The Saint Paul globe., 1899-12-31
THE RECONQUEST OF REGGIE
LOrin Lathrop in St. Paurs.

in St. PauTs.
I ness that pipeclayed his trousers. He
stood up. brushed them as well as ne
| could, and paced the microscopic land
| ing, turning with each three steps.
For woman's honor" he murmured
| striking a llesque attitude
After a while he heard Big Ben, the
| bells Of st. Martin-in-the- Fields, those of
| st. Paul's, Coyent Garden and of other
| unknown churches mingling In q chaotic
clang, that told nothing. Though he
| knew 1t was o'clock, his information
did not come from the confused notes
of the intermingling chimes. "A dweller
| near Charing Cross" ne murmureo,
hears the hours struck so often that
| life seems longer"
And still Margaret came not.
The deadly minutes crept on, and the
calm of the lonely sentinel grew into the
| apathy of despair. His head was dizzy
from circling the hall, his hands were
] blue with the cold, he felt faint and hun
cry. He never ate lunch except on spe-
cial occasions-wlth GeoIgie, for instance
and he had had no tea. He no longer
saw humor In the situation; it had be-
| come tragedy.
The harsh clangor that crashed against
| his ear drums from eight points OF tho
| compass suggested that 1t might be 7
| o'clock, and it was. A numbIng thought
| crept stealthily but surely across his
| brain.
What If Margaret did not return un-
til g.
But he had no thought of deserting his
post. No sentinel glued to his post by
patriotism, or fear of punishment, was
more fixed than he; and still the minutes
crept on. At o'clock he saw a vision
hoo if,rI n 4r1cE oil
enough to have perfectly developed
arm, say 80, Is getting out Of hanson
in front of the Berkeley. Her opera
cloak was thrown back just far enough
to give glimpse Of braveries of even
ing dress, and she looked about with sur
prise that none but the commissionaire
is near to shield her cloak from the
wheel. She glides into the little recep-
ton room, looks around expectantly, OBJ
serves the whole dining room in one sud
den swoop Of clear, smiling gray eyes;
but, oh! what suppressed volcanoes are
hidden beneath those translucent craters.
The vision becomes indistinct Does she
glide into the room and sit alone, pre-
tending to diner Does she beat q gal
liant retreat? He cannot see. The shad-
ow Of tomorrow comes over him. A man
stands covering as the gray eyes flash
flame at him.
why, Reggie, I thought you were din
ing out somewhere
Engagement broken" said Reginald,
trying to speak bithely. He thought he
could hear the creaking of his stiffened
legs as he dragged them together
II hope you haven't been waiting long"
said Margaret, as she opened the door.
Perhaps two minutes" he answered,
with a great emphasis on the perhaps -
Il went to my club for tea" said Mar
garet, 'and 1 got interested in The Fow-
ler' and could not put it down"
"Ah, great book, that; I'm glad you
found it SO interesting. Had -dinner?"
mo; coming home for
''I know; an egg and more tea. Come
to Gattis and have something or other
en- casserole"
You're dear-come!
He went into his study and switched on
the light.
The, table was bare.
He burst into hysterical laughter, as he
felt in his pocket. He had the letter all
the time. He tore it into minute frag-
ments and cremated them on the hearth
Then he scribbled a note. 1.-THE fault
lies not at my door," he wrote, though
I did-for hours. Forgive, dine Thurs
day, and hear my abject apologies
He was particularly amusing at Gattis,
though there was something about him
that attracted the attention Of observ-
1nIu1I1On
that there was an untold story in her
husbands mind. The fact is, he was SO
delighted at being fed and warmed that
the joke became almost too good not to
share. Finally he told Margaret a part
Of it.
She screamed with laughter; then asked
suddenly, What on earth did you leave
behind that was so important?"
Manuscript" he answered briefly.
''I should have thought you could have
written it over in the time"
80 could" he answered. ST knew It
by heart, but had particular reasons for
wanting the original"
The next morning Reginald called him
self a fool for having told Margaret The
reason he gave for his long vigil was de-
cidedly thin; and he felt that Margaret
was thinking It all over. He was right
She had come to the conclusion that he
had left something behind which he did
not wish her to see
That afternoon George, in a sheen Of
silk, dropped in" Reginald saw irnme-
diately that he was to be punished; there
vas an affectation of airy spirits about
George that hinted at serious things
Your tea, Margaret dear, is always so
delicious" said George, slipping. Mar