Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1913-01-23

tains apart a little, and peered eager.
iy out She saw nothing, nothing but
the trees in the moonlight, that is;
Edith and Captain Thorne we're not
within view nor were they within ear
shot. She turned to the other window.
Now that she had made the plunge,
che determined to see what was going
on If che could She drew the couch
up before the window and knelt down
upon It, and parting the curtains,
looked out. but with the same results
as before. in this questionable posi-
ton she was unfortunately caught by
Wilfred Varney.
He was dressed In the gray jacket
and the trousers which she had re-
paired She had not made a skilful
Job of her tailoring but II would serve.
The whole suit was worn, ill-fltting,
and soiled; but it was whole. That
was more than could be said of nine
ty-nine per cent. of the uniforms COM
monty seen round about Richmond.
Measured by these. Wilfred was
sumptuously, even luxuriously,
dressed, and the pride expressed in
his port and bearing was as complete
MS 1t was naive. He walked
softly up the long room, In
tending to surprise the girl, but boy
like, he stumbled over a stool on his
way forward, and the young lady
turned about quickly and confronted
him with an exclamation. Wilfred
came close to her and spoke in low,
fierce whisper
Mother isn't anywhere about, is
she?"
mo" said Caroline in the same
tone, she's just gone upstairs to see
Howard, but she is coming back in
few minutes, she said
Well" returned Wilfred, throwing
his chest out impressively, Il am not
running away from her, but if she saw
me with these on she might feel
funny
81 don't think" returned Caroline
quickly. that she would feel very
funny"
Well. you know what mean" said
I Wilfred flushing a little. you know
how it is with fellows mother"
/ caroline nodded graveIy.
Yes, ! have learned how it Ia with
Mothers she said, thinking of the
mothers she had known since the war
began, young though she was.
other people don't care" said vii.
fred, but mothers are different"
Some other people don't care" an
swered Caroline softly, fighting hard
to keep back a rush of tears.
In spite of herself her eyes would
focus themselves upon that little
round blood-stained hole in the left
breast of the jacket. She had not real
lied before how straight that bullet
had gone to the heart of the other
wearer. There was something terribly
ominous about It, But Wilfred blum
dered blindly on. unconscious Of this
emotion or of its cause. He drew from
the pocket in his blouse a paper. He
sat down at the table, reckoning Caro-
line as he did so. The girl came
closer and looked over his shoulder as
he unfolded the paper
81 have written that letter" he said,
ito the general, my father that is
Here it is. | have got to send it to
him in some way. 1t Is all written but
the last words and am not sure about
them. I'm not going to say your low.
ing SON. or anything of that kind. This
is a mans letter, a soldiers letter.
love him, of course, but this is not the
time or the place to put that sort Of a
thing in. ! have been telling him
He happened to glance up as he spoke
and discovered to his great surprise
that Caroline had turned away from
him and was no longer looking at him
why, what's the NATTER" he ex
claimed
Nothing, nothing" answered the
girl, forcing herself to face him once
more.
q thought you wanted to help me,
he continued.
ooh. yes! I do. do"
We'll, you can't help me way OF
there" said Wilfred. Come closer"
He spoke like a soldier already
thought the girl, but she meekly, fol
her, obeyed the imperious command
He stared ut her, as yet unconscious
, DuI SlidHStis dSlldleu tNtIlutitss
The silence was soon insupportable
and Caroline herself broke it.
"The-the-" she pointed at thu
trousers, ARE they how you wanted
them?"
Fine" replied Wilfred they arr
just perfect There isn't a girl il
=. Richmond who could have done then
better Now about the letter. wan
your advice on it; what do you think
Tell me what you said
: "You want to hear it ?" asked VIII
fred,
1--WE got to. haven't I? How coul'
g l help you if l didn't know what it wa
!, all about?"
You're a pretty good girl, Caroline
You will help me, won't you?"
Her hand rested on the table as sh
!. bent over him, and he laid his owl
. hand upon it and squeezed it warmly
too warmly thought Caroline, as sh
slowly drew it away and was SORT,
: she did it the moment she had don
80.
yes, will help you" she said. "Bu
about the letter? You will have t,
. hurry. | am sure your mother will b.
, here in short time"
, We'll, that letter is mighty impoI
tant, you know. Everything depend
upon it, much more than on mother
letter. I am sure"
> Il should think So" said the girl.