The Washington times., 1913-10-10


to be down hill. That ought
to be easier
We'll try It down hill for a while,
then" / agreed.
linked my good arm in one Of hers,
and together we started slowly down
the road. 1t was a fairly good country
tioroughfare; Sc good in fact, that
ielt we could not be at any great dis
tance from dwellings. The fog was still
cidedly sharp. l could beel Mary shiv-
ering in her thin blue dress.
Take my coat" I said, stopping and
beginning to remove 1t.
She protested earnestly, saying that
/ must not allow my broken arm to be-
come chilled: but / would not listen to
her, and finaily forced her to place the
garment across her shoulders. For sew
1ral minutes We went along slowly, de-
scending a gentle slope in the road uli-
I'll We reached stretch of level going.
Now and then we came to turns, but
there was no sign Of life anywhere.
Once or twice we stopped and listened,
but could hear nothing.
"It can't be very far to somewhere -
1 said reassuricsly.
I'm sure II can't" she answered
docs your arm hurt hadly?"
II had not yet begun to pain me,
being still numb with the shock that
had broken it. AS II swung loosely al
my side ! could not feel that there
was any arm there at all.
Feel in my coat pocket and see il
have a cigarette and matches" l said
She fumbled for minute, found what
I asked for, and then laughed curiousiy.
There's something else In there" she
remarked. The phonograph cylinder
that used for weight in the chim-
ney.. .,,,c, :, IN NV nocks, dor,t .oo,r
why" l explained. rs 1t broken?"
1T doesn't seem to be-" she answered
as she took a cigarette out of the box
for me and lii a match.
The tiny light famed redly for an in
slant, and we both burst out laughing.
Mary's hair was flowing about heI
shoulders in wild abandon, her face was
mottled with smears of chimney SCOT.
her dress was Grimed and torn. My own
appearance must have matched hers to
perfection.
"A pair OF scarecrows." exclaimed.
THE fog didn't seem to wash of much
of the makeup"
You have d cut or your forehead
she said, with sudden seriousness. Let
me tie it up. Have you handker-
chief"
found one and bent my head down
out OF of Of it. ' ~
We're lucky people," observed. as
we started along the road again arm
IN arm. W nat ulu you tnlrK rs WO
ilved into that fog?"
What do you think?'' she parried
Il thought it was good-by." l an
swered frankly.
so did l." she answered. in a low,
voice. But it was better-far better
than
Her voice broke off suddenly, and
could feel her tremble.
Wen not become reminiscent" I
said abruptly. Not so recently remi-
niscent. anyhow. / think we had bet
ter talk about other things
For instaTceT'
"Oh! anything-Balboa."
/ heard her laugh softly.
do you remember the date?' she
asked.
NO; do you?'
IT can't dispute it, said. I'm hazy:
but I've still got that dime won.''
Really? The same diner
IT'S in n special pocket. I'm never
going to spend 1t. It's n nucleus
"A nucleus? For WHAT"
who knows" / answered, tighten
ing my grip on her arm.
I'm sure / don't" she said.
This sort of talk, of course. was all by
way Of trying to deceive ourselves: It
did not interpret what was really In
our minds. 1t was just trivial bravado,
to show each other that We were light
hearted and urconcerned over our mis-
haps; although ! knew full we'll II was
too shallow to misiead either of us.
Even in the face of death people will
Joke. We were In no such strait -