Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1900-11-16

uhA tHC kQA NVoAA tuhN blhi w - A'hSN
that was happening in the city. Miss
Tyndall was to be there. She had told
him SO in her last letter, sent three
weeks before.
The first person he saw when he
went into the ballroom was Miss Bar
rett. When he stopped to speak to
her she gave him a look he did not
understand. There was something in
it besides the usual devotion. Hewas
not sure what. But he did not wait
to find out. He was far too intent
upon finding Miss Tyndall for that.
When he did find her, he refused to
lose time on preiminaries and ex-
change of civilities. He pushed his
way through the group around her
and said that he believed this was his,
and forthwith took her away. She
put her hand on his arm and looked
up at him. He could not understand
that look either. 1t seemed to be al
most fear. They were walking in full
sight of the whole ballroom. But
Patmore did not mind that. He
would not have minded even if the
music had not begun just then. As
has been said, he took himself serious
lily. He felt that he had waited too
long already. There was no longer
time.
"Do you know that I am ordered to
the Philippines?" he said.
She nodded her head.
81 have got to go inside of six days.
Will you marry me before that?"
There were two chairs in corner,
half hidden in a nook of date-palms.
She turned aside and, sat herself in
one. Patmore took the other.
"Well?" he said.
"Nobody has told you then"
He was white enough already. But
he turned winter still. Those who
danced by looked at him, then at her.
She was pale, too. "Told me-what?"
he said.
"That was married two weeks
ago?"
He sat very quiet for awhile. Miss
Barrett whirled by and he caught the
look in her eyes again-and under
stood. When he spoke at last it was
quite steady. "Whom have you mar
ried?" he said.
She told him.
"He is rich," said Patmore, "and I
am poor. Isuppose that was it?"
She nodded again. 81 must have
luxury, and pretty things, and good
times. l am selfish and vain"
"And yet you loved me. l believe
you did. Ycu certainly didn't lose
any time. ! have not been away all
Of three months"
"If l had waited until you came
back 1 might not have had the cour.
age" she said.
Patmore pulled off little thread Of
palm fiber and twisted it around his
finger. "Then you did love me-" he
said. Be
She stood up slowly and looked
down at him. "That doesn't matter
now" she told him, lifelessly. "My
husband is coming for me. Please
don't let him see."
One of her turquoise-loaded hands
was picking at fold Of her gown. II
was a beautiful gown, Patmore saw
that even then, and knew that il
would have cost him two months pay
1t was still of sky-blue, but there were
tiny pink rosebuds scattered here and
there. lie began, stupidity, to count
them.
As she took her husbands arm and
started away, one of the whirline
ruffles caught on branch of the
palm. 1t gave the screech of tearing
silk, and little latter chung to the
thorn. Patmore stopped to loose it
She looked down at him over hel
shoulder. ut doesn't matter" sht
told him; nothing matters much
Then she smiled at him and went on
Patmore never forgot that smile
1t was SO hard, and forced and bril-
liant that it changed her whole face
He walked home from the gates witt
Miss Barrett that night. 81 have
come back, you Will have me, Leila,
he said.
And not long thereafter the paper
devoted full score of lines to the de
tails Of his gallant death. One O
which was that the Tagal bulle
which had passed through his hear
had struck first, and Clipped, locke
which hung about his neck.
His wife had never known Of tn,
locket until then. But it came to he
in little package of other thing
that his colonel sent her later on. |
was of sky-blue enamel, set roun'
with tiny pearls, and she knew, eve
before she opened It, that it wa
neither the wisp Of hair nof the It'll
| photograph she had given him IN
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