The Lexington intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1901-1949, 1907-01-19
For a Friend
BY GRANVILLE OSBORNE.

selected he settled into the chair by
her side with a little sigh.
"You're awfully good" he said.
''You may smoke, if you like" she
told him, coming forward and star
ing out over the rail.
Below them the town seemed
Stumbling headlong down the hillside
b the sea-a huddle of white and
aat-roofed houses, threaded by tor
tuous streets, like family illumin-
ated tunnels, with here and there
The shining dome of a mosque SWELL
ing upwards, like the half of a great
eggshell. Moonlight drenched it
AL, and far, far down the simmer
ing Atlantic swept in and broke
against the cliffs with a noise like
distant thunder.
Jack Benton's gaze, wandering
outward, surveyed the scene indif-
.ferently. 1t was very beautiful
yes, in an exotic way; but he was
weary with it all, and his heart faint
with hunger for home.
That was why he had weakened
at the eleventh hour and accepted
Doras invitation-because he had
been so long away from home, hear
ing never a word Of anyone he knew,
starving on the meager lines of
American news tucked away in the
corners Of continental newspapers.
/. But now that he had come, he hard
ly knew what to say-how to ask
her for word Of those whom he had
loved and lost.
She chose to break the silence with
a careless question:
"What vessel is that?"
Jack glanced down toward the
harbor. A fussy steamer was putting
in to its anchorage, like a fat, white
ghost with bright, staring eyes.
"It's the mail boat" he told her.
"She's in late. Tomorrow" he con-
tinued in a half whisper, "she'l be
going on to Gibraltar and connect
ng with the liner for homer'
EYES," said the girl, abstractedly,
and lapsed again into her silence 4;
for she was considering how she
might say to him that which she
longed to say.
"Now," said Jack, presently, with
out daring to look at the girl-whose
eyes never for an instant left his
She obeyed quietly, in a low Voice me
1t seemed a long. account, but Jack
dld not tire in the least. Only when
she paused for breath, he would nod
and say:
"Thank YOU. Please go on-un-
less you're tired"
Then he would listen ever more
%lntently, waiting, waiting for tbe
two names which were, after all. tbe
only ones he cared to hear about
But-perhaps Intentionally she
TAILED to mention them; and finally
ne had to ask, with an embarrassed
and apologize laugh:
"And-and Gwynne and Beth
somers? They're married lone
since, | suppose?"
No" she began, slowly.
Not married?"
"No. | didn't mention it. Jack
because r"
q Understandable thank Won.
But-not married! | must know,
Dora" N
"Tom Gwynne," she said, after a
pause, SIS dead"
Benton's cigarette fell whirlinp 70
the garden below the yeranda.
Dead" he whispered. incredu-
lousy Dead He drew a long
breath there seemed to be a haze be-.
lore his eyes And he forgot his
role. "Please," he cried. turning
to her-and the suffering in his ewes
wrung her heart-"pleas tell me-
Don't you see Pm tortured Doro
! know you only wish to spare me,
0ut-you see, there was a girl, and
and"
This makes it different" said the :
girl, quietly. "Now you can ask her }
Jack" She went on, while he lis Il,
tened, aghast at his slip. "Thats !
why | wanted to tell you-for the !
giris sake" She felt herself color .
lng to the eyes, but the shadows wore