The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-01-15
THE STAINS OF HEROISM,

ting run over Dy = cdEflhEe-a very light
carriage with nobody in it, so he would not
really be hurt very much-thst papa would
he so pleased be would let US marry each
other after all. But Dick won't. I'm
afraid hell never do anything. He never
has" And then she looked over at Dick.
who sat very meekly on the other side OF
the room twirling his gloves listlessly, and
she pouted.
81 suppose younre pouting at mem said
Dick.
Yes she answered.
Pm sorry" he continued, 81 suppose it's
because / don't amount to anythingF'
''Of course 1t is, Dick )" she answered.
"Well, what Ia the world can amount
toy asked Dick, dejectedly. ~ cannot 60
and make a fortune. for am rich already.
can't found great family, because ours
has been as good one for centuries as q
fellow can wish, and besides, that would
take too long. ] haven't the talent TO be an
artist. | haven't brains enouG b to be pros
fsssional man. Every one can agree on chat
am too small to be a soldier. and If went
into business It would only be question Of
time before I'd lose my money instead of
making any. They all agree on that, too.
An can be is a gentleman, and n one
seems to care anything about gentleman
any more. Ibelieve your father. would like
me better If / were an adventurer."
30, no, he wouldn't" interrupted Milli-
cent. But the colonel would like to see
you once in while without such nwfully
good clothes on. Papa has had hard
struggle in this world, and be doesn't seem
TO have any confidence in any one who mas
not had. be is always talking about the
duty man owes to the world TO do some-
thing for it."
81 wo Id be willing to do anything for
the world could, Milliceut. but l don't
know what to do, and l don't believe l
could do it if did know"
81 believe II you had ges angry and called
him names when he refused to let me marry
you, he would have turned right around
and said yes. But all you did was to pick
up your hat and gloves and bow very
politely and say good evening, and walk
out This Is no way to ha die papa; he
needs an iron hand, and he gets It occasion
ally from his only daughter, too" Here
Millicent shook her head emphatically.
'but l respect your father too much,
Milly, to say anything mean to him, and If
/ had then he wouldn't have let me come TO
see you any more, ana that would have been
more than could have stood
YOU'RE not like other men, Dick"
No, Pm afraid not / suppose that's
why they call me a dude Bat I'm not
dude; I'm not silly. l can't get my clothes
solled. no matter how try, aud as never
seem to wear them out, haven't got any
that look like old onesl The fact Is, | can't
help looking like what ana boy who has
been brought up in q kid glove. If l wore
blue jeans and a flannel shirt they'd always
look new.
why couldn't you get into fight with
some oner suggested MihcSnt, desperately.
"pm afraid no one will fight with me,
I'm so small" be answered.
Papa was awfully delighted with the
butchers boy and the grocer's boy the other
day when they got into fight in our back
yard. 1t frightened me, but the colonel
went out and gave them each "a trihe, and
laughed all the rest Of the afternoon about
it,"
5. 81 might get the boxing master at the
club to give me a black eye l don't sup
pose it would hurt very much. But if did
the colonel would find out that l didn't
get il in a fight, aud lhe would think that
L-had been trying to deceive him."
"Dick," sad Millicent, seriously. 81 won
der If you are AFRAID"
81 don't know what you meann
afraid OK the dark or OF danger, or any
thing like that-for instance, am afraid Of
the dark"
"No." answered Dick; 81 don'5 think Pm
afraid of the dark. don't know about
anything else, for don't believe / ever had
anything TO be afraid of"
Millicent sighed again very softly to her
self 1t was rather "A hard state of affairs.
Here was the man she wanted to marry:
just the kind of q man she, with her impe-
rious ways, could get along with beauti-
fully; q boy whom she had known all her
life; whose father had been her fathers
friend; whose mother had been her dead
mothers friend; and man, too, whom she
loyed-and always had-siuce she was a
little girl in short dresses and be boy in
knee trousers, and they could not get thar
ried because, in the eyes of her father he
didn't amount to anything. Would he
ever amount to any thinGf What did she
care? Was he brave and manly The
question gave her an Inspiration. It
wouldn't be much of q THAI but it would at
least be little bit ofsfun; and all they had
done in all theircouriship was 20 sit on OPP
posite aides of the parlor and talk to each
other. She rose and went out into the hall.
Dick eyed her as she went out, hut be never
questioned anything she did, 80 be said moth
ing. She walked back to the stairs leading
20 the basement aud looked down. Every
thing was satisfactorily dark. The light in
the lower hall had been turned ont, and
from this she knew that the servants had
gone to bed. 1t was nearly midnight she
bOblCeu Dy UDS TOOul ClOCk. " lVu q
satisfied smile she walked on tip-toe and
witha great presence OF fright back to the
psrlor.
"Dick," she said, in whisper that seemed
quite terrified. al heard some one d wn-
stairs, and I'm afraid it's burglar. Would
you kindly go and seeF
with pleasure he said, in that calmly
polite way he never forgoJ
She smiled as she noticed that he carried
his gloves in his hands just as he would on
the street, and felt unconsciously of his
necktie TO see fit were adjusted correctly.
Dick walked 20 the head Of the back stairs,
while she remained in the parlor peering
out, half hidden by the portieTe. He
leaned far over aud listened 1ntently.
DO you hear anything, she asked Ia a
whisper. s.t.. t-
Yes" be answered.
She smiled. sWhat does it sound likeF
she continued.
Like a man saving he answered.
She had hard work 30 prevent herself
from laughing outright. She had been IN
the identical spot where Dick now stood but
smoment' before, and she knew that the
BASEMENT was as still as a grave. 1t was
MS frightened Imagination; that was all.
she would see the thing out Perhaps Dick
was afraid after all. She whispered again
DO you want revolver she asked.
NO" he answered II wouldn't know
what to do with it If had one" Then she
saw him disappear down the stairs.
She went back into the parlor and picked
up his hat. She smiled as she noticed how