Monroe City Democrat. (Monroe City, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1912-07-18

al lued SLdTLleu me.
"Oh I say, you mean-er-P. D. q.
-eh, Wilkes?" 1t sounded like Jack!
But he seemed sure he didn't; in
sisted on @. E d. When he had with
drawn, l sat there a moment, swal-
lowing hard. By Joye, when a chap
has had the hardest blow OF his life,
and that, too, from his best friend,
it's devilish hard to come up smiling.
Presently l pulled myself together.
Jenkins. as he helped me dress, eyed
me in frightened way, his face kind
of pale and greenish. Neither Of US
said word, but l knew l had his
sympathy, poor fellow-and It helped!
Then, with the parcel in my hand,
marched slowly down the stairs, for
getting even some instructions
should have given jenkins.
She was there in the living-room--
she and the trump. And when saw
her dear face and realized what dis
aster had come between us, felt
things whirling around me like a Jolly
whats-its-name and dropped my hand
on a chair-back hard, until | could
stifFen and smile up. But, by Jove,
she was on!
rs anything the matter Mr.. Light
nut?" she asked, coming toward me
and how kindly, almost tenderly, her
sweet face softened!
rs it anything about Jacky?" snap
ped the trump.
I shook my head and just gently
placed the little wrapped parcel in
Frances hands. My hand shook SO
almost dropped it.
"Some-something OF yours that was
lost" l said, and l knew my voice
shook a little, too. II was fortunate
in recovering it." l looked at her
for the last time, knew-and it was
just my devilish luck that she got
misty and dim l whispered hoarsely:
open when you are alone"
And then / walked straight out OF
the house!
A gardener directed me to the park
gates, but there were SO many dashed
curves and terraces l got hopelessly
twisted, and pretty soon didn't know
whether l was leaving or coming,
don't you know. l sat down on an iron
bench to think it over, and, by Jove.
I must have dozed OF, for the first
thing knew some one yelled my
name, and l looked up to see-Bill-
ings!
He was looking bit soiled and dis
heveled, and his eyes had a haunted
look.
What the devil are you doing, sit.
ting here?" he demanded.
Tin going" said. hurriedly get
ting to my feet. Just rssting-I--
They told me I would md you
here he said. Here you are, sit,
ting out here In the hot sun without
any hat! Good thing. Dtcky, you
haven't got any-h'm!" Then he
painted at me: Say, nice way you
and nay sister treated mel don't
think! But I'll forgive you this time"
Here he linked his arm in mine. III
forgive you, If you never say any.
thing at the club about those damned
black pAjamas-nor in the family,
either. Great Scott! wouldn't have
this get outi"
y wouldn't think OF such q thing!"
I exclaimed, immeasursbly relieved,
but indignant. a. well. He led mo
across the turf.
"Oh. I've had An awful time, Dtckyl
Awful!"-hs lifted his hands--"Oh, !
don't want to tell you about i'll don't
want even to think about It myself"
nnurmured something sympathetic,
for felt sympathetic with anything;
besides, there still fingered a bit OF
headache from the Heidelberg punch
and could imagine from that what
his feelings must have been.
by George. Dicky," he burst out
again, the way I've been shut up and
treated Just seems like some Internal
conspiracy. Good thing Jack ELS
worth's dad had pull with the mayor
tell you all the whole rotten BUSH
ness when can talk about 1t quietly"
That's right! that's right" said
soothingly, wouldn't think about 1t at
all now, old chap" No use remind
ing him, you know, that he had shut
himself up. Besides. the wandering
OF his mind to Jack Ellsworth and his
father showed me that even yet he
was not quite himself.
Billings mopped his forehead. my.
but It was hot in that holel" he ex-
claimed. And that reminds me-
have you seen the governor this morn
ing? No? Well. talk about hotI
George. but the old man was hot I'M
der the collar when saw him just
now! And he looks like he had been
dropped from a shot tower! It's this
casa has vnrktn0 On I a1,aaa or alaa