Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1903-04-30

/ 04dlc4C tOOhCu IlO1C ll4dA usually kAco-
able as she stepped from the night mail
on to the windy pier in a gray water
proof and a little gray cloth travelling
cap. The red haired girl was not so
lovely. Her green eyes were hollow,
and her lips were dry. Dick saw the
trunks aboard and went to Maisie's
side in the darkness under the bridge.
The mail bags were laundering into
| the forehold, and the red haired girl
was watching them.
you'll have rough passage to-
night" said Dick "It's blowing out
side. l suppose 1 may come over and
see you if I'm good"
you mustn't. / shall be busy. At
least if / want you I'll send for you.
But l shall write from Vitry-sur-
Marne. l shall have heaps of things
to consult you about. oh, Dick, you
have been SO good to me-so good to
mer
"Thank you for that, dear. 1t hasn't
made any difference, has it?'
"I can't tell a fib. 1t hasnt-in that
way. But don't think I'm not CRATE
full"
"Hang the gratituder' said Dick
! ! huskiIy to the paddle box
What's the use Of worrying? You
know should ruin your life, and you'd
ruin mine as things are now. You re-
member what you said when you we're
so angry that day in the park? One
of us has to be broken. Can't you
wait till that day comes?"
mo, love. l want you unbroken,
all to myself
Maisie shook her head. my poor
Dick, what can l say?"
"Don't say anything. Give me a
kiss, only one kiss, Maisie. I'll swear
won't take any more. You might as
well, and then / can be sure you're
grateful"
Maisie put her cheek forward and
Dick took his reward In the darkness.
1t was only one kiss but since there
was no time limit specified it was a
long one. Maisie wrenched herself
free angrily, and Dick stood abashed
and tingling from head to heel
"Goodby, darling. / didn't mean to
scare you I'm sorry. Only-keep well
and do good work, specially the Mel
ancolia. I'm going to do one too. Re-
member me to Kami, and be careful
what you drink. Country drinking
water is bad everywhere, but it's
worse in France. Write to me if you
want anything, and goodby. Say good
by to the mhht=vau-caH-um girl and
can't have another Hies7 No7 You're
quite right Goodbye
"a shout told him that it was not
seemly to charge up the mail bag in
cline. He reached the pier as the
steamer began to move off, and he fol
lowed her with his heart
"And there's nothing nothing in the
wide world-to keep US apart except
her obstinacy. These Calais night boats
are much too small. I'll get Torp to
write to the papers about it. She's be-
ginning to pitch already"
Maisie stood where Dick had left her
till she heard little cough at her ell
bow. The red haired girls eyes were
alight with cold fame.
"He kissed your she said. How
could you let him, when he wasn't any
thing to you? How dared you take
kiss from him? Oh, Maisie, let's go to
the cabin. Pm sick-deathly sickw
1--WE aren't into open water yet. Go
down, DEAR and I'll stay here. | don't
like the smell of the engines. Poor
Dick! He deserved one-only one. But
| didn't think he'd frighten me so.''
Dick returned to town next day just
in time for lunch, for which he had tel
egraphed. TO his disgust, there were
only empty plates in the studio. He
lifted up his voice like the bears in the
fairy tale, and Torpenhow entered,
looking very guilty.
"H'shw said he. "Don't make such a.
noise. l took it. Come into my rooms,
and I'll show you why"
Dick paused amazed at the threshold,
for on Torpenhow's sofa lay girl
asleep and breathing heavily. The lit
tie cheap sailor hat, the blue and white
dress, filter for June than for Febru-
ary, dabbled with mud at the skirts;
the jacket trimmed with imitation as
trakahn and ripped at the shoulder
seams, and one-and-eleven penny UNI
brella, and, above all, the disgraceful
condition of the kid topped boots, de-
clared all things.
"Oh, l say, old man, this is too bad!
You mustn't bring this sort up here.
They steal things from the rooms."
1T looks bad, admit, but was COM
ing in after lunch, and she staggered
into the hail. thought she was drunk
at first, but it was collapse. I couldn't
leave hH as she was, so brought her
up here and gave her your lunch. She
was fainting from want of food. She
went fast asleep the minute she had
finished"
II know something of that complaint.
She's been living on sausages, l sup
pose. Torp. you should have handed her
over to a policeman for presuming to
faint in respectable house. Poor little
wretch! Look at that face! There isn't