Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1913-12-25

ferently. 1t was very beautiful
yet in an exotic way; but he was
weary with 1t all, and his heart faint
with hunger for home.
That was why he had weakened at
the eleventh hour and accepted Dora's
nvitation-because he had been 80
long away from home.
She chose to break the silence with
a careless question::
"What vessel Is that"
Jack glanced down toward the har-
Dor A fuesy steamer was putting in
to its anchorage, like a fat, white
ghost with bright staring eyes.
"It's the mail boat" he told her.
"She's in late. Tomorrow" he con.
tinued in half whisper, She'll be
going on to Gibraltar and connecting
with the liner for home!"
YES" said the girl, abstractedly,
and lapsed again into her silence;
for she was considering how she
might say to him that which she
longed to say.
"Now," said Jack, presently, with
out daring to look at the girl-whose
eyes never for an instant left his
strong, clean profile-"now, tell me
everything, please. Nora-all the
news about everyone I know"
She obeyed quietly. in low voice.
It seemed a long account, but Jack
did not tire in the least.
"And-and Gwynne and Beth Som
ers? They're married long since, I
SUPPOSE"
mo. din't mention it, Jack, be-
cause"
81 Understandable thank you. But
not married! I must know, Dora"
tom Gwynne," she said, after a
pause us dead"
Dead" he whispered, ipcredulous-
w. Dead" He drew long breath.
Please" he cried. please tell me!
Don't you see I'm tortured. Dora? I
know you only wish to spare me.
but-you see, there was a girl, and
and"
"This makes 1t different" said the
girl. quietly. Nov you can ask her,
Jack" She went on, while he listened,
aghast at his slip. That's why
wanted to tell you-for the girls
sake. You didn't think that we who
knew you. believed you guilty-did
you? Because we didn't, and that is
why ] was glad, oh. so glad, to find
you. and to be the first. the very first
to tell you! You see, after you sacri-
feed everything, Jack, and ran away,
trying to save your chum, to make US
believe that you had-stolen the
money, and not Tom Gwynne."
But you mustn't blame him." Ben
ton broke in quickly. HE didn't
really know what he was doing"
81 know" She nodded decidedly.
y know that you sacrificed all to
save your friend. And when Tom
discovered what you had done. when
1t was too late, he told Beth OF
course that broke the engagement;
and 1t was only a little later that
Tom was thrown from his auto some
how-we never really knew what had
happened. He left signed confess
sion; but we didn't know where you
had buried yourself, Jack"
ooh, you don't know, you don't
know" he cried brokenly, what this
means to me, Dora!"
"AB but I do" she told him,
gently. 81 know, very well. That's
why came here, Jack-to find you.
I'd heard 1t was a place where peo-
pie went when they were in trouble,
and wanted to tell you, because
because"-again there sounded that
pitiful little quaver in her voice
because the girl Is waiting for you"
"Then I'll go!" he cried. "Tll go!
Dora, Dora, don't know how to
thank you! I'm off in the morning
by that mail steamer. Home! You
won't mind my hurying off to pack,
will you? She sails at sunrise-and
just think, in ten days I'll see Beth"
And when he was gone she stood
for long time motionless, dry Of eye
and lip, staring at the corner around
which he had disappeared. Finally
she stretched forth both arms.
"Oh, my dear, my dear!" she sobbed
IL her heart would break-but gen.
tly.-Stat mona might hear