes. Perhaps. Yes, suppose his strength is, fun damentally, money
 Then I have a piece of directly heaven-sent news for you. Most of the Armitage fortune went in the Metric crash last week. Far rell isn't penniless, but he will have to fight his way up the ladder again as he was born quit e halfway up to start with he is going to find climbing 8 very hu- initiating and bitter thing" I There was another long silence. Then
 What did you say about Far rell?" stammered Barbara.
 "Oh, nonsense, you heard me perfectly" returned the vicar Get up and run along and find him; your brain will begin to work once you are moving. I left him right at the top of the house packing Iup a case of little fancy-dress dolls. A wedding present I gathered, for you and Mark" a7i
 You swear this isn't pity, Bar bara?"
 "It isn't pity"
 Because I'm no Mark. I don't want support. I never will let you carry me along with your own ca-, lreer. I'm down now, but I'll be lup again. I'll give you pearls yet, and shall loathe it if you can afford them before can. sup pose it's pride, but I'm not used to poverty .,.s
 You gave me a year to learn that I should be happier married to you than to Mark. Now the year 1 is up, and I've come to tell you you were right. I want to marry you. Do you still want me? Or not?"
 DO you love me Barbara? As I love you?" :. T love you-in my own fashion. IT can't love otherwise Isn't it enough?"
 In this empty roof nothing seem- ed to register as real and articu- late except for some reason, Far rell's hands. He is-very easily hurt just now" Yes, his hands were the hands of a man easily, hurt Whereas, Marks hands were strong and greedy and clever, these, were trained only to physical con- bat or to social ease. They looked helpless now fumbling with a tiny silk clad doll.
 NO. better get it clear" said Barbara, as though the old vicar were at Farrell's elbow. Perhaps my kind of life isn't enough for you. I can't pretend, you see, to be other than I am. Farrell that first night when we found Leila's portrait in the Toxeter house you said that when Mark was well and rich and enjoying life I should be l free to choose. Spirit-free. That's come true. But you said I'd choose you. That didn't come true until now that you may have need of me"
 Then it is pity?"
 What if it is? If I can't love you until can help you, why should you be hurt by that? You say you fell in love with me at first sight, but I think you loved your own idea of what you were to make me. I am not like that. I can't be hung with pearls at the end of your battles. I must be in the battle too. And I think that if all that is pity you will just have to endure it as I shall have to endure your pride and your stupid little sorenesses.
 But, perhaps" asked Barbara, suddenly all gaiety because of the surrender of his empty hands, you would like year in which to come to see that I am right" At six o'clock punctually Leila ceased to be the best dressed girl at Malavie's and, stepping west wards, became rapidly more and more outmoded. Bond Street saw her in definitely last year rgsab her in definitely last years garb, and when car drew up beside her as she waited to cross Piccadil- ly and voice spoke her name she wondered only which it was of the, De Capo dragon-flies that hovered for a moment to tease her and then be gone.