Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1899-05-04
AN ALTERNATIVE.

II VIII see MN here, Jane, she said,
with studied calmness. land remem-
Der, please, that am not at home to
any one for thu next hour. "
She nestled down ON her settee, pill
lowing the shimmering gold Of her head
against its cushions, and waited. 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 recalled the gust of wind
that caught her handkerchief, a scented
scrap of lace and cambria and carried
it fiuttering to his feet. He was young.
a mere boy in fact, and singularly hand
some, and he actually blushed as he re-
stored the trifie There was something
frank and fresh about him-few of her
men friends ever blushed and her tend
encies were sufficiently Bohemian to
render more formal introduction unnec-
essary. Before the week was out he had
lunched and dined at her hotel. Time
had flown for her since then. They had
been friends-nothing more-but each
day had brought a fresh delight, and
she had been happy. Now it was to
end he had come to say "Goodby."
ut seems almost like a dream" she
murmured. Il wonder what l shall do
without him p
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 some
thing stronger.
Coffee. thanks, he answered drop
ping into 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 it and saw row of
miniature cigarettes.
"Ah, so you indulge. it appearsl
How often p
"Oh, sometimes
"And | haven't known it until this
moment Will you join me now?"
Offering the case.
mo, thank you; prefer to see you
smoke There is a match beside you -
He lit one of the cigarettes and pulled
away in silence, until blue haze had
gathered about his head. Then he looked
across at her. Il am going abroad, he
said abruptly. care you surprised ?"
Assuming that you mean some hor-
rible tropic" he nodded-"yes, am. /
suppose it means the loss of everything
that has made your life pleasant in the
past-yesl And the gain of-what 2"
Nothing.
"Then why got
She leaned back, clasping 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 gog'
because l 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 il stands Ny 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 his death last year.
found out then that he never did have
much beyond his pride, and it appeared
that toward 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 Sand
hurst That is why | am exchanging
for the West Indies. He looked up
thoughtfully at the smoke cloud wreath
ing from his cigarette. "Of course
shall see something of life. | have seen
little so far-school, Sandhurst, an out
landish depot in the west of Ireland,
and town.
"Do you want to go2'
Zone cannot always do what one
wants.
She shrugged her shoulders beneath
the billowy lace and muslin of her
demitoilet, and there was another pause.
"How strange it will seem when you
have gone--I shall feel quite lost by
myself " She spoke softly in tone al
most of soliloquy, watching him closely
to see the effect of her words He made
no reply and she went on, when one
has so few friends, it is hard to lose
them-the places are SO hard to fill. .
| He WINGED at that. and momentary
CLEAN flashed in her eyes. at will seem
strange, she repeated. II wonder il
you will ever think of me-often.
mean
Il hope not, he replied II want to
forget you.
That was all she wanted. The simple
directness of the answer conveyed more
to her than any outburst of passion
could have done. The rest was easy.
After awhile he rose to his feet. She
lose, too, and stood before him looking
into his eyes, as though she would read
his soul A wild desire to crush her in
his arms took possession of him, and the
finger nails bit into the palms of his
! clinched hands.
Must you goS" she whispered. draw
ing nearer to him.
II have no choice, he said again.
You want money. she continued
"Well, | am rich. -