Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-12-17

home / helped her to take off her wraps,
ana then drew big chair in front Of the
fire. and took her in my arms
Again there was long silence, until
Alexander broke it.
''Well?'~
Herrick shook himself out of his dream.
1T meant so much to me, who had so
long been homeless-our little home SO l
had bought 1t without her knowledge and
had waited until we should be alone to
tell her of it-and then-then before l could
say word of all that was in my heart,
she asked a question-this question, When
we rich will you get me diamond
necklace Bob?
"It wasn't what I had expected. Alex.
Perhaps that will explain all that followed.
/ answered sharply that l didn't know that
she cared for such things. and that l
thought it unjust that she should complain
when she knew l was poor. Oh, said
all of the fool things, Alexander, that a
man says when he is tired and diSappoint-
ed, and has been dragged out to a social
function that he hates. And all the time
she looked at me with her big eyes, and
said over and over again, L didn't mean
that, Bob, you know / didn't mean that
But she couldn't explain what she did
mean, and before We knew 1t we were in
a hot quarrel, and we both said things that
stung-stung like thorns."
He paced back and forth eXcitedly.
"Sit down." commanded Alexander again.
II will not listen to a man who acts like
wild beast"
Herrick flung himself beside him.
Somehow we could never straighten II
out-that quarrel of a poor man and poor
woman over a necklace which was only
hypothesis. On. it was absurd, but now
know why the divorce courts are full-1t
is the little things. She was disillusioned
and l knew it; l was disappointed, and she
knew it.
cat last one evening in the late spring
she came to me with white face and told
me that her people were going to spend
few months at their country home. She
would like to go with them, she faltered-
they had asked her. Then l whirled around
on her.
You want to leave me?' I asked.
Just for a little WHILE, she pleaded.
can't stand this, Bob
''If had only tried TO keep her then, AL
exander, but l just stood still and looked
at her 1t took the life right out of me
to know that she wanted to go-wanted 10
go away from me. I dragged out my check
book and wrote a check and handed it to
her, and then she flared up.
"'Oh, l don't want your money, Fob.
How dare your And then she went away
and left me dazed.'
plainly visible, she ploughed across the
sunset. AT her stern was golden wake,
while her bow cut into the gray of dark
ening waters. The wharf was beginning
to take little activities of preparation.
half dozen negroes sauntered up, the
lights of vehicles showed on the road from
Tampa, and smart little groups of people
gathered, their Christmas greetings sound
ing unreal and theatrical in the tropical
twilight.
Herrick lowered his voice.
well, l let her go and she stayed all the
summer, and then in the fall they all went
to Havana, and not once did she send for
me. And then l began to see that there
was only one thing to do to win her par
don-and that was to buy her a diamond
necklace. l sold the little house, and l
worked hard, and have it--not such one
as that blonde creature wore, but still a
necklace. + was going to send it to her,
but heard in a roundabout way that they
were coming home on this boat and so I
came to meet it,
DO you think she will make up?''
Il don't know. 1 only know that I want
to see her-that I shall never let her go
again If she comes"
The outline of the ship was almost lost