The Afro-American advance. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1899-19??, 1900-08-18
Mr.. Dewhurst's eye, to responsible

Mr.. Dewhurst's eye, to responsible
position.
Naturally, they knew the same peo-
pie, and to some extent visited the
same houses. and WAS in this way
that Dewhurst's inherent jealousy had
ripened into positive raneor-for that
there was member of the fair sex
at the bottom of it is almost obvious.
The innocent cause of the trouble,
little dreaming of the mischief she
was creating, had thoroughly enjoyed
the rivalry of the two men. as every
daughter of Eve is bound to do. and
she had not made it quite clear which
of them was to be favored. which is
certainly woman's privilege.
But Joe Redbolt was generally be-
lieved to be the lucky man, and Dew
hurst had vented LIS unmanly spite
in thousand annoyanees in the
Office
However. in love, as in war. it is the
unexpected that often =happers zoe
Redbolt proposed, and was refused
point blank.
Now most men. when they see
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 10 cut lis former
scnool fellow adrift.
II.
Joe Redbolt picked up the pile Of
coins, counted them deliberately and
put them in his pocket.
Now, Fred Dewhurst," he said
huskily. 1--WE are no longer master and
man. SO that | can say what l 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. l suppose /
mustn't mind a few spiteful words!"
Il want to tell you you're the mean
est cad I've met, and if that poor girl
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 evcrything-the girl he
loved and the means of earning his
living. He was alone in the world.
with no prospect but that of COM
mencing life again in some counting
house, and-then suddenly he re-
he had attended drill at the headquar-
! 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 oblga-
ton 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 a 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 1.4oo men as fit as you
are" he said, 1--WE shall do WELT"
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. lie
had attended the service at st. Paul
anu suhk INC hdAIohhl anthem uHLlI
he was hoarse. lie 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 Bunhill
Row to Nine Elms. where he was one
of the first to arrive.
There stood the train waiting to
take them 10 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 IL 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 a gloomy sense of loneli-
ness came upon him. Everybody else
had a chum or a relative TO see him
of And then-an angel came from
heaven? Not quite. But an earth
ly angel appeared. in the shape Of a
slight form in a long black cloak.
who was pushing her way feverishly
through the crowd, eagerly scam
ming the faces of the gentlemen in
khaki"
Then theiE eyes met. and in a min
ute he was claspinR in his arms the
girl who had refused him "A month be-