The Southern herald., 1900-11-09

= I
him so in her last letter, sent three
weeks before.
The first person he saw when he
vent into the ballroom was Miss Bar
rett. When he stopped to speak to
her she gave him a look he did not
There was somethingin
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 eiyilities. He pushed his
way through the group around her
and said that be believed this was his,
and forthwith took her away. She
put her hand on bis arm and looked
up at him. He could not understand
that look either. 1t seemed to be al
most fear. They we're 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
ly. He felt that he had waited too
long already. There was no longer
time.
"Do you know that l am ordered to
the Philippines?' be said.
She nodded her head
81 have got to 60 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-wbat?"
he said.
"That l 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 /
am poor Isuppose that wasit?"
She nodded again. 81 must have
luxury, and pretty things, and good
times. | am selfish and vain"
"And yet you loved me. believe
you did. You certainly didn't lose
any time. have not been away all
of three months"
"1f | had waited until you came
back | might not have had the cour-
age" she said.
Patmore pulled off littlethread Of
palm fiber and twisted it around his
finger. "Then you did love me-" be
said.
She stood up slowly and looked
down at him. "That doesn't matter
now" she told him, lifelessly. "Ml
husband is coming for me. Please
don't let him see"
One Of her turquoise-lOaded hands
was picking at fold Of her gown. i
was a beautiful gown, Patmore saw
that even then, and knew that j
would have cost him two months pay
1t was still of sky-blue, but there wer'
tiny pink rosebuds scattered here anC
there. He began, stupidly, to coun
them.
As she took her husbands arm ant
started away, one Of the whirlinj
ruffles caught on a branch of tn
palm. 1t gave the screech Of tearinj
, silk, and little latter clung to tn
= thorn. Patmore stopped to loose il
She looked down at him over he
shoulder. at doesn't matter" sh
told him; nothing matters much.
Then she smiled at him and went OF
t Patmore never forgot that smil
V 1t was so hard, and forced and bri
Z, liant that it changed her whole fac
d He walked home from the gates wit
S Mis-: Barrett that night. 81 ha'
:, come back, ifyou will have me, Leila
e he said.
And not long thereafter the pape
= devoted a full score Of lines to the d
o tails of his gallant death. One
n which was that the Tagal bull
which had passed through his hea
= had struck first, and Clipped, a lock
which hung about his neck.
: His wife had never known OF Il
? locket until then. BUTT came to h
d in a little package Of other thin
s. that his colonel sent her later on.
+ was of sky-blue enamel, set rour
t. with tiny pearls, and she knew, ev'
n before She opened it, that it "
,s neither the wisp Of hair nor the lit
4 photograph she had given him t
:. day he left that would be within
+ So she was quite prepared and qul
IL wbon she brought herself to open It