The Irish standard., 1913-03-01

knees, with one slasu, the Watermelon
cut the lacings which, becoming knot.
ted, had held her q prisoner, then with
one and the same move he had re.
gained his feet and forced her fat
against the bank, as the train whirled
by in a cloud of dust and cinders,
brakes. grinding, wheels slipping,
whistle screaming, q white9aced enei.
neer leaning Mortified from the cab
window.
Trembling violently, Billy chung sob.
bling to the Watermelon. her face lid.
den In his breast. The Watermelon
crushed her to him as If he would
never let go. his arms tightening with
the agony OF remembrance. He was
trembling as much as she from the
horror Of that terrible moment. His
head rested on her hair and he talked,
poured out his love in a rush of mis-.
cry and thankfulness Words tumbled
over themselves and we're repeated
again and again. in phrases hot from
his lips came all his pent-up longing
for the girl.
Sweetheart, sweetheart" he whis.
pered with white lips as Billy still
sobbed. Darling. hush. Dear heart
my love, my Billy"
After a time her sobs stopped and
she raised her face. The Watermelon
bent his head and they kissed frankly
with the simplicity of perfect under
standing, perfect love. For moment
they chung together, still, then Billy
was the first to rally.
We've got to co." said she, her
hands raised to her tumbled hair aa
she tried her best to laugh.
The Watermelon caught her hands
and forced them down, drinking her
in with hungry eyes. Then he bent
his head and buried his face for a mo.
ment in the backs of her small hands,
while something like a sob shook his
shoulders.
Jerry" whispered the girl. a WON.
an now, tender, compassionate, era.
cious.
The Watermelon dropped her hands
and turned abruptly. I'm - fool"
he muttered and picked up the bundle.
still beside the track.
"Why did you Gomez" she asked, all
solicitude for him. "You might have
been killed."
The Watermelon did not answer. He
stalked across the track to the other
foot-path and Billy perforce had to
follow.
Henrietta and Bartlett had not even
heard the wild scream OF the engine
as 1t shrieked past. and when the Wa,
termelon and Billy Joined them, were
too preoccupied to notice anything for
long In any one else. All four re-
turned to the general, quiet and an.
parently depressed. The general was
depressed himself. He did not see
how it would be possible to get gaso.
lene In that neighborhood, and with.
out gasolene they might as we'll be
without car.
Billy divided the bread and fruit,
and without q word. they sat side by
side and partook of their humble re-
past, the two girls. the general, the
tramp and the flnancier.
The parting that evening was slight.
ly prolonged, much to the generals
annoyance. He was tired and wanted
to go to bed. and why the others
| should prefer to linger on the small!
stoop which served for porch, he could
not understood, and what he could not
understand always vexed him. =.
The Watermelon felt that he could
S~I, al
He had read tho desire in her eyes
Tor bit of walk with him and to
escape the temptation, he wished them
all good night and followed the gen.
eral up to bed
All the strength of the man cried
constantly for the girl, for her sweet
ness, her charm, her grace. But he
loved with the love that is love, that
will give all and ask nothing, a love
that is rare and fine and that comes
to king and peasant alike, and to no
one twice, to some not at all. His
week was up. He would slip away that
night when they were all asleep. Billy
would forget him and he would be bet.
ter with his old cronies, fat, blear-eyed
Mike and James of the bon-ton.
Long he lay ON his narrow cot and
stared at the gray square of the win
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