The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1912-10-13

enthusiastically, and they walked on
in silence.
Haven't you got a word to say to a
fellow7" he presently demanded, somewhat
huskily.
"What about7" she parted, looking
straight before her.
"Wen, about anything u.s." He
leaned toward her, trying to read her face.
She shook her head. "No, haven't got
anything to say. guess we said it, didn't
we7"
Her cool voice chilled his conciliatory
mood. eve said lot of things. But
we was mad then. thought maybe-wel,
sometimes folks change their minds"
"Tm real sorry, Elmer, truly am. But
what's the use going all over it again1 No,
/ haven't changed nay mind"
1T might have known it, he cried BIT
terly. "And saved myself this bother. /
don't see what's got into you, Jerry!"
They stopped at her doorstep now, and
Jerry sighed YEARLY.
"You better take Alice to the dance next
week, Elmer" she suggested with gentle
fnality.
At this his anger burst forth. "I win if
I want toll This time it is off for good.
I'm sorry troubled you again, Miss Sears.
Goodnight" He lifted his hat with
elaborate courtesy and once more walked
rapidly and angrily away from her.
Jerry sighed again. Goodnight, FL
mer," she said sadly. If his heart ached
as hers did sometimes, she was indeed truly
sorry.
She was quiet girl whose pleasures had
always been few, and these few had been
taken in the company OF Elmer. So it was
the going she missed now, not Elmer. She
knew that he was gallant to Alice Dietz
tonight and no atom of jealousy woke IN
her. Which was proof positive Of Elmer's
absolute reinforcement.
But tonight, she could not read, she
could not sit still, the necessity for action
of some sort drove her beyond her power
to resist. Suddenly she sprang to her feet
and began to put on hat and coat. Her
mother looked up questioningly.
where you going, Jerry9"
ooh, anywhere" said the girl, "just out.
won't be gone long, mother. I'll just go
round the block to get some fresh air."
Perhaps from force of habit she boarded
a downtown car, and left it at Hathaway
& Eaton's corner, without definite purpose.
1t had been raining and the wet pavements
shone in the reflected light from street
lamps and show-windows. A fresh wind
blew in her face. It came to her suddenly
that never again could she see nights like
this without thinking of-the one man.
People hurried by, jostled her or passed
her unseeingly, and though some of the
CD taI
molested her. She wondered if all these
people carried in their hearts some one
wish above all the rest, something trivial
or mighty, something tender or passionate,
something wistful or fierce, that the very
desire of their souls was set upon.
Jerry was used to the streets, used to
going alone wherever she wished to go, but
tonight she felt her aloneness and was
saddened by it, Music from big cafe
came to her ears, melody at once light
and dreamy, merry and alluring. Auto
mobiles lined the curb before the entrance.
A man crossed the sidewalk from the
cafe to one of the cars. He took some
thing from it and started back just as
Jerry passed. It was he. He hesitated,
half-stopped, some swift, wordless message
again leaped from his eyes to hers; his
hand few to his cap and took it off. Jerry
was past. In his other hand he carried a
lady's scarf.
The girl hurried on, breathless. He had
not forgotten-he had lifted his hat; yet
there had been nothing insolent in his
manner, no reminder that their eyes had
met before. Thank Heaven at least for that.
For a few moments she felt as if some
miracle had befallen her, then the exalta-
ton slowly fell from her. After all it was
not so much happiness to see him going to
supper with another wonlan-that was
what the scarf meant, of course. And
what had she expected That he, rich and
courted, was incoming about the streets as
she herself was, thinking of a shabby little
shop-girl with big eyes and cleft chin5
No, men were not like that-and she was
a fool to dream it.
She went straight home, no longer ex-
cited, no longer restless nor reckless; to be
sure something had happened-and she
was sobered by it, not elated.
Starting to work little earlier than usual
the next morning, she was lucky enough to
get a seat. The man sitting next to her
was reading morning paper, having it SO
spread out before her that she could hardly
avoid reading the headlines herself.
PoMEROY PERE PROTESTS
The name instantly claimed her atten-
ton. By turning her head little, she
could easily read the article, which was OF