The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1903-07-21
CHAPTER XIV

the dusty office, he half recl'ned' arms
on the desk, his chin on MS c,e ZEN e.
fists. TO redeem the gloom ne ha Ill, T..
single candle, which painted h,' ~ ui 80.
against the complete darkness OF ms wi
shadow. like very old portrait whose
background time has solidihed in. me, SHADE sals
lees browns; the portrait OF q lal. .na, ..s 81
gentleman--the cavalier or the MAJ auis,
one might have said at first glance, not
describing 1t Immediately AZ .haL W d
poet, for there was no mark OF arr upon
Crailey. not even In his hair, LOT tney
all wore 1t rather long then. ie. mere mere
was mark upon him. never more niSlu
than as he sat waiting In the ione.!nes mess
OF that night for Tom VanreVel. .noush
what the mark was and what It's Sig
nificance might have been puzzling to
donnc. Perhaps, after all, Fanchon bare.
aud had described 1t best when she tola
Crailey ono day. with SUDDEN hlnt OF
arprehensive tears, that he hao a look
OF fate"
Tom took his own time In coming; he
had STAYED at the club to go over his
lists-so he had told Crailey--with the
general and old Bareaud. His COMPANY
was almost complete, and Cralley had
been the first to volunteer. to the cum.
founding of Trumble, who had proceeaed
to. drink his health again and again. BUT
tho lists could not detaln Tom two hours'
Crailey knew, and 1t was two hours since
the new volunteers had sung The star
Bangled Banner" over the last or tho
punch. and had left the CLUB to rom ana
tho two old men. Only once or twice IN
that time had Crailey shifted MS posluon
or altered the direction of his set gaze
at nothing. But at last he rose. Went 70
the window, and. leaning far out: looked
down the street toward the little clup-
house. Its lights were extinsuisnea ana
all was dark up and down the street:
Abruptly Crailey went back to the desk ana
~ N,,t No Of
down again In the same position. Twenty
minutes later he heard Toms step on the
stair, coming UP very softly Cralley
waited in silence until his partner reached
the landing. then relit the candle.
Tom he called. come in please;
I've been waiting for YOU"
There was pause before Tom answered
from the hall:
I'm very tired, crailey. think I'll
go up to bed"
NO said Crailey; come in.
The door was already open. but Tom
at the threshold and the two looked at
each other. u
II thought you wouldn't come as long
as you believed I was up" said Crailey:
$50 I blew out the light I'm sorry
kept you outside so long"
"Crailey, I'm going away tomorrow"
the other began. I'm to so over and
sec the Governor and offer him this COM
pany. and tonight 1 need Sleep SO
please"
mo" interrupted cra!lcy, quietly; II
want to kno- what you're going to do"
ITO do about ~hat?"
About me-"
"Oh!" Toms eyes fell at once from his
friends face and rested upon the floor
Slowly he walked to the desk and stood
in embarrassed contemplation OF the 1T
tered books and papers. while the other
waited
II think It's best for you TIC tell me-"
said Crailey.
you think soy TOMS embarrassment
increased visibly, and there was mingled
with 1t an odd appearance OF apprehen-
sion probably to relieve which he very
deliberately took two long cheroots from
his pocket, and laid one on the desk for
Crailey. and lit the other for himself,
with extreme carefulness, at the candle
After this ceremonial he dragged a chair
to the window. tilted back in It with his
feet on the low SILL his back to the thin
light and his friend, and said in slow.
gentle tone:
well. Crailey?"
II suppose you mean that ought to
offer my explanation first" said the other
still standing. We'll. there isn't any"
He did not speak doggedly or sullenly
as one in fault, but more with tho air
OF a man curiously ready to throw all
possible light upon q. cloudy phenomenon.
Its very simple-all that I know about
It. went there first on the evening Of tho
Madrillon masquerade, and played a little
comedy to her, so that some OF my
theatrical allusons-they weren't very
illuminating!-to my engagements to Fan
chon, made her believe l was VanreVel
when her father told her about the pair
of u.s. I discovered that the night his
warehouses burned--and I saw something
more, because I can't help seeing such
things; that yours was Just tho charac-
ter to appeal to young girl fresh from
the convent and full of honesty and
fine dreams and fire. Nobody could ar.
range more fatal fascination for girl
of nineteen than to have a deadly quar-
rel with her father And that's espc-
cially true when the fathers like that
mad brute OF a Bob Carewe! Then. too,
you're more or less the town model of
virtue and popular hero. in spite Of the
aboitonism, jus, AZ ] am tina town
scamp So let 1t go on. and played
that you only think--that was all. It
isn't strange that It's lasted until now.
not more than three weeks. after all
She's only seen you four or five times.
and me not much oftener. No one speaks
of you to her, and L We kept out OF sight
when others were about. Mrs. Tanberry Is
her only close friend. and, naturally.
wouldn't be apt to mention that you are
dark, and am fair, or to describe us
personally, any more than you and 7
would mention the general appearance Of
people we both meet about town. But
you needn't tell me that 1t can't last much
longer. Some petty. unexpected trifle will
turn up, of course All that want TO
know Is what you mean to DO
ITO do repeated Tom softly and
blew long scarf OF smoke out OF tho
window.
AN" Crailey's voice grew sharp and
loud, There are many things you needn't
tell mo! You need not tell me what I've
done to you-nor what you think OF mel
you need not tell me that you have others
to consider; that you have Miss Carewe
| to think Of Don't you suppose ] know
| that? And You need not tell me that you
| have a duty to Fanchon-
YES" Tom broke In. his tone not
quite steady, Yes. I've thought of that
| "Well?"
Have you-dld YOU" he hesltated,