The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1909-04-29

take up with the cads they do I can't
understand"
The rest of the evening passed fairly
happily, but when Mia went to bed,
some of her fears returned. She lay
brooding in the silence and darkness,
vainly wishing that she could undo the
past, that Garth and Delorme had not
met.
"The day must come, sooner or LATER
when they will speak of me-"
She waited a minute, staring into the
darkness, picturing the scene that might
happen. The two men would be al one
together one night and get confidential
Garth would take her photograph out
the one in the little leather case which
she had told him he must keep in his
breast pocket-open it little shyly in
the way men have, and show it to De-
lorme as his betrothed wife. What
would Jack do when he saw it?
PART ii.
The expedition to Central Africa, of
which Garth Houghton had charge, had
come upon evil days. The greater part
of their stores had been stolen, their
carriers had deserted, and sickness and
death had logged their heels from the
time they started on the return journey
till now, when they were within few
days. march of the coast. The expedi-
ton had been so successful at first that
perhaps they had grown a little careless
and taken their good fortune too much
for granted. They had accomplished
Ia dn
labors had been richly rewarded. When
thew got home
"They'll be wondering what has be-
come of us at home," Garth said, pres
emily. 1--WE reckoned on reaching mis-
sionary station before this, and it's
months since we were able to get any
letters through
"That's one comfort in being unat-
tached. You're not worrying about any
body and nobody's worrying about you.
[ don't f1atter myself that anyone is
having sleepless nights Oh my account.
Of course" after a moment, sits differ
ent with YOU"
''Yes,' drawing a long breath, sit is.
| am sure neither she nor l would wish
it otherwise, whatever might be in store
for U.S. It's something to have met the
one woman in the world that matters"
cts great deal, said Delorme,
gravely.
IT wish you and she had met, then
you would understand better. It's not
only-or chiefy-that she's beautiful,
though she has the loveliest eyes / have
ever seen. Her thoughts go dancing
across them like shadows on a pool. I'm
getting poetical," with half shy laugh.
Delorme did not answer. He saw
those big, brown eyes again-how often
they had laughed up into his land his
wasted hand clenched under the sheet.
The end came to Jack Delormo very
suddenly, almost without warning He
had only time to give little cry which
Garth heard and came running ir. He
tried to speak-tried to tell the secret
he had kept so long, but it was too late,
death interviewed. "Dear old chap" he
said, "sorry-I-I'm going" And that
was all.
When Garth Houghton arrived in
England some weeks later, he was
startled at the change he found in his
betrothed She had suffered more than
he had, though in another way.
"Why," he said, as he held her close,
''you might have had all our hardships
by the look of You. What do you
mean-?"
It's been dreadful" she said, with a
shudder. "I've been through all your
horrors and worse I've imagined
things" She broke off and chung to
him. "But it's all rig mt now, we're 60
ing to be happy, aren't we? You won't
leave me any more, nothing shall ever
come between us. Promise! -Promise!
"Why, darling" as the tears rained
down her face, what is, it?-how you
are trembling! Of course, we're going
to be happy as the days long, what
should prevent us? l wish / could have
brought poor Jack back with me, but
otherwise"
"Yes-yes," she said, hastily, "that was
very sad, of course; but suppose it had
been you'll" She shuddered at the
thought. "Oh, it has been one long pen
ance. Don't you think have balanced
Che account, Garth ?-don't you think
may shut up the book ?''-Derek Vane in
Black and White.