The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1910-04-25

within miles!
 There would be only one resource
 and that was practically no resource
 at all was probably out of the ques-
 tion, for it meant the taking of the girl through the lines of the distant
 military camp and the procuring o1
 shelter of some sort for Ser there.-
 The door. finally opened. Gilbert l awaited tensely the answer. The 1 planter again appeared.
 "Come on in,'' he snapped. Come in and explain to my wife, and if you can satisfy her that you're all right you can leave the young person here
 for the night.'
 With sigh of relief at the. glimmer
 of hope held out to him Gilbert half l carried his charge across the threshold 1 and into the living room of the plant 1 CTS house.
 He explained that the girl had stray l ed into the woods in search of wild l flowers, had lost her way, that he had l fortunately come across her and had 1 guided her to the planters house, from i whence she could return home in the
 moTning.
 No; he had had no opportunity to take her to her own home, because l the distance was very great and he was compelled to join his soldier com
 rades or else prove disobedient to his
 superior off1cer-something he would
 under no circumstances do. The planters mate surveyed them
 both with keenly penetrating eyes. Perhaps she guessed that the hand some soldier lad had not told her all
 of his story or very much Of the truth
 of the situation.
 | Torf1o Taef. ba knovv ff1 7f fhn hovvfIdoYs. l ed gaze of the wearied young girl as I she listened to her companions story revealed it to be pure and, so far as she was concerned, an entirely un- necessary fabrication.
 Perhaps the kindly woman knew in- tuitively that before her were two hearts that throbbed solely for one an- other, and she questioned not the story.
 She gave them food ard drink, and when it came time for the soldier to face the long tramp to his camp she withdrew quietly from the room, leav1 ing them to bid each other farewell.
 "Do not leave me; do not go,'' the girl pleaded with Gilbert. .You must never be away from me again, and"- her voice quavered-ssthey will shoot you-you will be killed"
 Her eyes filled with tears as she c1ung to him.
 sNo, no; it is a soldiers duty to brave unhinchingly whatever danger may occur. My country has called me, and I must respond. Besides, dear one, there is no danger. Those red coats don't know the country. They stand up in line in the open, while we shoot them from behind trees and from ditches where we lie concealed"
 She shuddered at his description of the horrible thing which she vaguely understood to be war. A strange, ter rified look came into her eyes.
 'sYou say what is mot so,'' she fut- tered. There is danger. You will be killed feel it; know it. I can see you now''-her eyes closed, and she cIutched his arm with both her tiny hands-s.I can see you now lying be- side a rock; there is a hole in your forehead; there is blood on your face, Gilbert, and lying all around you are men whose arms and legs are gone.'' She reeled away from him and sway ed backward. He sprang. to her and saved her from falling.
 f'Yes,'' she went on prophetical1y, ! her voice rising-'yes, Gilbert-my Gil bertrand I can see the man who killed you. There he is crouching over there" She pointed hysterically before her. "He is laughing and loading his gun, and his face-oh, his face is the face of Raoul de va1ettev'
 As she cried out these last words her voice broke into a despairing wall, and she fen forward Imply in her lovers arms. She was UT conscious.
 The planter and his wife responded to the lads frantic calls. and they carried the precious form up into bedroom. where. the woman applied restoratives. When Madeleine finally opened her eyes and looked about her word was sent to the anxious soldier waiting below.
 ''You had better go now. She is all right advised the planter. ssShe will be taken home in the morning. If you go near her again she will only faint again. so my old woman says"
 Gilbert Steele took up his hat and, | with a heart overwhelmed with sad l ness, plunged desperately out into the 1 darkness.
 A vague. intangible sense Of impend- | ing doom smote him. He fought it off l manfuIly, but it would not down. The | girls words, her manner, her closed eyes thGt saa0 as she warned him of his | fate, made him tremble for the mor- row.
 Gilbert Steele was not coward | Yet for the first time in his. life hest was possessed by physical fear. In his elementary young life he had not been accustomed to analysing his feel ings or his emotions. Events had come too quickly to permit him to dis cover that there was such a form Of self examination as psychology. Had he known something about this in-sE irrespective as we'll as protective sci ence he would have been able to com fort himself with the reflection that the unnerving fear that threatened to master him was solely the result of