Middletown transcript., 1902-04-05

y :
~ asol and seemed engross-
~ ed. IT was not till his
shadow crossed her own
that she raised her eyes
..Joan.'' he said. Then ne stoppeu-
After four years few men make striking
start II. .,,o,
She lifted her head, and the colOr
fed across her cheeks, ieasing si'sn'
pale.
nJoan,n he said again.
Bv q little accident her parasoi sl,ppeu'
II he moment Of his STOPPING she re-
covered her mental balance. When ne
ss;sad his head her smile was calm.
ssPeter,n she said. And the woIu
seemed to carry everything and to Imply
everything that was most fit.
He realized in fash that she was
perfected and improved. lie ie's 'las
she had learnt the knack OF things;
"Peter,n she said, ''and after all TINS
age Of time"
ssFo,,r wears" he said, laconically.
.How exactr' She blushed again
and raised her hand, touching her cheek.
nAm I yery-very prehistoric, Peterf
she laughed. ], !,
He studied her. "ln sense ne
said, perhaps"
s'Peterr'
swell, some women make history you
know He looked fixedly at The peo
of migonnette by his foot.
She glanced up, but even to her ac-
complished eyes there was nothing 70
be seen.
"Well." she said, "what have you
to tell me? The world is bigger to
you now than it used to bef'
'tAnd to you?"
80. l find It smaller. Everything Is
concentrated SO, even ourselves. No
body is uncommon now, because nobody
has time. But We have still to shake
hands Welcome back" She held our
her rshand. "And, Peter, when did you
get social? You used to run from gat-
den parties and things. What in the
world brought you here2"
He took the extended hand, holding
it in his own. GA lucky chance" he
said slowly, "that was ALL"
stNowm she said, 'let me see what
climate has done for you." She looked
him mn and down. you're thinner,
YOU know, and scorched; but you're i'm
proved Peter, decidedly improved"
He laughed. "Joan," he broke in,
sI'ye tons to ask. There's better seat
than this surely. Shall We search?'
"But I've sent Mr.. Playfair for my
tea. couldn't be unkind."
Don't worry about that. There are
always women to drink other women's
tea. Besides we have debts OF four
years to settle. Come along"
She looked up at him and-it might
have been the sun, but he could have
sworn that there was greater brilliance
in her eyes.
Her lips parted iR-fialf-giyen consent.
Then across the lawn came CHEEKY
voice: $50 awful sorry, but the crush
in the tent was ungodly; and-awfully
sorry again, but all the walnut cakes
are gone. 1 brought cream scone'
Please say twill do"
Carstairs smiled. He knew the look
in Joan's eyes. What he had yet to
learn was the suavity with which she
smiled.
$50 good of you," she said. ''But
let me introduce you two. Charlie, this
is Mr.. Carstairs-quite my oldest friend"
Carstairs nodded. "Sorry, Joan," he
said abruptly, "but ! think must be
off. ]"
ooh, Peter, how horrid Of youI' She
paused. "But you'll look me up. Come
around tomorrow in the afternoon and
I'll pay those debts'' Her glance re-
warded him for many things. He took
her hand.
Tomorrow, then. But remember
I've been buried alive and one doesn't
keep an address book in tho grave"
She laughed "How stupied of me-"
she said. "You scribble while say.
Or, better still, I believe I've got a
card. Charlie, hold my cup"
y - ~
It was after dinner when Carstairs
took the card out of his pocket. Before
he had been too absorbed to need the
usual little stimulus of fact.
He turned the card and held it to
the lamp. He held it for a long time,
moving not muscle OF his face or hand.
Then slowly, with slowness that seemed
almost overdone, he replaced it in his
case. He had had bis share of surprises
in the world and his share of knocks,
and he had taken them quietly, as BELTS
a man. But now, in face of this new
test, he was more than ordinarily still.
Even his habit of speaking aloud for
sock him, and he sat mute, his face in
the red of the lamplight showing a triHe
gray.
When Carstairs pressed the bell next
day at the house in Eaton Square the
grayness was still about his mouth. But
when he gravely asked If Mrs. yilliers
was at home be was startled at the calm
ness with which he spoke the name. 1t
was its unfamiliarity, its total lack Of
personal sound that struck him most.
He passed upstairs and vaguely heard
himself announced. Then Joan's voice
crossed the silence and everything else
became subservient to that.
"Joanp' he said. It was his greet
ing Of yesterday but it came spontan- !
seously. She looked up into his eye
and smiled. Il