Virginia gazette. [volume] (Williamsburg, Va.) 1893-192?, 1901-03-30
THEIR ALTERNATIVE.
N1Rs cARRUTnERs flushed .lixh.l,
a. she Rad The name on the paste
ho.rd Il vii aee hin, here Iara ,,

M hS. CAhEO 4 hEkS nUcncd eitKHttS
a. she rad The name on the paste
board. Il wiI see him here. Jane"
abe said, with studied casmness. "snd re-
member, please, that / am not at home % 1
anyone for the next hour"
Che nestled down on Der ssstee. pillow. |
Inc the shimmerins gold Of her bead against !
its cushions, and waited. She Was cad he
had come. Her thoughts Travelled back tc
their first meeting that day on the front
At Brighton, and she smiled az she recalled
the gust OF wind that caught her hsndksF
chief, a scented scrap Of lace and camtric,
and carried il futtering 20 his feet He wss
young-a mere boy. in fact-and singuiariy
handsome, and he actually blush~d a. be
restored the trife. There was sornethins
frank and fresh about hirn-few Of her men
friends ever blushSd-and her berdsnciea
were sufficiently bohemian 10 render more
formal introduction necessary; before The
week wss Qua he had lunched and dined a.
her hotel Time bad fown for her nnce
then; bright Summer days spent drifting
among the upper reaches Of the Thames.
with the heat Of the afternoon lszsd away
IN sorne shady bnckwatcr: morning. drives
20 come old world retreat among the Sur
rey hills; afternoons on the lawns az Hur.
linghan, strolling. talking. tea dTas4suG
among the smSrtest IN the land, with the
band Of the guards crashing out the mas
terpieces Of great German cornpossrs, inter.
spersed with melodies from the Casino
They had been friends nothing more. but
each day had brorght a fre-h delight, and
she had been happy. Now il was - end /;
be had como TO say "GoOd-by."
ct SCENE almost like dream," she mur-
mured. II wonder what shall DO without
him"
Why, on. Why, oould be not sees WIS
were come men 80 perversei Iheone man Of
all ulen whom she would have liked 20 have
pad her attentions in the way men usually
court women would not do 80. OF suitorr
she bad no lack, but Of al Of them she alsC
had no Use, and THE ono man whom she
really loved either did not love her OF would
not express bis love for some untold reason
Surely the fates were unkind TO her.
The hangings swayed aside. and the boy
advanced with outstretched hand. Shs
smiled and gave him hers wirhout rising.
For a minute be stood looking down a
her. In that minute she read more in kh
eyes than she had ever known Of him be
fore. She read confession that be hac
never made TO her. They bad been frien1s
Between them there had never passed wcrt
OF iove, but now sh1 read love In his eyes
aud Il made her feel the better for Il.
"Sit down." she said. "Gnd have somi
coffee, unless you prefer something
stronger"
Coffee. thanks he answered. drOppin
into . chair beside ber.
She poured some out and handed it Z
him, together with a tiny box Of tortoiss
shell and SILVER. lie laughed sofly as b
opened il and saw a row Of miniature e
EArettes.
"Ah! 50 you indulge. IL appean. Hs'
often!''
oh. sometimes"
And haven't known il until this me
, menti WI you join me now offerin
the case.
No, thank you. / prefer 70 see 20
smoke. There is match beside you
This VAS a side Of her hfe he had "a
known Before. AS close as they had been
= friends she had never taken him into b.
little condolences in this way before. To Il
; man Il meant more than he had known b
fore. But it only added pain TO tho,
which were already torturing hun. for Il
was far beyond hirn. even farther than be
enc time thought.
He lit one Of the cigarettes and paEs
away in sil-ncs untd blue hare had gat
: cred about his head. Then he looked aero
: at her. Il am going abroad" be said. a
i, r1ptiy. Are yoa surprised p
4 Assuming that you mean some hOrrib
tropic"-he nOdded-~yes, am I suppc
Il means the loss Of everything thst h
4 made your life pleasant IN the past.-ye
and the gain of-what2"
Nothing"
e Then why Roe'