Evening times-Republican., 1914-02-27

MOnty-oD empty 8uu uuSty anu V0OO
late as the old house over yonder on
the ridge"
II know. Judith. know"
you've beer. empty In I way. too"
she said. "But it's been - different
way. You were never in love-really
in love. I mean. Certainly not with
me. Monty, though you tried to make
me think SO once upon q time. before
Sassoon came along, and-Beauty Va.
liant"
The major blinked, suddenly
startled. it 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 vaistcoat, 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
fair and ungovernable temper and
strange fits Of recklessness; clean.
high.idealed. straight-away Valiant:
/! and he--a Bristow, neither better nor
| worse than the rest Of his name. He
remembered that mad strained season
when he had grimly 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. a
| little, fippant perhaps, and conscious
Of her spell; his grave and earnest.
yet wistful.
"You promise. John?"
Il give my sacred word. What.
ever the provocation, will not lift
my hand against him. Never, never!"
, Then the same voice, vibrant, appeal
ing. judith! 1t isn't because-be.
cause-you care for himi"
He had plunged away in the dark
ness before her answer came. What
| had It mattered then to him what she
had replied? And that very night had
befallen tho fathl quarrel!
The major started. How that name
had blown away the dust! That's
Q long time ago. Judith"
Thirty years ago tomorrow they
fought" she said softly, Valiant and
Sassoon. Evey woman has her one
anniversary, suppose. and tomor-
rows mine. Do you know what I
do. every fourteenth Of May, Monty!
keep my room and apeud the day
always the same way. There's . little
book read. And there's an old hair.
cloth trunk that I've had since was
a girl. Down In the bottom Of It are
some-thinss. that take out and set
round the room 80 and there
is a handful of old letters 60 over
from first to last. They're almost
worn out now, but l could repeat them
all with my eyes shut. Then there's .
tiny old straw basket with yellow
wisp in 1t that once was a bunch Of
cape jessamines. wore them to that
last ball-the night before It hap
pened. The fourteenth of May used to
forward to It! always have lot Of
jessamines that particular day-Ill
have Shirley get me some tomorrow
and in the evening, when go down.
stairs, the house 10 full Of the scent
Of them. All summer long it's roses,
but on the fourteenth Of May 1t has
to be jessamines. Shirley must think
me a whimsical old woman, but in
sist on being humored."
He smiled, a little bleally. and
cleared his throat.
"lsn't It strange for me to be talk
ing this way now!" she said present
ly. Another proof that I'm getting
old. But the date brings 1t very close;
It seems, somehow, closer than ever
this year.-Monty, weren't you tre-
mendously surprised when married
Tom Dandridge?'
II certainly was"
''Tll tell you q secret. ] was, too
I suppose I did It because Of a sneak
ing feeling that some people were feel
ing sorry for me, which never could
| stand. Well. he was q man any one
might honor. I've always thought q
woman ought to have two husbands:
one to love and cherish. and the other
to honor and obey. had the latter,
at any rate"
"And you've lived. Judith" he said.
YES" she agreed. with , little sigh,
i've lived. I've had Shirley, and she's
twenty and adorable. And I've had
people enough. and books to read, and
plenty Of pretty things to look at, aud
old lace to wear, and I've kept
my figure and my vanity-Tm not too
old yet to thank the Lord for that!
So don't talk to me about worsted
shawls and horrible arctics. For
won't wear 'em. Not TIL know my
self! Here comes Shirley. She's
made two juleps. and II you're . gen
tleman. you'll distract her attention
till I've got rid Of mine in my usual
way" N
= .
The major. at the foot Of the cherry.
bordered lane. looked back across the
box.hedge to where the two figures
sat under the rose-arbor, the mothers
face turned lovingly down to shirley's
at her knee. He stood . moment
watching them from under his
slouched hat-brim.
"You never looked at ne that way,