The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1908-05-21
The Telegram.
By Hon. Mary Cavendish.

,l,es who was not 100 inuch uO-
sorbed in his game to find time 10
lance at the girl in white who sat
on the opposite side OF him. She
seemed to have a great deal to say TO
tbe man by her side. He looked like
a sailor. a man with keen, alert
tace and far-seeing eyes. They
,a,ted in low tones between the
nlays. The game went on.
"What a good camel" said one OF
the men, as they rose. He stiiled
yawn. looking at the clock.
eyes" replied the man with the
eyeglass, absently. Good game" He
was looking towards the girl and
fellow.
The hostess glanced suddenly at
the clock. MY dear people, she ex-
claimed, 'if any of us mean to hunt
tomorrow we ought to go to our lit
,le beds. had no idea II was so
late. George has probably gone to
sIeep In the smoking room. Evie are
Won bored to death playing cards?"
The girl in white smiled demure-
iv mo, thanks, dear" she replied
,,ettily. She did not look bored.
They moved into the hall, where
.here was a keen but silent competi-
.lon between the sailor and the man
with the eyeglass to light and hand
,be candles. Both turned at the
same moment to the girl In white.
Goodnight she said softly and
inpartlally to them both.
The two other men who had been
playing bridge had gone down tho
corridor to the smoking room aad
their host. A whistled chorus of
"Of course don't know, but |
guess," came back softly to the two
men left in the hail. The women's
voices sounded family upstairs, with
the soft rustic of their frocks. The
sailors eyes suddenly met those OF
:he other man, and he held out his
hand.
Goodnight, old man." he said:
"Vm going to turn in" He went up
stairs whistling.
In her own room the girl was
reading letter, long letter In a
feminine hand. She read and re-read
It. and then suddenly threw 1t into
the fire. The flames curled round
the sheet. Some words stood out
very distinctly.
". told me and OF course he
knows. It's quite private, and not to
be breathed word about, yet But
he said It's almost certain that"
the flames burned out the name
Twill get the money. And such a
pile! He Is to have wire to-mor-
row. Be sure and not breathe a
word" The letter burned up
quickly. A few gray ashes dropped
into the CRATE. Outside an owl hoot-
ed mournfully. The girl shivered.
looking nervously over her shoulder.
Three words still stood out distinctly
on the charred sheet: Such pile"
They all came in from hunting the
next evening" tired and pleased with
their day. There was the usual
search on the hall table for tele-
grams, or second-post letters. The
man with the eyeglass took up an
orange envelope. He looked his tall.
straight best In pink, mud-splashed
az ne was. He read the telegram,
and an eager light came into his
eyes. He gathered up his letters,
with one quick glance at the girl.
and went upstairs.
Come along, EVE, let's go and
change" said her hostess She linked
her arm in the girls, and they
walked together to the foot OF the
wide staircase. But she suddenly
remembered a message to be given,
and turned back into the hall again.
Only the sailor was there as she
passed through. He was gazing ct
the staircase which the girl was as
oendinS. At the top he paused,
stopped, and picked up something II
locked like an envelope. She passed
On to her room quickly. The sailors
straight brows were knit together.
tie sat on in the hall, staring into
the fire, until the girl came down
sgain. She held pile of letters In
her. hand and was going to the post
box. Something surely fluttered
from her fingers as sho passed him.
lie stopped and picked up an orange
envelope A name stood out legibly.
You dropped this?" he said In
'errogatively. She started, coloring
violently.
Il? Oh, no." He looked at her
Tor one puzzled moment, and her
eyes fell before his. She looked very
young and pretty. The sailor laid
ple telegram on the mantelpiece, be-
nihd the loud-ticking clock Then he
Uook the girls hand. But ! am
30 very sorry" she was saying. re-
gretrully, few moments later. The
soldier with the eyeglass was COM
ing downstairs, spick-and-span. and
well-brushed. The sailor left the
hall.
Ihey drank their health that
evening at dinner, and every one
SAID how pleased they were. The
sailor, too, though his congratula-
uons were brief. After dinner there