Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1899-02-25

II =
nFor fortnight possibly"
sWhere are you stationed now3n
She knew we'll enough.
SAT Apache. So you can imag-
inc what a treat civilization is to
me. How does it happen that !
find you here?"
"We are stationed at the Presidio.
You must come to see u.s."
81 will,'' he answered. He would
have done anything those red lips
| might ask him to do. The receding
tide of his love for her had swept
back with mighty force.
"How beautiful you are, Esther
he said after a moment.
II always was"
"You have no more false modesty
than OF yore."
"Why should / have? / didn't
make myself, so I'm not praising
my own handiwork. And frankly
admit that if were to have made
myself. l think I should have ehos-
en- my present model"
aRnt there is more than moro.
beauty of feature, now"
sCharacter, l suppose-which |
| lacked as a child. 1t is odd that
character, even if it happens to be
bad, can so improve face"
Then she turned her head and be-
slowed the light CT her countenance
on the civilian beside her. whose in
fatuation was obvious.
avery man in the post and the
city will hate you with deadly bat
red, if Miss Gorsckov happens to
take fancy to you for old sake's
| sake" Mrs. Graves warned him.
"Even her fancy would be cheap
ly purchased at that COST
"Perhaps. A woman of her
beauty is not born into the world
once in cycle, certainly"
And Miss Gorschkov was pleased
to fancy him. She advertised the
fact. She was not one to fear any
means that would gain her ends.
She threw away her pride and came
at his call. She forgave him the
past aud met him more than half
way.
But Dudley was too much in love
to despise or mistrust her for this.
He applied for two-months' leave
and spent every available moment
of it with her. Mrs. Graves, in her
quality of a school-chum of his
mothers and an old friend OF him
self, warned him. "EstEer has done
this,same thing before, james. Take
care. She is as beautiful as Cleo
patra, and there are many who says
she is as bad-at heart. Make love
to her, if you choose. Caesar, but
let your wife be q woman who is
above suspicion"
Dudley never spoke to her again.
Ard he continued his fanatical cult
OF his goddess.
His leave came TO an end, and he
went back to Apache. He who had
been light mocker and philos-
opher of life, saw the bottom drop
out of his universe when he. had to
go from her. She wrote to him
twice day, for time, then once
day, then once week, and finally
the mail orderly handed him letter
from Esther that was almost YER
batim copy OF the one he had sent
to her six years before, even to the
closing phrase. SIN time you will
drink Of the waters of Lethe and
will forget.me as utterly as | de-
serve to be forgotten
A light OF memory broke harsh
and crude, through the rosy clouds
that had enwrapped him. But he
said to himself that justice had been
meted out to him, stern and untemp-
cred. And he made no appeal.
Something more than twelve
month later, Esther Gorschkov sat
at dinner beside the man whom she
was then playing fast and loose, who
would not be warned by the fate Of
the many whose bodies we're strewn
upon the shores where this Cythera
had trod'
"You promised, you know" he
said to her, "tuat you would answer
my question tonight"
aWhat question:"
'sDon't banter, please. | am in
earnest.
aYou appear to be. And every
body can see it, too. Go on and
eat. and look as though you were
discussing the dynamite gun or
something
IL will do whatever yon choose,
II you will only marry me-
"0hl is that what you mean2 ]
couldn't remember whether it was
you or Mr.. Clayton who had asked
me. Maybe it was both of you.
But ! cant see why you should
bother about that sort of thing at
dinner. Why don't you wait until
/ fhn dance- IL won1d he AZ muoh