New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-07-28
MARK


what happened to your father" asked
rrScilla' and her face twisted with pity at
the thought
He shot himself said Mark quietly.
NO! hamed the girl. "Nol How could
he be 50 cruel"
"Oh, he asked me first, YOU see. He stood
1t for long time; but could see. I'd come
| on him sometimes with his head bent little
as though he were listening and knew
that he was listening to hear Felicity laugh.
One night-it was awfullv late; bm, /
couldn't 60 to sleep. because | could hear
him below in the gardcn-hc came to my
door and knocked. He said, Are YOU awake,
Galahad: He and Felicity used to call me
| Galahad- just for a Joke. YOU know: Gala
had was such wonder! And said yes. He
SAID May | come in:' And said, WHY. Of
course SO ne came in, and stood looking
at me with queer little smile.
After awhile he said, Mark, what would
YOU do if went away?' didn't understand
at first: think was a little sleepy. SO
Just echoed Away? And Sire said very
quietly, | mean to Felicity, Mark. Then
| knew | said. Wait a minute-ct me
think. | thought of Felicity, with the fine
gold harp they'd given her, who couldn't
sing because Sire wasn't thcrc-Fclcitv.
dumb amid all the Choiring chcrubim and
craphim-FehCity, who would be fright
encd in Heaven without Sire. SO | said, i
think you'd better 60. because Felicity will
be lonely And he took a long breath and
said Thank YOU Then he went to the
door; but when he had his hand on the knob
he turned and came back. Are YOU sure YOU
will be all right; he asked. said, Rather,
You mustn't worry about me, YOU know.
He put both hands on my shoulders and
looked at mc-oh, for ages. could hear our
hearts beating. Then he said. Felicity
she'll be 50 proud Of YOU when | tell her,
Goodnight. my Galahad Sleep sweet!
And-he kissed me. He never had before.
He went ont and shut the door quite quietly,
and then | could hear the outer door close,
and his feet going down the path.
Then ! was afraid was awfully afraid.
| went over and knct by the window and
watched the stars 60 out, one by one, little
bright candles, Snuffcd out 10y Someone's
hand There were only three lcft-only TWO
the last star had gone. The sky was that
queer green that i gets sometimes in the
early morning and after awhile II began 10
get a little saffron round the edges; and
then, quite suddenly, almost rs though II
had jumped at me, the sun came up. The
sun. Priscilla, laughed out loud for sheer
relief Now he'll come back thought
It's morning: 50 he'll come back III tell
him that can't bear II Just yet that Felicity
won't mind waiting a little; that
And then heard shot, far of i'll the
garden and another shot, and then 1t
was al quite still again, and knew that he
had found Felicity. y clock struck some
where FIVE times, and put on my clothes
and went down into the garden. The birds
were beginning to sing, and the roses were
all covered with dew. They were red, like
blood; but they smiled 50 sweet, SO sweet
Don't" cried Priscilla, and She threw out
her hands with a passionate little gesture OF
protest. "To die with the sun on the roses
oh. HORRIBLE
what S bullet or two through the heart,
if its broken" said Mark. 81 didn't mind
the red roses: it was the dead ones He
broke of with a little shivcr, his eyes dutcn-
ing. Then with a sudden bound he was on
his feet, more radiant and more carctrcc than
that Hcrmcs whom he rcScmblcd. Lets
laugh he cried rccklcssly. Laugh PRS
ella, We gods, what a day! Did brighten
YOU, Don't mind so much-though love
YOU for mnding.
PRISCILLA sprang sharply to her feet.