The Tupelo journal., 1912-06-14

oSSA W.
SO a thousand times. but now, that do
actually. with my own eyes, it's hard
to His voice broke there
There was q moment Of silence, then
he went on: You must try to for
give us, Cayley-me, In particular, for
I'm the one who needs 1t most. We
know the truth Of that old story now.
No, it wasn't Jeanne who told, 1t was
poor Hunter himself, in a letter. He
had written 1t long ago, and 1t was
among his papers want you to read
1t sometime. l think, perhaps, when
you do you will be able to forgive him,
too"
That's done already" said Philip.
No, not long ago-within the last few
hours. Come, shall we go back to the
fire? l suppose We had better wait
for another moonrise before we try to
get to the Aurora"
It was six months later, a blazing,
blue July day, when the gunboat York
town lifted North Head, the northern
portal Of the Golden Gate. Tom Fan
shaw and his father had gone to the
bridge, but Philip and Jeanne, the
other two passengers. remained un-
moved by the announcement, seated
as far aft as possible, the ensign, limp
In the following breeze, futtering just
over their heads.
Looking up, they saw one Of the
junior officers standing close beside
them. He was q dark-haired, dark
eyed, g~ood-looking youngster. whose
frank alteration of Jeanne ever since
they had come aboard had amused the
Fanshaws and secretly pleased and
touched Philip, although he pretended
to be amused. too.
"Oh, I'd be glad enough of q months
shore leave" he said, IF 1t weren't
this particular voyage. / meant 1t
dida't mean that We are going to lose
you"
She gave him a friendly little smile,
but made no other answer. He turned
to Philip.
"I1l have to confess" he said, ito
the rudest sort of inquisitive curiosity
about the strengthening bundle you
brought aboard with you from the
Aurora. 1t looks like some primitive
Eskimo's attempt to build a fying-ma'
chine"
1T is something like that" said
Philip. IF you'll have 1t brought VI
here on deck I'll open 1t out to you"
The young fellows pleasure was al
most boyish. "Tu have 1t brought 81
once" he said.
The breeze was straight behind
them and Just about strong enough te
compensate for the speed Of the YES
sci. and the air or deck was quite still
With the boys puzzled assists
ance Philip spread his wings fol-
the first time since that might
head to 90 in pursuit of Roscoe. The
recollection was almost painfully
vivid, and as he looked into Jeanne'l
face he saw the same memory mir
rored there.
But young Caldwell soon brough'
them back to the present He was NJ
longer embarrassed or shy, deferen
tial. Aerial navigation was, appar
emily. a subject he knew all about
He criticised the shape of the planes
the material they were made Of, tn
curve of this, the dip Of that-all Ii
the tone OF AN expert = and b!
way Of summing up, he said:
TITS rather pitiful, isn't it? In
way any primitive thing always Al
fects me-like old locomotives tho.
have in museums Somebody, prob
ably, believed once that that woul'
ny. l hope he didn't believe it SER
ously enough to give 1t a real trial"
You don't think it would worn
them" asked Philip.
The young man laughed. Dear me
no." he said. TT couldn't work"
AT any rate" said Philip, its a
amusing curiosity"
"Oh, yes; indeed, yes," the youn
man assen ed, cordially. II wish
were mine. Only wouldn't try to d
with it."
His dut4a called him away the
rather snEa,nly, and Philip was lei
to furl his wings alone. From the PRO.
ess he looked up into Jeanne's face
|, why, Jeanne!" Her eyes wer
bright, bright with uashed tears, an
, there was q little ,fush of bright colo
> in her cheeks.
) "Oh, / know she said, with ~ III
: steady laugh, ITS absurd to be indi,
nant, but / wtshed-oh, bow | wishet
) when he was so ~patronizing and 8
+ sure, that you might have slipped you
3 arms into their places and rome cur
t ing, circling UP. all gold and cleaning
., into the air. l know you wouldn'
but l hoped you would"
. Jeanne. DEAR" he said. you'll r
member that aiway0my flight,
mean. But, sometimes you'll get
wondering II It Isn't the memory Of
dream. And then you'll 80 and I'm
: these old wings in an attic. som
Z where, and stroke them with vol
. hands. the way you did that Nigh
when / furied them first upon the ic
noe beside you"
She locked st him quickly. wiA
! nvaA