The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1899-07-08
HER MISTAKE,
Novelists Should Keep Their
Manuscripts From Their
Lady Loves.


close to the Palace hotel, and Crawford,
after arranging Vandeleurs rug, threw
himself into grass chair and lit his pipe.
Vandeleur closed his eyes restfully.
He looked pale and thin, and his left arm
rested In q sling.
After few puffs Crawford burst out:
"By Jove! isn't this glorious? What a
difference there is between it and Om-
durmanw
Rather. All the same, I liked IT,"
| "A lady at breakfast this morning
some way or other got to know that I
was Crawford, The News man. She had
also evidently heard that you and had
been pretty thick at the front, as she in
quired II you had completely recovered;
seemed quite interested In you, old chap.
Her name is Sinclair"
"SinclairT'
| "Yes-heavens! What's the matter,
old man? You do look queer"
"Well old fellow, you see knew her
once. Engaged, got chucked. Somehow,
you see, can't--you understand"
Crawford quietly stopped down and
grasped Vandeleur's hand. There was
lot Of silent sympathy in that quiet hand
clasp.
Vandeleur was always somewhat Of a
mystery to Crawford. The latter could
never understand why successful novel;
list such as he was had given up a prom
Using future. His hairbreadth escapes
had become the talk Of the army. 1t was
at Omdurman his run Of luck almost
came to close.
They had dragged him from beneath
the heap of bodies, and at first every one
thought that the dervish sword had fin
ished the mad correspondent" of The
Sentinel.
The shave was a close one, but never
theless they had pulled him round. And
now he was on the fair road to recovery.
After pause Crawford spoke.
"Forgive me, old chap; didn't know.
You see, we hadn't met until after-after
that"
"Don't apologize. am go confounded-
ly weak. Crawford, can't stay here.
must get away. l can't meet her again
or, at least, not yet"
"Oh, nonsense! You can't go just when
the air is pulling you around so well. Be-
sides, there is little possibility Of your
meeting, as she Is not even aware of your
being here. Hello, there's White calling
me! Do you mind my leaving you for
few minutesT
mot at all. In fact-I am afraid it's
not exactly complimentary to you, old
fellow, but would rather be alone for a
bit. You understand"
Crawford comprehended and merely
said: II understand, old man. I'll be
back in half an hour" Then he quietly
walked of.
Vandeleur sat thinking. His thoughts
were bitter as they went back two years,
and he recalled the heartless manner in
which this woman threw him over with
out any perceptible reason. He could
never understand it.
Are all women the same?" he won
dered docs every woman play with a
man merely to fool him In the end?"
But his cogitations abruptly ceased as
his glance wandered down the path in
the direction of the hotel.
He started slightly, and flush showed
itself for moment in his thin features.
A strangely familiar figure was coming
toward him, and his fingers nervousy
twisted and UNFINISHED as he recognized
the one woman in all the world whom he
least desired to meet.
His natural impulse was to get away,
but his weakness rendered such a pro-
ceeding impossible.
In his weak state the sight of her con-
jured up strange emotions. He felt more
keenly his own helplessness, and then as
he watched her. there arose in his heart
q passionate longing for sympathy and
rest.
If only-if only-bah! What fool he
hiu ho
ago almost!
Then as she sauntered carelessly along
dull feeling Of resentment displaced his
previous nervousness.
True, she might not deign to notice him,
but if she did there would be no trace of
the old madness to crafty her.
Meanwhile, the object Of his wrath, ut.
terly oblivious Of exciting the attention
Of any one, never deviated from the path
that must inevitably take her past the
spot where Vandeleur was sitting, but
strolled along with an open book In her
hand.
So immersed was Miss Sinclair with
her reading that she failed to notice the
man, who was rather feebly essaying to
light a cigarette, until she was quite
close.
AT the first glance, however, she recog-
nized him, and the sudden shock was al |
most painful, but, recovering herself In q
moment, walked straight up to Vande- |
leur and held out her hand, saying gent |
ly:
~ am SO glad, Mr.. vandeleur, to see
that you are better-so very glad"
Although Vandeleur's heart beat quick
ly, he was outwardly calm and cool as he |
replied nonchalantly:
"Thank you. Except for the fact Of /
feeling rather weak now and then, am
comparatively well. trust you are quite
well, Miss SnclairY'
Eyes, l am very well, thank you. But
but Mr.. Crawford told me you had by
no means recovered yet"
Vandeleur mentally mathematical
ton of laugh:
"Pshaw! Crawford Is an awfully good
fellow, but, you know, he occasionally
constructs a mountain out Of mole
hill"
Pointing to the seat which Crawford
had vacated few minutes previously, he
continued:
"Won't you please sit down, Miss Sim
clair? long to have a chat with an old
friend"
His own desire now was to keep her,
and an unnatural elevation pervaded him
as he hailed with almost hysterical de-
light the prospect Of showing this woman
how utterly Indifferent he was to her.
She hesitated a moment, then quietly
sat down.
"But surely, Mr.. Vandeleur," she said,
"your wound cannot be of 30 trivial ma
ture as you would have one believer You
were reported killed at first. All the pa
pers said So and I-every one was 30
dreadfully sorry"
"Were they3" said Vandeleur ironical-
ly. "Sorry to say their feelings must pass
Enough Of myself, how
ever presume you are staying down
i. 4;.,,a %, L. |