The Western news. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1933-current, 1935-08-29
CHAPTER II

In the meantime, Marcia Howe, the
heroine of this Sescapade, comfortably
ensconced In her island homestead
paid scant heed to the fact that she
and her affairs were continually on the
tongues Of the outlying community.
She was not ignorant Of 1t. for her
intuItive sixth sense made her we'll
aware her geings and comIngs were
watched. This knowledge, however,
far from netting her, as 1t might have
done had she been woman blessed
with less sense of humor, afforded her
infinite amusement She valued her
kindly, II Inquisltive, nelghbors at their
true worth; and met the world with
a smile slngularly free from hard
ness or cynicism.
Bitter though her experience hal
been, 1t had neither taken from, nor
mlraculously, had 1t dimmed her faith
In her particular star. On the con-
trary there still glowed In her gray
eyes that sparkle of anticipation one
sees In the eyes of one who stands
a-tlptoe on the threshold of adven-
ture. Apparently she had In her ma
ture an unquenchable spirit Of hope
that nothing could destroy. She was
still young and the highway OF life.
aluring In rosy mlsts, beckoned her
along Its mysterious path with per-
suasIve hand.
Her start, she confessed. had been
an unpropitious one. But starts
sometimes were like that; and did not
the old adage affirm that bad be-
ginning made for fair ending7
Furthermore. the error had been
her own. She had been free to choose
and she had chosen unwisely. Why
and play the game. She was older
now and better fitted to look after her
self than she had been at seventeen.
Only fool made the same blunder
twice, and II experience had been q
pItIless teacher, 1t had also been 3
helpful and convincing one.
The past with its grlefs, It's humllia-
lions, its heartbreak, Its failure lay be-
hind-the future all before her. II
was hers-hers! She would be wary
what she did with 1t and never again
would she squander 1t for dross.
II there fingered deep within her
heart vague, unsatisfied warnings,
Marcia resolutely held over these flmy
imaglnngs tight rein. To be busy
that was her gospel. She never al
lowed herself to remain idle for any
great length OF time. Like an athlete
set to run race, she glored In her
physical strength.
Today, as she moved swiftly about
the house and her defts hands made
tidy the rooms, she had that sense of
being In step with the world, The
morning, crisp with an easterly breeze,
had stirred the sea into swell that
rose rhythmically In measureless,
breathing immensely far away to Its
clear-cut, sapphire horizon. The sands
had never glistened more white; the
surf never curled at her doorway In a
prettier, more feathery line. From the
Point, where her snowy domains dipped
into more turbulent waters, she could
hear the grating roar of pebbles mlngle
with the crash of heavier breakers.
II all spoke to her of Monochrome
as she had known 1t from childhood
as her father and her fathers father
had known 1t. The salt Of deep buried
of the ocean echoed the beating of her
own heart.
I.onely2
II she needed anything 1T was com
panlon to whom to cry Isn't II
glorious to be alive?' and she already
had such q one. n
Never was there such comrade as
Prince Hal.
Human beings often proved them
selves Incapable Of grasping one an
others moods-but he? Never!
She would never want for welcome
while he had strength to wag his
NHitc piulHt vi ldii itbl ialh hiltN-
ton so long as he was able to race ur
the beach and race back again to hurl
himself upon her with his sharp. STAG
cato yelp of JOY.
Oh, she was worlds better off with
Prince Hal than II she were linke.l
up with someone Of her own genus
who could not understand.
Besides, she was not going to be
alone. She had decided to try an ex
pertinent.
Jason had had an orphaned niece
out In the Middle West-his sisters
ehild-a girl In her early twenties
and Marcia had invited her to the
island for visit.
In fact, Sylvia was expected today
That was why bowl of pansies
stood uron the table In the big bed