Perth Amboy evening news., 1906-09-28
BY z. G. oiDLEY

iously moist-but what of that? 1t is
not every one who can afford to be
callous.
1T seems such a long time-three
years, JIM" the girl said again, and
there was a break in her voice.
"Goodby, Monica, my darling!"
A moment later, Monica Ward was
standing on an empty platform, with
an empty, aching heart.
A hand touched her shoulder.
Can | take you anywhere?" a pleas
ant, sympathetic voice said. 1t was
the lady in furs. Il always think the
first few moments are the worst-af-
terward-"
"~Afterward." repeated Monica in
dull tones.
ooh! afterward one gets accustomed
to it," returned the other lightly, land
one wonders why one felt so much.
Come, will you let me just drop you
anywhere?"
And for the next half hour Monica
bowled along In the lady's carriage,
behind a pair of prancing chestnut
horses.
She did not remember till she stood
once more in the little room, which
looked so deserted now that Jim had
gone, that she never found out the
name of her friend in need.
And the days slipped into weeks and
the weeks into months, and all the
while Jim Ward, in a distant country,
,.ya 4. +,ui-r IN oatrt thn fnrt1nn uyhinb
had failed to smile on him in Eng.
land.
Monica Ward, tall and slim, with
the pretty color coming and going in
her soft cheeks, stood once more on
the platform awaiting the train.
Was this Jim this man coming
toward her with Jim's face, and yet
not his face-with a rolling gait and
unsteady eyes?
She ~shuddered; her color forsook
her cheeks, her eyes looked frightened
her feet shook SO that she could
hardly stand.
After all, as the other woman had
said, one gets accustomed to it. Bet
ter-far better-if he had stayed away
altogether than return to her like this!
Involuntary she took a step back.
ward; the advancing man noticed it
and her.
my pretty dear!" he cried thickly
and Monica was just recoiling in
horror when a man laid his arm on
hers.
"Monica!" a well-known voice said.
She turned-Jim, the real Jim, was
standing behind her smiling and hold
ing out his hands.
"Monica!" he cried, "surely you
haven't forgotten me?"
And then, somehow or another, she
found herself in his arms-sobbing
and laughing in one breath out of
sheer joy and relief.
"That other mani" she cried a lit
tie incoherently, "he was so like you
that | thought it was you, jim
"Monica!" returned her husband re.
proachfully, and that other fellow
was drunk! Never mind, darling"
slipping her hand through his arm
come home-somebody has come to
claim Observation-Disclosures poor
devil of a somebody"
Monica looked half fearfully across
the platform. Not far away stood the
man she had mistaken for Jim, stand
ing surrounded by porters, and a small
crowd of gapers-a footman was urg-
ing, imploring. BY his side, bravely
rz-.-~ Alxo~z oil etnnH Cnnn ono whom
she recollected as in a dream.
"Afterward, one gets accustomed to
it."
All, she remembered. 1t was her
friend of that black day three years
ago. whom she had not seen since.
What chance-what irony of fate had
brought them together again.
"Jim,' she said, suddenly. THAT
man over there-he won't move-they
can't do anything with him. CAM
YOU. won't you, go over and see if you
can get him away from those gaping
crowds? That's his wife-she was
kind to me-the day you left. All!
Jim, If it had been you!"
Jim Ward needed no second bidding.
With a few steady strides he reached
the little group. The lady in furs was
pleading, scolding, threatening, but all
to no purpose.
What she could not accomplish,
| Jim's strong voice and steady author
itative manner did. In a few minutes
he had escorted the traveller to the
waiting carriage and left him there.
Monica stood just outside the door
and he linked her arm in his once
more as they walked to the cab.
"How could | have thought it was
you, JIM" she said in a softly happy
voice. I'm so glad-and yet-that
day, that miserable day. envied
her!"
They we're in the cab, and he tool
her in his arms and kissed her.
But you don't now?" he asked pas
sionately.
mo, | don't now" she answered II
tones of deep content; Il almost thinl
lit was worth letting you go-to have
you back again, Jim!'
=.