Condon globe. (Condon, Gilliam Co., Or.) 189?-1919, 1899-07-06
A Boys Love.
, Rs CARRuTHERS

nCuu against lts Cusnlous, uuu Wuttcu.
She was glad he had come. Her
thoughts travelled back to their first
meeting that day on the front at
Brighton, and she smiled as she re-
called the gust of wind that caught her
handkerchief, scented scrap of lace
and cambric, and carried 1t fluttering to
his feet. He was young, a mere boy
In fact. and slngularly handsome, and
he actually blushed as he restored the
trlfle. There was something frank and
fresh about him--few OF her men
friends ever blushed-and her tenden-
cies were sufficiently Bohemian to rem
der more formal Introduction unneces-
sary; before the week was out he had
lunched and dined at her hotel. Time
had flown for her since then; bright
summer days spent drifting among the
upper reaches of the Thames, with the
/ heat of the afternoon lazed away In
some shady backwater; morning drives
to some old-world retreat among the
Surrey hills; afternoons on the lawns
at Hurlingham, strolling, talking, tea
drinking among the smartest In the
land, with the band OF the Guards
crashing out the masterpieces of great
German composers, interspersed with
melodies from the Casino. They had
been friends. nothing more, but each
day had brought fresh delight, and
she had been happy. Now 1t was to
end; he had come to say, "Good-by."
at seems almost like a dream" she
murmured; II wonder what shall do
without himT
The hangings swayed aside, and the
boy advanced with outstretched hand
She smiled and gave him hers without
rising.
"SIt down." she said. "and have some
coffee, unless you prefer something
stronger"
"Coffce, thanks" he answered. drop
ping into a chair beside her.
She poured some out and handed It
to him, together with tiny box Of
tortoise-shell and silver. He laughed
softly as he opened 1t and saw row
of miniature cigarettes
"Ahl so you indulge, it appears. How
oftenT
"Oh. sometlmesF'
"And / haven't known It until this
momentl VIII you Join me nowT'-
offering the case.
mo, thank you; prefer to see you
smoke. There is match beside you"
He lit one OF the cigarettes and puffed
away in silence, until blue haze had
gathered about his head. Then he look
ed across at her. Il am going abroad"
he said. abruptly. "Are you sur
prisedT'
Assuming that you mean some hor-
rible tropic"-he nodded-"yes, am.
l suppose 1t means the loss OF every
thing that has made your life pleasant
in the past-yes? and the gain Of
whatY
Nothing"
''Then why goT
She leaned back, clasplng her hands
behind her head, and her sleeves, fall
ing, disclosed arms as smooth and
white as ivory. Their glances met and
she asked again, why go?"
Because / have no choice" he an
swered. "Look here, Madge, we've
been friends, jolly good friends, and
God only knows how shall get on
without you; will be perfectly frank,
and tell you just how 1t stands. My
father, as you know, was country
parson. He ought never to have put
me through Sandhurst; 1t was beyond
his means-I often wondered how he
managed to do all he did, but really
knew nothing OF his affairs until Ills
death last year. found out then that
he never did have much beyond his
pride, and 1t appeared that towards the
end he had dabbled In stocks and
shares. Well, you know what happens
when parsons walk into bucket-shops;
there was barely enough left to keep
the young one at Sandhurst. That Is
why am exchanging for the West
indies" He looked up thoughtfully at
the smoke cloud wrcathlng from his
cigarette. "Of course shall see some
thing of life. | have seen little so far;
school, Sandhurst, an outlandish depot
In the west OF Ireland, andtown."
do you want to goT'
zone cannot always do what one
wants"
She shrugged her shoulders beneath
the billowy lace and muslin Of her deml-
toilette, and there was another pause.
How strange 1t Will seem when you
have gone--I shall feel quite lost by
myself" She spoke softly, In tone
almost Of soliloquy, watching him
closely to see the effect Of her words.
He made no reply, and she went on,
"When one has 80 few friends, 1t ls
hard to lose them-the places are so
hard to fill." He WINGED at that, and n
mementary glenn flashed In her eyes.
'It win seem strange" she repeated;
Il wonder II you will ever think Of me
--0ften, | meanT
Il hope not" he replied; Il want to
forget you"
That was all she wanted; the simple
directness of the answer conveyed
more to her than any outburst Of pas
sion could have done. The rest was