Semi-weekly herald., 1911-07-24

ognized you at first sight. BY Heav-
ems! that was what made me so in
formally mad. the mulish obstinacy OF
the old fool. Your mother used to
come to the hospital tent, too; one
of the best nurses l ever saw. |
thought she WAS a beauty then, but
she's some older by this time" he
paused regretfully. you see. I'm no
spring chicken, myself"
Her eyes were upon his face,
slight flush showing in either check.
and she made no effort to withdraw
her imprisoned hand.
You are Just q nice age" with firm
conviction. Boys are tiresome, and
think little gray in the hair is an
improvement. Oh, you mustn't i'm
agine say this Just TO please you-I
have always thought 80, since-wsll
since ! grew up. Besides. heshy men
generally look young. because they
are 80 good natured, perhaps. How
old are you. Doctorr
''It isn't the gray hairs mind, eth
err" he admitted hesitatingly. but I'm
too darned bald-headed. Oh. | sin't
30 old. for l was only thirty-five when
the war broke out. was so thin
then | could hardly cast q shadow.
I've changed some since" casting his
eyes admiringly downward, "and got
quite a figure. I was forty-three last
month"
THAT isn't old: that's Just right"
"I'vs been afraid you looked on mo
AZ being an old fogy!"
81 should say not" Indignantly.
why should you ever think that?"
We'll. there were so many young
fellows hanging about"
"Who?"
"Oh, Keith. and Hawley, and that
bunch Of ofiicers from the fort; you
never had any time to give mo-"
She laughed again. her fingers tight
oning In their clasp on his hand
why. how foolish; Hawley is older
than you are. and was only playing
with Keith. Surely you must know
that now. And as to tho officers. they
were Just fun You sec. in my profes-
sion. one has to be awfully nice to
everybody"
But didn't you really caro- for Haw.
ley7" he insisted, bluntly probing for
facts.
"Hs-he interested me-" admitted
the girl, hesitaungly, her eyes dark
ening with sudden anger. "He lied
and | believed him-I would have be-
iievod any one who came with such a
story. oh, Or. Fairbain." and she
clung to him now eagerly, you can
not realize how hungry l have been
for what he brought me. | wanted so
to know the truth OF my birth. Oh, I
hated this nfei" She flung her dis
engaged hand into the air, with a ges-
turs expressive OF disgust II was
crazy TO get away from It, That was
what made the man look good to mo
-he-hc promised so much. You Will
believe me. won't your Oh. you must;
am going to make you. am q
singer In music halls; was brought
up to that life from little girl. and
of course, know what you Western
men think OF us as q class. Hawley
showed It In his whole manner to-
ward me, and resented It: Just for
that. deep down In my heart, hated
him. | know 1t now. now that | real
ly understand his purpose, but some
way. when | was with him ho seemed
to fascinatc mo, to make me do Just
as ho willed. But you have never
been that way; you-you have acted
as though I was somebody-somebody
nice. and not Just music-hall singer.
Perhaps it's Just your way. and may.
be. deep down you don't think I'm any
better than the other do. but-but
want you to think / am. and am
going to tell you the truth. and you
must believe mel am good girl"
Great God! OF course you are. =
he blurted out. Don't you suppose
l know7 That isn't what has been
bothering mo. lassie. Why. ia "a
fought any buck who'd "a sneered at
you. What I wanted TO know was.
whether or not you really cared for
any OF those DIFFERS. Can you tell me
that, ChristieT
She lifted her eycs to his face. her
lips parted.
i II can answer anything you ask.