Catoctin clarion., 1911-08-31


he'd come back to help yol take care
of me. He's grand, Man."
A choking sound came from the
girls throat: "Stop-stop. Chauncey!
Don't talk of leaving me- Don't talk
to me of Kemp Wardlaw or love or
happiness None of it is for me-none.
none. want you-yOu alone, my
brother. We have been SO happy to-
gether, Chauncey!
Have been, yes, Nan'-the sick man
forced laugh-"but husband in the
hands worth two brothers in the bed"
He had well nigh said grave, for his
vision of what was to be was clear.
er than hers, but he did not care to
infiict one unnecessary pang. Gone
TO sleep, Nan?"
"No, Chauncey; l am listening to
you."
"Well, then dear, when Kemp comes
back tonight, II he asks for an early
date, don't make any objections. Nan
for my sake. don't. Promise"
She sprang to her feet. II will prom
lse you anything, Chauncey, If you
will only 90 to sleep You are talking
too much entirely. am going to read
to you now"
In gently monotonOus voice she
read him into profound slumber.
What should she say to him when he
walked up and asked her If Kemp
Wardlaw had been there? He would
In thnf
not. A card was brought to Mile.
Zara's dressing room the next day
Just as cambridge was crossing the
narrow satin ribbons Of her sandals
about her sllken hose. She glanced at
the name and, contrary to her fixed
CUSTOM she said, admit him."
cambridge discreetly effaced herself
after admitting the stern faced man
who was the only member Of his sex
the dancer had ever admitted to her
presence Kemp Wardlaw was al
most as pale as the dancer when he
confronted her, standing with one
hand resting on the back Of the chair
prOffered him.
Il went to see you in your home
yesterday"
"Yes, l know" Defiance was the
role she hastily decided upon.
"Chauncey told me you were out
reading to paraiytic."
"Yes, know"
81 have come to ask you net to go
on today"
"And be sued for damages" she
laughed harshly.
"Do you like your calling?
"Why else should pursue it?'
"Why. indeed? For Chauncey tells
me the house keeps on with his salary,
rather good one. believe"
"Quite enough for us to live on"
she said, with queer smile and fash
Of defiance.
"Then you really do this because
you want to?"
"Why else? I've always known
I had more In my heels than In my
head
He looked at her steadily, sternly.
Was this the sweet shy Nancy Mid
dleton he had been loving with all his
heart since first he had gone home
with his chum to spend short holi-
day? He had never had but one OBJ
ject In his life since meeting her,
and that was to make her his Wife
when he should have firmly estab-
hshed himself as mechanical engi-
neer He had done that now, but where
was the girl he had loved and placed
on a high pedestal Of dignity and re-
finement? She was vaudeville
dancer and by choice. He frowned
down OH her.
"And nothing could say would
move you from your strange course"
Nothing" She smiled brilliantly up
into his somber face.
Then there is but one thing left for
me to ask Am l at liberty to visit
Chauncey at the hours you are reading
to the paralytic?" with curling lip.
Entirely. ! know he will be glad
to have you"
"And what am | to tell him about
you and me?"
THAT l leave to your imagination.
Listen-they are calling for me-"
With the grace of winged thing
she glided past Kemp Wardlaw, leav-
Ing him hot with humiliation and dis
appointment. He turned swiftly and
found his way to the street, What
should he tell Chauncey? 1t would
he easy enough to deceive blind man
confined to his bed But Kemp Ward
law hated deceit in any one of Its
manifold manifestations. But things
could not would not, go on this way
forever. Poor old Chauncey! He would
let him 60 to his grave believing In
Nancy and in him.
What he did say was:
"She won't hear to the subject be-
ing broached while you need her.
dear boy, and we may as well let her
have her way, as she is going to take
It anyhow. And the hours that she
is away will be the hours you will
need me most, so it's all arranged"
No; things did not go on forever.
They terminated with unexpected sud
depness. A hemorhage and-it was
all over. 1t came when Nan was
keeping her nightly vigil alone with
him. His last articulate words were
and a wan smile with them-"Now
Kemp will come into his reward"
When everything had been done that
the loving quick can do for the uncar-
. ing dead Kemp Wardlaw went back
to the fiat to see Nancy. She was not
there.
He went down to the chemical
works-an explosion in which had cost
his friend his life-to let them know