Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1898-01-24


versation, hoping that she might not
have to begin.
But the clock moved on, and the
Major, when he had finished one page
of the Times, simply turned over and
started OH fresh ono, and the good
ladys patience began to give way.
"Do you suffer from tcothache?"
she asked, casually, ''as you used to
when"
"Not often-not often now, though
this villainous climate may bring 1t
back again" answered the major, and
then he added, "that was an excellent
remedy you told me about"
"Ah." replied the lady in low
voice, ''you have not forgotten that?"
81 have long memory for some
things, said the Major, and went on
reading.
81 often used to wonder when you
had gone away, Miss Nabb continued
presently, with little quaver in her
voice, whether you were still suffer-
ing"
Not from toothache," said the
Major, rather grutfiy.
II beg your pardon?" said Miss
Nabb, interrogatiyely.
mot from toothache." And he
went on reading.
Miss Nabb took some moments to
ponder over this dark saying and to
devise means for carrying on the con-
versation. But she was relieved from
her difficulty by the Major himself, for
suddenly he dropped the newspaper
on his knee and carefully looking
away from her, ierked out, Good old
times those were, weren't they?"
Miss Nabb responded with little
sigh, but the ice was broken and in n
few minutes the two were busily en-
gagged in talking over "reminiscences of
| former times-of picnics, walks and
parties which they had enjoyed to-
gether, of people they had met and in
terests they had shared in the days
when Miss Nabb had been admittedly
one of the bellies of the countryside,
The conversation went briskly for
ward and as the past revived, the two
grew more and more animated and yet
neither was quite at ease.
| To tell the truth there was one epi-
sode to which Miss Nabb hoped the
Major would allude, but to which he
| had not the remotest intention of MAX
ing any reference whatever unless she
touched ON it herself. Time after time
she brought MIN right up to the dread
ed subject but he invariably SHE'D till
there was nothing for it but to give
him lead.
So, at last, after a somewhat pro-
longed pause, during which both had
sought frantically but in vain for u
new starting point for conversation,
Miss Nabb plucked up courage to re-
mark: ''There is one thing / have Of
ten wanted TO ask you, Major Mac
Pherson."
"What it ito" inquired the Major,
his voice sounding rs if he had sud-
denly retired into shell.
'Was it you who-who-sent those
flowers before the last ball-when you
We're going to India?'
"There was letter with them, :"
said the Major rather shortly, gazing
| into remote corner of the room.
You knew the handwriting.
Miss Nabb started and stared and
showed signs of tearfulness.
'There wasn't any letter-indeed-
there wasn't" she pleaded. "And I
didn't like to wear them in case some
one else-I mean" And her voice
broke down as she added And then
you wouldn't dance with me at all"
"No letter." shouted the Major. And
Jumping up he began to pace the room,
while the memory of long years of
mourning for false love rolled over his
mind. "No letter! Curse the boy! He
must have dropped it, and [ addressed
it properly"
Had it, then, been all gigantic
mistake? While he had moped and
sulked at that miserable farewell ball,
had she been wondering and sad and
loving him all the time and waiting
for him to speak? And during all
those long years of pining in India
and of vain struggling to forget, had
the heart of the one woman he had
ever loved been sore aud desolate,
hoping and waiting his return?
Now the Major was an experienced
man, prompt to act on emergencies
and gallant withal, though somewhat
misogynistic.
The MAJOR finds the English climate
much more tolerable now, serves on n
Board OF Guardians, makes political
speeches of portentous length and is a
devoted husband, and Mrs. McPher-
son has given up dieting aud her
nerves trouble her no more.-London
| Answers.
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