The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1900-11-16
,wlndowA The larHe white petals of IL
magnolia had begun 10 droop.

SEC 5ss
|wlndoWs The larxe vi lite petals o1 ~
|magnolia had beg 10 ddroop.
The time &C the stop at sacramento
had almost expired when she reached
the last ear. Here the crowd had
thinned and several officers stood on
the depot plat form, talking to little
knots Of people. One WAS standing
withihis back 10 her. ] She stopped with,
shortened breath and grew suddenly
white. II nj
In q moment tie crowd, the cheers
the music and the hags had faded from
her senses. She stood IN & suburban
garden Of m eastern city. with the
spicy scent Of pinks IN her nostril4 and
the breath OF the evening breeze On her
hot cheeks. a man stood looking down
at her with grave, dark eyes. #
WIN 'you send me away without
chance III exp1anation?'' hesaid.
There + no explanation possible
she replied. hotly. = never want to -
you again, IS. M. .s.f
Then she turned and fed; but be-
hind the mock-orange hedge she
watched him as he went sadly away,
dndg al her pride could not keepithe
tears from Drumming over In her: eyes.
tt had been afoolish lovers: quarrel;
but she had married and gone away,
and they had not heard from each other
for more than three years. ~ ~.
Then the young officer turned, a.
though in answer to her fixed gaze. He
started forward, and held out his hand.
"Gertrude!" he cried.
She looked at him, bewildered; and
her eyes dropped beneath the unguard-
ed ardor of his. Both were oblivious of
the people and the noise about them.
Both had forgotten the years that had
separated them. They knew only that
they were together again.
"Have you no word for me?" he said.
And again his eyes were grave and sad,
as on the day he left her in the gar
den. -
!" II have brought You this" she re-
piled, holding out to him the dropping
magnolia. ta
How did you know 1 would be here?"
he asked.
II did not know" she answered. sim
ply; ''but I must have felt it, for
would give it to no one else"
He took it from her hand and looked
into her eyes with a searching, passion
ate gaze. Then he remembered. He
stepped back, his face suddenly yelled
in a mask.
"How is Jack?' he asked, duly.
"Jack?" she repeated, wonderingly.
Don't you know? Jack has been dead
for two years." -,
A flame of color flashed in his white
face. The scream of the whistle rose
over the roar of voices and the soldiers
on the platform scrambled hastily on
the train. The crowd pressed closer to
The cars and the girls with autograph
albums began to say good-by. But he
had moved nearer to her and had taken
her hand.
"Trudie!" he said, softly.
Tears sprang to her eyes at the word.
She had. not heard the pet name for
years.
Gerald" she said, ut was my fault"
He knew to what she referred, and
he: had no time to waste words.
1T was mine as we'll" he replied. II.
should have written you the explana-
ton when you would not listen. Shall
I tell you now?"
She shook her head. The moment of
time that was left them was too pre-
cious to lose. - =
you need never explain" she said;
II know that I was wrong. Tell ME
what you have done since I saw you
last"
II went to Philadelphia to practice
law" he replied. my uncle made me
his partner"
He came closer to her and spoke in
vehement tones.
II am going away" he said.
"Yes," she assented, ''you are going
to Manila" Her voice broke and a
mist blurred her vision. She knew what
it meant to him; hardship, danger
and broken career; and she knew
also what it would henceforth mean
to her.
'''Will you marry me if I come back?"
ne dSkeu.
The train had begun to move and he
turned toward it instinctively. But he
looked back for her reply. Their eyes
met in flashing glance.
"Yes," she whispered.
He wrung her hand; then sprang on
the steps of the rear platform of the
last car. A fellow officer slapped him
on the back and laughed.
THAT was desperate flirtation," he
said. But his companion did not hear
him.
The people began to follow the slowly
moving train. Gertrude went with
them, holding always her place at the
edge of the crowd. Her eyes were fixed
on the platform of the last car, where
the young officer stood with his ban
tering companion. With one hand he
was waving his cap to her; with the
other he pressed the magnolia against
his breast.-Boston Globe.
CANNOT KILL CACTUS.
1t. Has Been Known to Live TO-,