The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1906-07-12
Gerald's
Wlfe :ss!!.. boz e;
... FORESTER
Copyright, 1905, by Ruby Douglas

who lived in Ptneville proper were con-
tent to call It Pinevtlle. Gerald had
written that they DID not live In Pine
vile proper, but in Pineville-by-the-Sea,
otherwise Pineville improper.
All that Broderick saw were pines.
plenty Of them, a fat white ribbon Of
roadway and q bit Of postoface,
roughly shingied, In the midst Of the
nearest clump Of pines. he stepped
into the postonce as the central spot
Of civilization. Some one was stamp
ing letters behind the glass Enclosure,
girl with smooth dark hair. Beatrice
had smooth dark hair.
he watched the girl stamping letters
with interest and wondered why some
one did not ten her to wear her smooth
dark hair in two soft braids around her
head, crown fashion, as Beatrice did.
"Where do the Vaughans live,
please?' be asked finally, when the
stamping ceased.
"rhe vaughans? Oh, Mr. Gerald
VAUGHAN and bis wife? It's a brown
house down near the shore, with a
vide veranda and funny roof. About
a mile straight down the road"
A wide veranda and q funny roof.
That sounded Ike Gerald. He won
dered bow Gerald's wife liked IT. Bea-
trfce was artistic, but not artstcaly
eccentric. She had a horror OF things
odd. bizarre, 30 called bohemian, and
vet she had married Gerald. And Ger
AIDS brother knew that Gerald was
utterly odd, bizarre and bohemian 50
called.
he walked ON down the fat white
ribboned roadway and wondered
whether he would find her ike the
girls Gerald had always admired. A
lithesome, limp, blessed damozel type,
with close silky gowns and loose foppy
hair. Last summer she had not been
that type. He thought Of the trim girl
figure holding the rudder Of the Water
Lily that last day. She had been more
than the sort Of q girl to fall IN love
with. She had been good fellow,
stanch friend. And as be watched her
be had stopped rowing, and they bad
drifted slowly In the sunset glow toat
flooded the lake while he told her.
There had been no actual engage
ment. BE had nothing to reproach her
with. he had not been in a position to
ask her to be his wife then, but he had
thought girl like Beatrice had meant
more BY q Kiss, a hand clasp, few
vague words Of understanding, than
other girls. He had thought she might
wait until next summer. And now, IN
April, he had returned to New YORK
to learn that Gerald was In disgrace,
had married ON nothing, eloped to Pine
ville-by-the-sea, N. c, and his wife
was Beatrice Stafford.
Gerald's mother had said they were
penniless. Gerald's father had remark
ed that he didn't give a rap. They
could exist upon love and art
More or less for Beatrice's sake and
q little for Gerald's, Gerah's brother
had taken it upon himself to visit the
bridal couple and help Gerald Smoth-
ering his own love, he had made up his
mind that as long as Beatrice had
married a Vaughan she should not suf-
fer from it
There was no bell at the door Of the
little brown house with the funny roof.
It was merely a bungalow In weather
ed shingles, and he pounded on the
door Justify until It opened and Bea-
uice stood before him.
She was not the blessed damozel
type vet. Her smooth dark hair was
wound about her head In just the same
crown fashion, and she wore q short
dark blue linen skirt and white shirt
waist. The sleeves were rolled to her
elbows, and from her finger tips to el-
bow dimples there was dour sprinkled.
He had not expected to see her face
to face 20 soon or alone. Neither had
he expected her to act as she did. The
color rose In her cheeks, tipping even
her ears with pink. 1t was an old hao-
it. He remembered It
II thought you were in London" she
said.
you don't give fellow a very de-
cent welcome after he's Travelled from
London to this wilderness to say COD
CALCULATIONS"
He stepped into the hall after her:
She hesitated and laughed, looking at
her Toured hands.
Il can't shake hands with you, and
and the biscuits are In the oven. l
shall have to watch them. Do you
mind coming out to the kitchen"
He didn't mind. There appeared to
be only three rooms-the studio-sitttng
room, the dining room and the kitchen.
Collapsible ready-In-a-minute studio. d.
vans were in the sitting room and din
Ing room In lieu Of bedrooms. 1t was
all charmingly, most unoomfortably
odd. bizarre and bohemian.
.Where's Gerald?' he asked when he
had found q chair in the kitchen.
Beatrice knelt beside the stove to
look at the biscuit he could not see
her face.
"He went to the posto1ce for the