Casco Bay breeze. [volume] (South Harpswell, Me.) 1901-1917, 1906-08-16
In Angels Uniform.

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Home-and Lottie! Dan Joyce
that staring man with the haggard,
boyish face. at whom the other pas
sengers had glanced so often, gripped
his teeth to keep back a shout-or a
sob. Home! For him. the gap in
those white cliffs looked ike the
gate Of paradise. Dear England
after two and half years in the
Australian husband! London, and
then-his precious Lottie. waiting for
him all these dull months.
He would catch the pale, slight
hsure by surprise in his strong brown
arms, and tell her that love alone
had drawn him back six months be-
fore his allotted time. and how II had
secretly almost broken his h cart to
leave her to her lonely nurses rou-
tine. with only his old chum Ferrars
to watch from a distance that no
harm befel her. Only his love-not
because of that incredible letter that
had reached him in the wilds two
months ago,
He was clutching 1t now. He
would tear ii up and throw the pieces
at her feet. Her tired eyes would all
and brim over; she would sob out on
his shoulder that she had written II
on a wild. inexplicable impulse, when
the loneliness Of life seemed too
heavy to bear. Yes! He had not
once doubted it. His quiet, trusting
Lottie,
No. there was some strange mis-
faka that W. ho fal
moment. Ferrars would have whis-
pered the word of comfort for him!
Ferrars, the actor, was the one man
living whom he had cared to trust
with his hearts deepest longing. For
that last brief letter that her fingers
had penned had been one to crush
and brutalize any man not SO sure Of
the woman be had asked to wait!
y "My Dear Mr.. JOYCE shall not
be able to write again. You will
think 1t hard, for a time. maybe, but
You would think still less of me as a
woman IL let you go on hoping and
looking forward. Against my will
my feelings have gradually changed.
1 shall only ask you, as man, not t.
cause unnecessary pain by ever try
ing to see me again. I hold you to
that. Good-bye.-Lottie Haynes"
Oh, to see her lips CULVER close to
his own again.-to kiss away all the
haze of misunderstanding! "Lottie!
Iottie." he was whispering to him
Self all the way.
London-Amies street.-the house
itself-at last! One minute more.
1t passed. He was turning
away, quite steadily, but with a queer
pallor under his tan. Miss Haynes
was gone away to some hospital, they
told him, staring curiously; that was
all they knew. Lottie had promised
never to give up that room OF hers
until he came to take her from 1t as
his dear wife. She had gone, leaving
no clew.
Ten minutes more and he had rung
the same old bell. ooh, yes, Mr.. Fer
rars is still with us, We knew he
expected some friends, but he is not
at home yet She hesitated.
"Thanks-thanks! Archie won't
mind me waiting!" he said, clearing
his husky throat. And he found him.
self going dazedly up the stairs.
An then presently he drew in his
breath sharply. A sudden buzz of
voices below; men laughing and chat
tering. Now they were coming up
Archie leaping on ahead. He could
pick out the old careless, rich voice
sands. Then suddenly the door was
pushed back and Ferrars stood there.
Ferrars, not changed an atom!-the
old smile on his dark. keen, good
looking face.
1t died out. Dan Joyce had
sprung, his hand out, that husky
'Archie, old fellow" warm and bro
ken on his lips. But that was all.
In the dying light all the blood had
seemed to drain from Ferrars' face
and left II gray; hestood like a thing
of stone. For a full minute, while
that muffied laughter came in from
the next room, life seemed to have no
meaning, and then Ferrars had closed
the door and held IT fast.
YOU" he strained out. "You
here-back in England! What
I'm. sorry," Dan whispered. 81
never meant to give you that shock
Archie, she - she's gone! Gone,'
His voice broke, he reached out
again. gropingly.
Ian! thought of you as thou.
sands of miles away, and-to see you
standing in my room!" The hand
fell away. He stood back as II
scarcely breathing, his face turned.
Where Is she?" Dan asked
thickly. II came-I came home be.
cause I couldn't live longer without
her. Tell me that, IL you know, and
Ill go. Where's my Lottie?"
II do know" He had tiptoed tc
the door and clicked the key. When
he turned there was sweat on his
forehead, as after a great mental
ordeal. pan. do know-and CAM
f. help you. Now you know why
have not written lately-I could not
heard-I heard there was another
man What could I do when she