The St. Mary banner. (Franklin, Parish of St. Mary, La.) 1889-1931, 1907-01-05

caution was unnecessary, her voice.
her eyes had given him the cue-the
tourney was to be undertaken in the
distant future, life VAS delicious, and
they were out to enjoy themselves.
He had proposed dining at ArmenOn-
villc-it wasn't the Paris that she had
known but champagne and fashion
seemed the right thing tonight: and
no farce had ever sped so blithely
before. never had onther girl been
such joyous company. After dinner,
the Ambassadeurs: The programme?
They didn't listen to much OF it. they
were chattering all the time. 1t was
only when the lamps died out that he
heard a sigh: it was only when the
lamps died out that the morning train
and the goodby. and the blank begin
ming OF the afterward, seemed to him
so horribly near
The little salon was dark when they
reached the pension: everybody else
had gone to bed Wendover turned
up the light. and. though she said it
was too late to sit down. they stood
talking by the mantelpiece. You've
given me a heavenly memory for the
end" she told nim Thanks SO much.
shall be thinking of it at this time
tomorrow"
so shall l." said Wendover.
She took off her hat, and pulled her
hair right before the mirror. Shall
you?"
Will you write to me?' -
Eyes, if you'd like me to-
I'D more than like it, IL shall
look forward to your letters tremen-
dously.".
There won't be much to say in
them
They'll be from you. wish
you weren't going"
She raised her eyes to him. "Why?"
she asked.
Wendover kept silent a moment
it was the hardest thing that he had
done in his life. If he answered, BE
cause l love you" he felt that he
would be a cad. Besides. she must
know very well that he loved her
what good would it do to tell herr
doubtless she had repented her ques-
ton in the moment of putting it. Yes,
he would be cad to confess to her,
and she would think less of him for
it, He would choose tine beau role
and she would always remember that,
when he might have spoilt their last
had been strong, heroic!
We've been such pals" he said.
That she mightn't underate the hero
ism, he turned aside. as the noble
fellow in books does when he is strug-
Cling.
Alter pause she murmured, IT.
time l said good night
Che went to him slowly and gave
him her hand. Her clasp was fer
vent-it was encouraging to feel that
she was grateful. Her gaze held him.
and her eyes were wide. dark. troubl-
ed; he was sure that she was sorry
for him.
Good night, my DEAR" said Wen
dover bravely.
And when he had watched her go
up the stairs-when she had turned.
with that look in her eyes again. and
turned away-he went back to the
salon and was wretched beyond words
1 to tell, for fool may love as deeply
as the wisest.
This was really their "goodby"-
in ho inc no Ioi r,,c
many, and he was not the only one
I. who drove to the station with her.
( When she had been gone between
! two and three weeks he received the
! promised letter. It told him little
| but that she was the new drawing
mistress; of her thoughts. her atti
tude toward her new life, it said moth
ing. He replied promptly, question
| ing her, but she wrote no more, anf
not the least Of his pain was the
thought that she had dismissed him
from her mind so easily.
He did not remain much longer in
the pension, it's associations hurt him
: too much. A sandy-haired girl. witt
no eyelasheS and red ears, occupied
RhOda's former seat at the table. aD(
the newcomers unconcerned posses
sion of it stabbed him at every meal
Having taken precautions against let
tiers for him going aatray, he returned
to the hotel, and tried to forget.
Nearly a year had gone by when HI
stood again on the deck Of a Channe
boat. He had not spared himself, ant
the novel was finished. and he wa
satisfied with it. but he was as mucl
in love as he had been on the morn
ing when he had watched a train steam
from the Care St Lazare. AS h,
paced the deck he thought Of Rhod;
all the time; it excited him that h
was going to England. he might chanc,