The citizen., 1897-03-19
you do that 2"

you do that?"
81 believe you go over to the hospital
the back way and aren't half awake and
don't even have a collar on"
Now. Miss May-how unllind."
isn't il true?"
81 always have my collar on" He
told future truth. After this he would
wear a collar.
Il hate lazy people,"
''0h, Miss May--how unkind. You
don't hate me, hope?" His eyes we're
On the pink ribbon that fluttered form
her belt; he took hold of it and wound
it around his finger, getting gradually
nearer to her.
Il do, if you are lazy"
"How can | prove to you that 7 am
uot?"
That's easy enough"
"Do tell me how"
Just prove it,"
by rising early and letting you see
me?"
"Well-yes"
Il shall do so tomorrow"
"But l always go for a ride before
breakfast"
MAY / not join you?"
'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 break
tasted at the Lorrilards', and he sat
on the Lorrilards' porch, to watch
guard mounting, and then he played
tennis with Miss Spencer, and when it
was too hot to do that any longer they
sat on the porch again, shaded by the
crowsfoot and morning glory vines, and
read aloud by turns. They parted for
luncheon, but Immediately afterward
they went again in the Lorrilards' sit
ting-room to practice the mandolin and
guitar. Randolph dined with the Lor-
rilards, 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 a
third, and, though he was far from
welcome, he never guessed it.
Now, 1t may seem incredible, but it
is true, that though this went on with
out pause for ten solid months, Ran
dolph still modestly doubted if he were
loved, and dared not voice his passion.
Mrs. Lorrilard began to think that she
had done quite all that the family could
expect of her. and she grew hopeless
ard 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 ambu-
lance 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 Maj. Roche and Teddy Roche to
the railroad. Teddy was offered posi-
ton at Tucson. and was going to take il;
the major had government business at
Carthage. The Carthage road is
branch; it joins the main line Of the
A. t. & S. F. at station called San
Antonio. The major would chaperon
the young woman to Carriages; thence
she would go to the main line and east.
and Teddy to the main line and west.
Only Teddy and May compromised.
They both went to Socorro, which is
on the main line, very little northeast
of San Antonio.
The contract doctor and Miss Spen-
GER had narrowing parting. The lat
ter lost her temper over his procrstina-
ton, 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 Randolph, he put off doingit In
stead, he swung on his hammock all
day, and thought of her blue eyes and
pretty face and guileless smile, and re-
gretted his erstwhile constant compan-
ion The ambulance would return,
empty of it's lovely load, in five days.
He knew that. He would write when it
returned.
So, on the afternoon of the fifth day,
he sat, still swinging in the hammock
and smoking pipe, the ashes whereof
besprinkled his coat, when the four
mules and the ambulance ratified into
the post. They stopped at the majors
quarters, in a cloud of dust, and two
men and woman alighted. There was
no doubt about who the woman was
In his delight, Randolph lost his head.
He strode down the broad walk to the
Roches'
Miss Spencer was still standing by the
ambulance, hunting-with the drivers
help-for something under one of the
seats. The major and Teddy had gone
indoors.
why, Miss May!" said Randolph, and
this time there was no drawl-"how de-