The San Francisco call., 1910-10-30

good here; she must have been mis-
taken, even in the man she loved
She turned to go to the street, her
hand relaxing from Arnold's arm.
Come, We'll have supper he said
starting from his abstraction. But she
drew away as he opened the great door
of bronze and glass where the uni
formed attendant beyond had stared at
them curiously,
mo, no" she faltered, and then
looked at him. her gray eyes big with
reSolution-"no, / can't go there-I
must go somewhere, but not there!7
Arnold bent anxiously to her; the
slang and uncaring ease OF the street
had left him. Sylvia, what's the mat
ter? are you sick-you didn't tell
She caught at the pretext: Yes let's
goAI-"
The young mans arm went about
her; he was murInuring his solicitude,
asking what he might do--couldn't he
get something Tt a drug store
wouldn't she be better IL she ate bit?
II shouldn't have brought you down
town!" he exclaimed. II never thought
among these people-this-" He
stared in self-reproach at her. You
know, Kid, I'm pretty callous; I have
no business with girl like you. Let's
go where you can sit down.
Again he bent to her with his intent
care, and she smiled now to relieve his
trouble. Yes that was his old look
his gentle way of doing things, OF car
ing for her as one would a child-no.
she couldn't doubt him. The city, the
whole round world, might spin drunken
with evil and crash down in shame, but
not he--he was her knight. without
fear or reproach, the fellow of mar
velous adventures. She had his picture
SO, a 1.-THE soldier of the cavalry. bear
ing the silken guidon fthis troop.
Suddenly she laughed, brushing her
hot tears away. "Oh, come" she cried,
lets go home--home, and just be glad
--glad-always.
And In her eyes he saw a light burn
something more than he had ever come
upon, and was strangely mute when
they reached his lodgings above the
family liquor store.
II wish Miss Cranberry was up" he
said. "I ought to have explained about
you. You'll have my rooms tonight
the best in the house. Now, you go
right to bed Tomorrow We'll be mar
ried"
They were in the warm scented room
and he was searching for match in
the dark when the girl put her arms
around his neck.
John" she whispered, "are you al
ways going to love me?'
Always.
They were silent for time. then he
muttered: Sylvia, you'll overlook a
lot, won't you? If l was in trouble
lots of trouble-and men blackened my
name and proved me liar and tried
to prove me a thief-a thief-would
you love me-always, always?"
Always she answered. And light
ing the gas as she chung to him he saw
in the mirror, her white arms about his
neck and her clear, honest eyes on him
in the shade of the little blue hat from
Trinity
"Oh, Kid he broke out suddenly,
you're fine and true, and look what
the towns made of me- You don't
know--you don't know"
He carried her to a chair and kneel-
ing began unlacing her wet shoe.
Kid, I'm not decent-Im a crook
There's not good woman in San Fran
cisco would have me at her home.''
II don't believe it, she said Slowly.
He was feeling the dampness of her
stockinged foot.
DO you know, when | wrote you to
come to the city, Sylvia, I didn't sup
pose you'd do IT. I didn't think you'd
trust me. 1t bewildered me when l got
the telegram that you had sailed"
why, that's funny--it was Just as
naturali Don YOU know why + did IN