The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1897-03-25

~ tsck Wy and a.sn't half awake On,
6on't even have q collar on.
"Hcw, Mis- May, how unkindf"
"lsn't IL truef"
~ always have my collar on" He tolt
future truth. Altar this he would weal
. collar.
II hate lazy people"
"Oh, Miss May, how unkindi You dom
hate me, hope" His eyes were on tn,
pink ribbon that futtered from her belt
He took hold Of II and wound 1t around
his finger, getting gradually nearer to her
II do, II you are lazy"
"How can prove to you that I am noti''
"That's easy enough"
"Do tell me how"
"Just prove 1t"
mes'
"Well-yes."
81 shall do 90 tomorrow.
"But 1 always go for ride before break
fast"
"May not join youP''
"If you like. don't care" Which is
feminine for caring very much indeed.
So DR.. Randolph rode with Miss Spen-
Ger the next morning, and he breakfasted
at the Lorrilards', and he sat on the Lor-
rilards porch to watch guard mounting,
and then he played tennis with Miss Spen.
Ger, and when 1t was too hot to do that
any longer they sat together on the porch
again, shaded by the crowsfoot and morn.
ing glory vines, and read aloud by turns.
They parted for luncheon, but Immediate
ly afterward they met again in the Lori
lards' sitting room to practice the mando-
lin and guitar. Randolph dined with tho
Lorrilards, and then he and Miss Spencer
walked up and down the line until taps
and after taps they sat on the porch once
more and talked in undertones.
Occasionally the Roche boy made third,
and though he was far from welcome he
never guessed 1t.
Now 1t may seem incredible, but It Is
true, that though this went on without a
pause for ten solid months Randolph still
modestly doubted If he were loved and
dared not voice his passion. Mrs. Lori
lard began to think that she had done
quite all that the family could expect of
her, and she grew hopeless and weary,
moreover, Of boarding free two hungry
young people, She told Miss Spencer as
gently as possible that she might go the
next time the ambulance went over to
Carthage, which was the railroad station.
Miss Spencer told Randolph she was going
and wept And Randolph consoled her
from afar and actually thought she was
weeping at leaving her little nephew and
niece and her sister. There are men like
that
The ambulance went week later to
carry Major Roche and Teddy Roche to the
railroad. Teddy was offered position at
Tucson and was going to take 1t. The ma
jor had government business at Carthage.
The Carthage road is a branch. It joins |
the main line of the A., T. and S. r. at O
station called San Antonio. The major |
would chaperon the young woman to Car
thage; thence she would go to the main
line and east and Teddy to the main line
and west. Only Teddy and May compro-
missed. They both went to Socorro, which
is on the main line, very little northeast
of San Antonio.
The contract doctor and Miss Spencer
had narrowing parting. The latter lost
her temper over his procrastination and
burst into tears. 1t nearly broke his heart
and entirely silenced his tongue.
After she was gone, hopelessly gone, he
determined to reveal the secret of his heart
by letter. But being named Custis Ran
dolph he put off doing it. Instead he
swung in his hammock all day and thought
IF her blue eyes and pretty face and guile
less smile and regretted his erstwhile con-
slant companion. The ambulance would
'eturn, empty of its lovely load, in five
lays. He knew that. He would write
when it returned.
So on the afternoon of the fifth day he
at, still swinging in the hammock and
moking pipe, the ashes whereof be-
prinkled his coat, when the four mules
md the ambulance ratified into the post.
They stopped at the majors quarters in
loud OF dust, and two men and woman
lighted. There was no doubt about who
he woman was. In his delight Randolph
ost his head. He strobe down the broad
walk to the Roches.
Miss Spencer was still standing by the
mbulance, hunting-with the drivers
elp-for something under one of the seats.
he major and Teddy had gone indoors.
why, Miss May" said Randolph, and
his time there was no drawl, chow de-
ghtful! What brings you backP"
"Oh, my husband. Teddy and I got
larried in Socorro and Joined the dear old
lajor again in Carthage the same day"
How delightful" Randolph repeated
eakly.
well, Teddy seemed to think 80, but
lie dear sweet old major didn't. Any
ay, you know, he was SO horrid about
y shoes on the Bad Lands that day" She
niled demurely.
And that was all any one ever knew (
'out it.-Gwendolen Overton in Argo. v
tut. v