The Savannah morning news., 1903-03-29

CHEEKY, which was an easy matter on
the surface, for the journalist turned
ever mask of jokes upon him; but
it was not hard for one who liked him
as Meredith did to see through to the
melancholy underneath. After his one
reference to Helen, John was entirely
silent of her, and Meredith came to
feel that both would be embarrassed
If occasion should rise and even her
name again be mentioned between
| them.
He did not speak of his family con-
nection with Mr.. Fisbee to the invalid,
for, although the connection was dis
tant, the old man was, in way, the
| family skeleton, and Meredith had
strong sense of the decency of reserve
in such a matter. There was one thing
Fisbee's shame had made the old man
| unable not to suppress when he told
| Parker his story; the wrath of tor
rid palate had pursued him from his
youth, and the days of drink and de-
spair from which Harllless had saved
him were not the first in his life. Mere
dith wondered as much as did Hank
less where Fisbee had picked up the
| journalistic young relative" who
signed his extremely business-like mis-
sives in such a laundering hand. 1t
| was evident that the old man was
grateful to his patron, but it did not
| occur to Meredith that Fisbee's daugh-
ter might have an even stronger sense
of gratitude one so strong that she
| could give all her young strength to
| work for the man who had been good
| to her father.
There came a day in August when
| Meredith took the Convalescent from
the hospital in a victoria, and installed
him in his own home. Harkless' clothes
hung on his big frame Imply; how
| ever, there was a drift of light in his
eyes as they drove slowly through the
| pretty streets of Rouen. The bandages
and splints and drugs and swathlngs
| were all gone now, and his sole task
was to gather strength. The thin face
| was sallow no longer; it was the color
Of evening shadows; indeed he lay
among the cushions seemingly no more
than a gaunt shadow of the late after
| noon looking old and gray and weary
They rolled along abusing each other
| John sometimes gratefully threa tening
| his friend with violence.
The victoria passed a stone house
| with wide lawns and an inhospitabe
air of wealth and importunate rank;
over the sward two peacocks swung,
| ambulating like caravals in green
sea; and one expected a fine lady to
come smiling and glittering from the
| door. Oddly enough, though he had
| never seen the place before, it struck
Harkless with a sense of familiarity.
who lives there?' he asked, abrupt
ly
Who lives there? On the left? Why.
that-that is the Sherwood place &"
| Meredith answered in a tone which
sounded as IL he were not quite sure
of it, but inclined to think his infor-
nation correct. HAIRLESS relapsed into
silence.
Meredith's home vas few blocks
further up the same street; a capacious
house in the Western fashion of the
70's. In front, on the lawn, there was
a fountain with a leaping play of
water; NAPLES and shrubbery were ev-
erywhere; and here and there stood a
stiff sentinel of Lombardy poplar II
was all cool and incongruous and ccm-
Portable; and on the porch, sheltered
from publicity by multitude of palms
and Towering plants, a white acketed
negro appeared with noble smile and
a more important tray, wherein tin
I killed. believed glasses and a crystal
pitcher, against whose sides the ice
cltnked sweetly. There was compile
ment of straws.
When they had helped him to an
easy chair on the porch HAIRLESS whis-
tied luxuriously. "Ah. my bachelor"
he exclaimed, as he selected a straw.
Who would fardeis bear2' " re-
joined Mr.. Meredith. Then came to
the other a recollection of an auburn
haired ball player on whom the third
strike had once been called while his
eyes wandered tenderly to the grand
stand, where the prettiest girl of that
| commencement week was sitting
Have you forgot the Indian Prin-
cess?' he asked.
You're a dull old person." Tom
laughed. Haven't you discovered that
tbs they who forget us? And why
1 No
anybody except just us two, mean,
of course
I've a notion we do, sometimes. IS
The other set his glass on the tray,
and lit his cigarette. Yes; when we're
unsuccessful. Then 1 think we do"
That may be true"
| of course it is. II a lady wishes
to make an impression on me that is
worth making, let her let me make
none OF her"
You think it is always our yani-
typ
"Analyze it as your revered Thomas
does and you shall reach the same con-
clusion. Let a girl reject you, and
Meredith broke OF. cursing himself in
wardly, and, rising, cried gaily: What
| profiteth IL a man IL he gain the whole
| wisdom in regard to women and loseth
not his own heart? And neither OF
US is lacking a heart-though il may
/ De- one can I TELL one sell, one mas
TO find out about that from some girl
At least. I'm rather sure Of mine; it's
difficult 10 give a tobacco-heart away;
/ it's drugged on the market. I'm GO
ing 70 bring out the dogs; I'm spend
ing the summer at home just TO give
them daily exercise"
This explanation OF his continued
presence in Rouen struck John as quite
as plausible as Meredith's more seri-
ousiy alleged reasons for not Joining
his mother and sister at Winter Har-
Dor Gle possessed a mother. and, as
he explained. he had also sisters 10
safety. in point Of numbers.) Hark-
leHs knew that Tom had stayed "a
look after him; and he tho@Sht there
never was 30 poor a peg as himself
wherein 20 hang the warm mantle Of
such friendship. Re knew that other
NANTES Of affection and kindness
hung on that self-aame peg. for he had
been moved by the letters ana visits
from Carlow people. and he had heard
the story ~ r1clr descent upon The
hoEBifai. aHd 81 me march o. the
cFpsa-Eosds. Many a Eopd fellow,