old woman sat； he put one arm on the back of the chair and stiffly bent over her and kissed her。 〃Lieber Herr Je！〃 gasped Thekla。 〃Then I shall go； too； pretty quick； that is all； mamma；〃 said he。 Thekla wiped her eyes。 A little pause fell between them； and in it they may have both remembered vanished； half…forgotten days when life had looked differently to them； when they had never thought to sit by their own fireside and discuss suicide。 The husband spoke first； with a reluctant； half…shamed smile； 〃Thekla； I tell you what； I make the bargain with you； you git me back that place； I don't do it again； 'less you let me； you don't git me back that place； you don't say notings to me。〃 The apron dropped from the withered； brown hands to the floor。 Again there was silence； but not for long； ghastly as was the alternative； the proposal offered a chance to escape from the terror that was sapping her heart。 〃How long will you give me； papa？〃 said she。 〃I give you a week；〃 said he。 Thekla rose and went to the door； as she opened it a fierce gust of wind slashed her like a knife； and Lieders exclaimed； fretfully； 〃what you opening that door for； Thekla； letting in the wind？ I'm so cold； now； right by the fire； I most can't draw。 We got to keep a fire in the base…burner good； all night； or the plants will freeze。〃 Thekla said confusedly that something sounded like a cat crying。 〃And you talking like that it frightened me； maybe I was wrong to make such bargains 〃 〃Then don't make it；〃 said Lieders； curtly； 〃I aint asking you。〃 But Thekla drew a long breath and straightened herself； saying； 〃Yes； I make it； papa； I make it。〃 〃Well； put another stick of wood in the stove； will you； now you are up？〃 said Lieders； shrugging his shoulders； 〃or I'll freeze in spite of you！ It seems to me it grows colder every minute。〃 But all that day he was unusually gentle with Thekla。 He talked of his youth and the struggles of the early days of the firm； he related a dozen tales of young Lossing； all illustrating some admirable trait that he certainly had not praised at the time。 Never had he so opened his heart in regard to his own ideals of art； his own ambitions。 And Thekla listened； not always comprehending but always sympathizing； she was almost like a comrade； Kurt thought afterward。 The next morning； he was surprised to have her appear equipped for the street； although it was bitterly cold。 She wore her garb of ceremony； a black alpaca gown； with a white crocheted collar neatly turned over the long black； broadcloth cloak in which she had taken pride for the last five years； and her quilted black silk bonnet was on her gray head。 When she put up her foot to don her warm overshoes Kurt saw that the stout ankles were encased in white stockings。 This was the last touch。 〃Gracious； Thekla；〃 cried Kurt； 〃are you going to market this day？ It is the coldest day this winter！〃 〃Oh； I don't mind；〃 replied Thekla； nervously。 Then she had wrapped a scarf about her and gone out while he was getting into his own coat； and conning a proffer to go in her stead。 〃Oh； well； Thekla she aint such a fool like she looks！〃 he observed to the cat； 〃say； pussy； WAS it you out yestiddy？〃 The cat only blinked her yellow eyes and purred。 She knew that she had not been out； last night。 Not any better than her mistress； however； who at this moment was hailing a street…car。 The street…car did not land her anywhere near a market； it whirled her past the lines of low wooden houses into the big brick shops with their arched windows and terra…cotta ornaments that showed the ambitious architecture of a growing Western town； past these into mills and factories and smoke…stained chimneys。 Here； she stopped。 An acquaintance would hardly have recognized her； her ruddy cheeks had grown so pale。 But she trotted on to the great building on the corner from whence came a low； incessant buzz。 She went into the first door and ran against Carl Olsen。 〃Carl； I got to see Mr。 Lossing；〃 said she breathlessly。 〃There ain't noding 〃 〃No； Gott sei dank'； but I got to see him。〃 It was not Carl's way to ask questions； he promptly showed her the office and she entered。 She had not seen young Harry Lossing half a dozen times； and； now； her anxious eyes wandered from one dapper figure at the high desks； to another； until Lossing advanced to her。 He was a handsome young man； she thought； and he had kind eyes； but they hardened at her first timid sentence： 〃I am Mrs。 Lieders； I come about my man 〃 〃Will you walk in here； Mrs。 Lieders？〃 said Lossing。 His voice was like the ice on the window…panes。 She followed him into a little room。 He shut the door。 Declining the chair that he pushed toward her she stood in the centre of the room； looking at him with the pleading eyes of a child。 〃Mr。 Lossing； will you please save my Kurt from killing himself？〃 〃What do you mean？〃 Lossing's voice had not thawed。 〃It is for you that he will kill himself； Mr。 Lossing。 This is the dird time he has done it。 It is because he is so lonesome now； your father is died and he thinks that you forget； and he has worked so hard for you； but he thinks that you forget。 He was never tell me till yesterday； and thenit was it was because I would not let him hang himself 〃 〃Hang himself？〃 stammered Lossing； 〃you don't mean 〃 〃Yes； he was hang himself； but I cut him； no I broke him down；〃 said Thekla； accurate in all the disorder of her spirits； and forthwith； with many tremors； but clearly； she told the story of Kurt's despair。 She told； as Lieders never would have known how to tell； even had his pride let him； all the man's devotion for the business； all his personal attachment to the firm； she told of his gloom after the elder Lossing died； 〃for he was think there was no one in this town such good man and so smart like your fader； Mr。 Lossing； no； and he would set all the evening and try to draw and make the lines all wrong； and； then； he would drow the papers in the fire and go and walk outside and he say； 'I can't do nothing righd no more now the old man's died； they don't have no use for me at the shop； pretty quick！' and that make him feel awful bad！〃 She told of his homesick wanderings about the shops by night； 〃but he was better as a watchman； he wouldn't hurt it for the world！ He telled me how you was hide his dinner…pail onct for a joke； and put in a piece of your pie； and how you climbed on the roof with the hose when it was afire。 And he telled me if he shall die I shall tell you that he ain't got no hard feelings； but you didn't know how that mantel had ought to be； so he done it righd the other way； but he hadn't no righd to talk to you like he done； nohow； and you was all righd to send him away； but you might a shaked hands； and none of the boys never said nothing nor none of them never come to see him； 'cept Carl Olsen； and that make him feel awful bad； too！ And when he feels so bad he don't no more want to live； so I make him promise if I git him back he never try to kill himself again。 Oh； Mr。 Lossing； please don't let my man die！〃 Bewildered and more touched than he cared to feel； himself； Lossing still made a feeble stand for discipline。 〃I don't see how Lieders can expect me to take him back again；〃 he began。 〃He aint expecting you； Mr。 Lossing； it's ME！〃 〃But didn't Lieders tell you I told him I would never take him back？〃 〃No； sir； no； Mr。 Lossing； it was not that； it was you said it would be a cold day that you would take him back； and it was git so cold yesterday； so I think； 'Now it would be a cold day to…morrow and Mr。 Lossing he can take Kurt back。' And it IS the most coldest day this year！〃 Lossing burst into a laugh； perhaps he was glad to have the Western sense of humor come to the rescue of his compassion。 〃Well； it was a cold day for you to come all this way for nothing；〃 said he。 〃You go home and tell Lieders to report to…morrow。〃 Kurt's manner of receiving the news was characteristic。 He snorted in disgust： 〃Well； I did think he had more sand than to give in to a woman！〃 But after he heard the whole story he chuckled： 〃Yes； it was that way he said； and he must do like he said； but that was a funny way you done； Thekla。 Say； mamma； yesterday； was you look out for the cat or to find how cold it been？〃 〃Never you mind； papa；〃 said Thekla； 〃you remember what you promised if I git you back？〃 Lieders's eyes grew dull； he flung his arms out； with a long sigh。 〃No； I don't forget； I will keep my promise； butit is like the handcuffs； Thekla； it is like the handcuffs！〃 In a second； however； he added； in a changed tone； 〃But thou art a kind jailer； mamma； more like a comrade。 And no； it was not fair to theeI know that now； Thekla。〃
THE FACE OF FAILURE AFTER the week's shower the low Iowa hills looked vividly green。 At the base of the first range of hills the Blackhawk road winds from the city to the prairie。 From its starting…point； just outside the city limits； the wayfarer may catch bird's…eye glimpses of the city； the vast river that the Iowans love； and the three bridges tying three towns to the island arsenal。 But at one's elbow spreads Cavendish's melon farm。 Cavendish's melon farm it still is； in current phrase； although Cavendish； whose memory is honored by lovers of the cantaloupe melon； long ago departed to raise melons for larger markets； and still a weather…beaten sign creaks from a post announcing to the world that 〃the celebrated Cavendish Melons are for Sale here！〃 To…day the melon…vines were softly shaded by rain…drops。 A pleasant sight they made； spreading for acres in front of the green…houses where mushrooms and early vegetables strove to outwit the seasons； and before the brown cottage in which Cavendish had begun a successful career。 The black roof…tree of the cottage sagged in the middle； and the weather…boarding was dingy with the streaky dinginess of old paint that has never had enough oil。 The fences； too； were unpainted and rudely patched。 Nevertheless a second glance told one that there were no gaps in them； that the farm machines kept their bright colors well under cover； and that the garden rows were beautifully straight and clean。 An old white horse switched its sleek sides with its long tail and drooped its untrammelled neck in front of the gate。 The wagon to which it was harnesse