The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1906-07-20
NOT ON THE MENU
BY W. B. Keller


tlnued hum and murmur Of Of CO.. CO..
pitched voices, all the interm,.IDo'9g'
sounds of the restaurant q sn u,laa0le
ed him. but he sat quite s, iir'Oaat
his chin resting in his hands ' s,, With
at the empty chair opposite t s,a'llg
The sight of pretty womo. " aln.
groomed men, all the bright W., neII'
scene around him did not enti emit n,e!
from his reverie even for n lia
At last Travers nervousIv S,1
the cup to the last drop, and + th
YEARLY passing his hand acro.s 'usa
forehead, he assumed his form n1s a'
titude. Dreamily he fixed his sra, a.
the chair, and then began ta,l iss 10
sort of breathless whisper as :,
some one seated therein: " "
Mamie, Mamie it's so goo5
see you again. Let's see. it,S Nv. "
three years, almost, since that ' ~,
time when-but we won't tbin,.
that now, we'll just be hanny rn
me, is your life happy, is he goot y. !.
YOU? If he isn't-Oh, If I had o,,
cared less what people might CIV !,
l could have forgotten my misar.k''
pride we'd run off some place AVN
been married in spite of your un% nd.
and his money, wouldn't We? W.
| know"
After a time, Trayers knew ro
how long, he pulled himself toga-ba.
and looked up. He glanced at wb,,
had been the empty chair, rbbsi
his eyes and looked again. A girl IN
q light opera cloak smiled across .,
him.
Yes, Bobbie, I'm real" Then
enxiously, as he continued rigidlr
staring at her, "Bobbie, don't vor
know me?"
Travers had become very pale He
sat, tensely grasping the arms Of his
chair, mutely drinking In the pictun
before him.
He half rose out of his chair and
crushing both her hands in n,
raised them almost to his lips, then
realizing that many curious glances
were being cast in their direction. he
released her and sank back
DO you know, l. he began.
hesitatingly.
"Yes?" she murmured, leaning
forward, her eyes never leaving bis
face, you were saying?'
DO you know, l was just thinking
of you-wondering where You were,
what you were doing, whether-you
we're happy or not; tell me, YOU are
happy with him, are You uot?"
with him, With whom?"
"Why, your-husband."
MY husband! l have no-why,
Bobbie, Pm not married.
YOU'RE - not - married But
Saunders, what about Saunders!
You know, after I left thought YOU
would"
Yes, yes, l know YOU thought
you thought - oh, Bobbie, you
thought too much-you had no righ
to think that | would marry him
You thought you would so away ant
let me enjoy my uncles bounty, bu
you had no right to think that
wanted"
But Nan, l did it for the best
don't you see?"
She stopped and drew back, erin
sOning, the tears creeping into he
voice and her eyes.
1t was now Travers turn to lea
forward. Tremblingly he reache
into his breast and pulled forth
tiny lace handkerchief, crumpled an
dark with pocket CRIME UnfoIdiT
it, he spread it out before her
why, that's NINE" she quayere
IT'S the one you stole from me
the Martin dance and then wouldr
give back"
Yes, that's it. And I've kept
with me ever always. But
thought striking him. "Yo
mother?"
At this she seemed suddenly to
member her position. Sitting a S
she caught at her cloak, and, hast
rising, looked across the roo
Travers reached over and gen
pushed her down.
/ You're not going just yet
said, quietly, mot for ali the moth'
in the world"
81 don't know why | came o'
here, Bobbie," she murmured, Il
vously twisting tie handkerch
around her finger Mr.. Saund
took me to a table over there
then went out to look for motn
who was coming behind with
Burdick; and when | looked arou
and saw you | was so glad dld
J even stop to think, but just
"Saunders!" he interrupted rou
ly, 81 thought"
Yes" she said hurriedly'
never seems to give up. It's lmI
sible to make him understand I
we can only be friends, and mot
won't understand. Closing her e
YEARLY Between them both !
most go crazy sometimes"
Hang Saunders and his WI
crowd" he choked out, grasping
hands and kissing them again
again, this time utterly obliViou'
his surroundings. 81 lost you Oh
three years ago, Nan Weather
but, by heaven, I'm not going TO
you now. Listen to me
"Oh, Bobbie," she gasped' e''
body's looking at u.s."
Never mind that" he smiled
holding her. THE Reverend Cha
McCracken lives just around the
ner from here, and he is Z