The state herald., 1914-05-22

Certainly not. She mustn't" And
then. in sudden sharpness: you
shan't tell her. Monty. You wouldn't
dare!"
mo, indeed" he assured her quick
ly. "Of course not"
ITS Just among us three, Doctor
Southall and you and me. We three
have had our secrets before, eh, Mon
tyr"
Yes. Judith, we have"
She bent toward him. her hands
tightening on the cane. After all.
it's true. Today am getting old. !
may look only fifty. but l feel sixty
and I'll admit to seventy-five. It's
joy that keeps US young, and l didn't
get my fair share of that. Monty.
For Just one little week my heart had
It all-all-and then-well. then 1t
was finished. It was finished long be-
fore I married Tom cambridge. It
isn't that I'm empty.headed. It's that
I've been an empty-hearted woman.
Monty-as empty and dusty and DESC
late as the old house over yonder on
the ridge"
Il know, Judith, | know"
You've been empty in way. too."
she said. But it's been a different
way You were never in love-really
in love, mean. Certainly not with
me, Monty, though you tried to make
me think so once upon a time. before
Sassoon came along. and-Beauty Va
liant"
The major binked. suddenly
startled. 1t was out, the one name
neither had spoken to the other for
thirty years! He looked at her lit
tie guiltily; but her eyes had turned
away. Everything changed then"
she continued dreamily, Everything"
The majors fingers strayed across
his waistcoat. fumbling uncertainty
for his eyeglasses. For an instant
he. too. was back In the long-ago
past. when he and Valiant had been
comrades. 1t had been curious
three sided affair-he. and Valiant and
Sassoon Sassoon with his dissipated
flair and ungovernable temper and
strange fits OF recklessness clean,
high-idealed. straightaway Valiant:
and he-a Bristow. neither better nor
worse than the rest Of his name. He
remembered that mad strained season
when he had grlmly recognized his
own cause as hopeless. and with burn
ing eyes had watched Sassoon and
Valiant racing abreast. He remem-
bered that glittering prodigal dance
when he had come upon Valiant and
Judith standing In the shrubbery. the
candle-light from some open door en-.
goldening their faces: hers smiling.
little flippant perhaps, and conscious
OF her spell; his grave and earnest,
yet wistful.
You promise. john"
Il give my sacres word What
ever the provocation. win not lift
my hand against him. Never. neverl"
Then the same voice, vibrant. appeal
ing. Judith! 1t isn't because-be.
cause-you care for him?"
lie had plunged away in the dark.
ness before her answer came. What
had II mattered then to him what she
had replied? And that very night had
befallen the fatal QUARREL
The major started How that name
had blown away the DUST That's
n long time ago. Judith"
Thirty years ago tomorrow they
fought" she said softly. Valiant and
sassoon, Every woman has her one
anniversary. ] suppose, and tomor.
rows mine. Do you know what
do. every fourteenth OF May, Monty7
l keep my room and spend the day
always the same way. There's little
book / rend. And there's an old hair.
cloth trunk that I've had since was
a girl Down In the bottom OF Il are
something's. that take out and set
round the room and there
II handful OF old letters I 70 over
from first to last. They're almost
worn out now. but could repeat them
all with my eyes shut. Then there's a
tiny old straw basket with n yellow
wisp in II that once was a bunch OF
cape JosSnmines, | wore them TO that
last ball-the night before II hap.
pcncd, The fourteenth OF May used to
be sad. but now. do you know. look
forward 70 Il, | always have lot OF
jctsamlncr that particular dny-.ill
have Shirley get me some tomorrow
and In the evening. when 20 down.
stairs. the house is full OF the scent
OF them. All summer long It's roses.
but on the fourteenth OF May II has
to be jcssamlnes Shirley must think
mo n whimsical old woman. but In.
nist on being humorcd"
He smiled. n little bleakly. and
cleared his throat
Isn't II strange for me 10 b. talk.
Ing this way nowl" sho said present.
B Another proof that I'm getting
old But the date brings II very close;
Il seems. somehow. closer than ever
this Monty. weren't you ue.
mendounly surprised when married
Tom Dandridge1"
II certainly was"
I'm tell you secret was, too.
suppose did II because OF sneak.
ing feeling that some people were feel
inF sorry for me, which never could