The Republican., 1900-08-30

Redbolt proposed, and was refused
point blank.
Now most men, when they see a
dangerous rival put out of court. bury
their animosity and even become gen.
erous
But this was not the case with Fred
Dewhurst. fetty annoyances devel-
oped rapidly into daily insults, until
the morning, as we have seen, he had
found an excuse to cut lis forme.
scnool fellow adrift
II.
Joe Redbolt picked up the pile OF
coins, counted them deliberately anG
put them in his pocket.
''Now, Fred Dewhurst," he said
huskily, 1--WE are no longer master and
man. so that l can say what / think"
Dewhurst looked rather alarmed,
and drew a small silver bell nearer to
his side.
'Oh, don't be frightened" said Joe,
with a smile of astonishment I'm
not going to thrash you! 1t wouldn't
be fair to nit a man your size!"
Mr.. Dewhurst tried to sneer, but
only looked nightly relieved
Il want to tell you what l think of
you," said Joe.
go on" said Dewhurst, with a
grin. Seeing that you've had the
worst of it all through, I suppose
mustn't mind a few spiteful words!"
Il want to tell you you're the mean
PSf Q1H iva a,,A if ~
marries you I'm sorry for her"
"In fact, you're so sorry" said Dew
hurst, that you'd even marry her
yourself! Capital! Ana, now you've
said enough, I'll wish you good
morning.
With a mighty effort of self
restraint Joe pulled Lin elf together,
and, resisting the impulse to knock
him down, swung out of the room.
He had lost everything girl he
loved and the means of earning his
living. He was alone in the world,
mencing life again in some counting
house, and-then suddenly he re-
memhered. Only two nights before
he had attended drill at the headuuar-
ters of his volunteer corps. The men
had been asked which of them wished
to join the c. L. V. for the front He
thought of the glow that had burnt
through his veins, how he had longed
to offer himself, and had only been
prevented by his feeling of obliga-
tion to his old friends business. Now
he was free!
That settled it. Old England was in
need of help from men such as he.
He was as sound as bell in wind
and limb; he had done his turn at
volunteering and could shoot more
than little.
Within half an hour his name was
entered as one of those who were
ready for service at the front. and he
was ordered to go before the doctor.
That gentleman laughed at him.
"If we get 1,400 men as fit as YOU
are he said, ''we shall do well."
Having successfully passed all the
tests, and been duly enrolled as one
of the city of London imperial vol
unteer corps, he felt slightly easier
in his mind
At last the final moment came. He
had attended the service at St. Paul
and sung the national anthem until
he was hoarse. He had been slapped
on the back by hundreds of warm.
hearted but heavy-burdened citizens.
He had even fought his way success
fully through a mob of enthusiastic
patriots all the way from Bunhin
Row to Nine Elms, where he was one
of the first to arrive.
There stood the train waiting to
take them to Southampton. There,
too, stood the long suffering band, and
every minute groups of breathless,
excited men in khaki, who had also
fought their way through the crowd,
rushed onto the platform.
OF course it was all over. There
was nothing to be done but get into
the train and say good-by to old Lon
don for months-perhaps forever.
Once more gloomy sense of loneli-
ness came upon him. Everybody else
had chum or a relative to see him
off. And then-an angel came from
heaven? Not quite! But an earth
ly angel appeared, in the shape of
slight form in long black cloak,
who was pushing her way feverishly
through the crowd, eagerly scan
ming the faces of the gentlemen in
khaki"
Then their eyes met, and in min
ute he was clasping in his arms the
girl who had refused him a month be-
fore and in whose presence he had
always been so shy that he had never
dared to press her hand.
How had it happened? There seemed
no need-and certainly no time-for
explanations. Why had he accepted
her foolish "No" when she never
meant him to? She always thought
he would speak to her again. Why
had he been so awkward and brusque
in the way he had asked her? He
had given her no chance to say "Yes."
And it was only last night she had
learned what had happened - from
Dewhurst's own lips-and she had
cried all night at the mischief she had
done, and would he forgive her? And