The Houma courier. (Houma, La.) 1878-1939, 1900-12-29

AAhN AH your AA0NFeEs MAtN U
saucy young voice.
She looked up into q pair of lnuehing
eyes. The owner Sc The orhs spnt his
head out of the window, and She saw
that Il was crowned with 3 wreallt %
roses. He held 8 aqueti "a his hand.
FNo," she saids viii save IL for
some poor fellow WIN hasn't any"
a voice sounded close "a Der ears as
though in answer to her relsark
They say that the boys p the ears
at the rear are complaining that they
don't get amy attention = it said.
She pushed her way through the
crowd. stiIl scanning the faces at the
windows. The large white petals Of the
magnolia had begun to droop.
The time Of the stop at Sacramento
had almost expired when she reached
the last car. Here the crowd had
thinned and several officers stood on
the depot platform, talking to little
knots Of people. One was standing
with his back to her. She stopped with
shortened breath and grew suddenly
white.
In a moment the crowd, the cheers,
the music and the flags had faded from
her senses. She stood in a suburban
garden Of an eastern city, with the
spicy scent Of pinls in her nostrila and
the breath of the evening breeze oil her
hot cheeks. A man stood looking down
at her with grave, dark eyes.
"WiH you send me away without
chance of explanations" he said.
There is no explanation possible"
she replied, holly. 'Inever want to SEQ
you again"
Then she turned and fed; but be-
hind the m~ock-orange hedge she
watched him as he went sadly away
} and all her pride could not keep the
tears from trimming over in her eyns.
. 1t had been a foolish lovers quarrel;
8 but she had married and gone awsY,
3 and they hadnot heard from each OthTV
for more than three years.
Then the young officer turned, an
though in answer to her fixed gaze. He
; started forward, and held out hishand,
"Gertrudel" he cried
/ She looked at him, ~bewildered; and
f her eyes dropped beneath the ungNard-
: 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.
Z slave you no word for me?" he said
J And again his eyes were grave and sac
I as on the day he left her in the gar
1 den.
/ 'I have brought you this," she re,
I piled, holding out to him the dropping
! magnolia.
GLOW did you know I would be here?f
he asked.
81 did not know she ansv cred, sim
I ply; "but I must have felt it, for ]
, would give it to no else"
He took it from her hand and looked
d into her eyes with a searching, passion.
Z 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 deal
I for two years"
A flame of color flashed in his white
4 face. The scream Of the whistle rose
{ over the roar of voices and the soldier.
on the platform scrambled hastily OF
i the train. The crowd pressed closer to
the cars and the girls with autograph
, albums began to say good-by. But h,
had moved nearer to her and had take1
her hand.
: "Trudiel" he said, softly.
2 Tears sprang to her eyesat the word
! She had not heard the pet name fol
+ years.
Gerald, she said, cit was my fault.
! He knew to what she referred, anC
: he had no time to waste words.
at was mine as well" he replied. {"
should have written you the explana
tion when you would not listen. Shall
I tell you now?"
n She shook her head. The moment o
time that was left them was too pre-
! cious to lose.
you need never explain" she said
Z 81 know that I was wrong. Tell m,
what you have done since I saw yol
last"
II went to Philadelphia to. practic.
law" he replied. "My uncle made m,
! his partner"
He came closer to her and spoke il
: vehement tones.
) II am going away he said.
!. Yes she assented, ''you are goin,
: to Manila" Her voice broke and
mist blurred her vision. She knew wha
9 it meant to him; hardship, DANCE.
!, and a broken career; and she knew
. also what it would h~enceforth meal
{ to her.
"Will Won marry me if ], come back?
Is he asked.
I The train had begun to move and h
a turned toward it instinctively. But h
? looked back for her reply. Their eye
: met in flashing glance,
eyes" she whispered.
He wrung her hand; then sprang o.
: the steps of the rear platform of tn
last car. A fellow officer slapped hin
q on the back and laughed.
'tThat was a desperate Irritation, h
said. But his companion did not hea
y him,