The San Francisco call., 1905-02-08
THEIR SCARLET THREAD

pedagogy, she described the meeting
to Minnie Brown. her chum, the nex1
morning somewhat after this fashion:
They didn't even see till / was
close to them; they were so interested
in each other. Her cheeks were all
pink; you know how lovely she looks
with the color shining through that
down on her face, and he was look
ing at her and his eyes were shining
with great happiness. Here Jennie
dropped dreamiIy into the words OF
her latest novel. And words of love
fell from his lips"
But how do you know-you didn't
hear them, did your demanded the
practical and unimaginative Minnie.
Hear them!" was Jennie's scornful
retort. There are some things you
don't have to hear to know them. I'll
bet you that he was proposing to her.
Just wait-and watch the third finger
Of her left hand"
But though they waited and
watched with a patience that deserved
reward, the tapering fingers of Ruth
Comyng's left hand remained un-
adorned Had they shown any sign
OF misunderstanding all might have
been forgiven; but. on the contrary.
they were apparently the best of
friends, and Minnie Brown formed a
mean habit, twitting Jennie like this:
Yes, that will happen just about the
time that ring appears on Miss Com
yng's left handi And poor Jennie
was forced to listen In silence, for had
she not asserted positively that words
of love were falling from his lips
She was conscious of fearful disap-
pointment with life, and she watched
this unaccountable hero and heroine
with bitter, resentful eyes.
Meantime the school year drew to-
ward its close and Cartright with a
dancing heart, saw his dream of two
years at Heidelberg about to mater
ialize into a real experience.
Think of it, he said to Miss
Comyng as they rowed upon the little
lake In the park one dusky spring
evening, "after June 1 8 I'm free. Then
no, for the Vaterlandi No more re-
fractory boys. no more pert, half
fiedged girls, no more tinkling of bells,
no more wasting of life and energy
On a life I'm utterly unfit for-no
more chalk, no more Latin
He paused abruptly as if some un-
expected thought had arrested him
and, trailing his oars, he looked curl
ously at her. She, too, appeared alb
stracted, but she aroused herself and
smiled, "Well?"
i've had an awful thought" he re-
me until this moment, but don't you
see-there'Il be no more you, either.
And I've got 500 accustomed to
you, you know!"
His face showed a puzzled amaze
ment that this should be SO; and the
girl opposite, seeing it, smiled invol-
UNFAIRLY. She, too, was a trifle bewil-
dered at a certain quick construction
Of the heart that his talk about going
abroad had given her. They had been
the very best of friends and compan-
ions, but was that any reason why she
should feel a quick, overwhelming
sense of desoIation at the mere men
ton of his going away?
Cartright rowed on absently-me-
chanically. Then, as the dusk melted
softly into darkness, he made for the
shore. The girl opposite him was a
mere blurred shadow. The boat poked
it's nose into the shore and he jumped
out. The action seemed to shake off
the benumbing amazement that had
fallen upon him and in its place came
great, glad certainty.
He held out his hand-two hands,
in fact-to help Miss Comyng ashore,
and as she put hers into them he
murmured: MY dear, my dear-it's
the scarlet thread after all!
Copyright, 1905, by T. c. McClure.)