The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1900-09-20
The Man From Manila.
It was the man from Manila!

| ipatioh; and now-he was here,
II hope I have not startled you. he
said, with courteous solictude. Miss
Vance? She is well? She is at homer?
Demaris Clare found her voice then
''Will you come in?" she asked.
He passed into the familiar old hail,
with its faded prayer rugs, its high can
delabras of wrought iron. its low, broad
lounge and carven settles. His impatient
l<glance sought the shallow stairway. The
place was unaltered. Where was she?
Surely his letter had reached her.
There was a sound like a sob. IT
came from the lips of the little maid,
for he had taken one swift, backward
stride-had recoiled as he had never re
coiled in battle. There, on the teakwood
table, lay his last letter. And the tele-
gram beside it-surely that was the one
ne had senti
us she dead?" he asked.
And now he noticed that there were
masses of flowers all around-bowls,
screens, vases of them-it had not at
first struck him as singular that these
masses of bloom should be here.
"she is not dead" said the little maid.
/ For a minute neither spoke. Then. Tell
| me-" he said.
Demaris Clare forgot she wore a cot
sweeping cap. She was even Temporal
rily unconscious of the feather duster
she still held. She pointed to a settle
settle beside the hearth.
''Sit down. she said.
But Re shook his head. "Be merciful!''
he begged BE brief! She is not dead
what then?'
TRY to Think she. whispered i'm
| ploringly. "I hate TOTO hurt you! Try
80 =
| Major Garden had been in the thick
of many a fierce fight beyond the seas.
He had looked into the grinning visage
| of death many time in frontier bat
| ties on the Arizona desert. He had
grimIy walked into the jaws of hell on
| Spanish territory-before Spanish breast
works. But he had never shrunk as he
shrank that day from the tender pity
| in the eyes of the little maid who look
! ed up at him.
"She is married." said the girl She
| added: Yesterday"
This" she said few minutes later,
when she had lightly vanished up the
| stairway, and had again found herself
near him, was to be given to you
| She placed a packet beside him. It
had never occurred to her to ask him
for his name nor proof of his identity.
There had been no need.
Eyerard Garden opened the package.
The uppermost note he opened, read. 1t
was a shallow-a brutal little note.
you've been gone so long," it ran.
''And everyone tells me that the climate
of the Philippines is ruinous to the COM
plexion. 1 know your absurd idea Of
serving with your regiment in foreign
felds-in any field. And I can't bear the
thought OF exile-it would be exile,
wouldn't 1t? Then Rexford-the coal
man, you KNOWS rich, So rich! Not
that I care about money, but it would
be horrid to have to turn ones dresses
or to clean ones gloves with gasoline
or whatever stuff they use Demaris
Clare has pleaded well for you, but she
is only a soft-hearted little simpleton.
You must know will always care more
for you than for Dan Rexford. but it
would not be wise to marry you. One
has only one life. It is better be wise.
Then-you were always such an easy
going fellow you won't care much-will
you? So, good-byei''
For time-Demaris Clare never knew
how long-there was no sound In the
room save the ticking of the clock, the
little restless, cracking gossip of the
flames. Suddenly the girl at the window
turned, conscious Of a presence at her
elbow-a voice in her ear.
''Who?" asked the voice, lis Demaris
Clare?"
There was a royal blaze in the fire.
place ma. Letters whirled up the chin
ney-fugitive scraps of cindery black
ness. Squares of cardboard were still
to be consumed. There was the CLINT of
gold on the red bed in the CRATE.
II am Demaris Clare"
''Will you marry me?"
-t,o
It was sad wooing, that More, It
was a grim wooing. Garden did not find
out the position OF the girl who, in the
guise of a servant. had opened to him
the portals of his false sweetheart's
home on the occasion of his homecom-
ing-at least not then. He came to see
her. He was as gentle and attentive
as only a brave and chivalrous man
could be. He recognized the fact that
while he, in one moment of jealous in
sanity, fancying that he was asking a
servant to be his wife, had been guilty
of an excusable but stupendous mistake,
there was now for him neither excuse
nor withdrawal. For this girl with the
wavy brown hair, the clear, quiet eyes,
the reserve Of manner which in itself
implied distinction, met him on his own
ground. social as well as intellectual. On
consideration, the readiness with which
she had consented surprised him. But
being what he was, an officer and gen.
tleman. he dismissed from his mind ev-
cry thought save that OF averting from
her possible lregret-possible humiliation
In Washington rumor sproutsd,
fourished Garden was recalled. He
must return to active service. He took
the letter TO Demaris Clare. She read
it through. Then she looked up at him.
II have confession to make" she
said.
Mary Vance and I were friends. She
showed me your picture. She read to
ne your letters. I know she did not
love you as-aS-never mind about that
The slow, painful color was flooding her
face. When Rexford came l did be-
seech her to be true TO you. 1 did urge
her. I tried my best. But she would
not listen. She gave me that packet for /
you. She did not dream. nor did l. that /
you would return so soon. The night /
after the wedding. when the bride ard Z
groom had gone on their wedding trip /.
and the others elsewhere. the servants
had some trouble with the housekeeper I
and eft. was helping when you came
I was sorry for you-so-so sorry And /
when you asked me-O there is 70 ex-
cuse for my answering as I did, But .
T.
With one stride he was beside her. she /
had turned away, had hidden her face.
'Denarisi Did you only say yez Re- 4
cause-because you we're sorry <or n g"
She did rot answer. The perfume % Z
the rlEsuonette at her bosom cane to Z
him. He went close % hsr-cl0szr
IF you viii tel ne" he urged. that +
you we're mistaken. that YOU were r3sfe-
Is compassionate. snail go He 4
forced her to face him. TEL Inz fhss
now he said
But she would not Jock al him
l.