The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1914-07-24

was husky Wnen ne spoke. shirley
doesn't know"
Certainly not. She mustn't" And
then, in sudden sharpness: You
shan't tell her. Monty. You wouldn't
dare!"
NO, indeed" he assured her quick
ly. "Of course not"
Its just among us three, Doctor
Southal! and you and me. We three
have had our secrets before, Ell, Mon
ty?"
Yes, Judith. we have"
She bent toward him, her hands
tightening on the cane. After all,
it's true. Today l am getting old. /
may look only fifty, but l feel sixty
and I'll admit to seventy-1ve. 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
1t all-all-and then-well, then it
was finished. 1t was finished long be-
fore l 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 rs the old house over yonder on
the RIDGE"
II know, Judith, I 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, I mean Certainly not with
me, Monty, though you tried to make
me think SO once upon a time. before
| Sassoon came along, and-Beauty W.
liant"
The major blinked, suddenly
startled. 1t was out, the one name
neither had spoken to the other for
thirty years! He looked at her q lit
tie guiltily; but her eyes had turned
away. Everything changed then"
she continued dreamily, Everything"
The majors fingers strayed across
his w~aistcoat, fumbling uncertainty
for his eyeglasses. For an instant
he, too, was back in the long-ago
past. when he and Valiant had been
comrades. It had been a curious
three sided affair-he, and Valiant and
Sassoon. Sassoon with his d~issipated
fair and ungovernable temper and
strange fits of recklessness; clean,
high-idealed. straight-away Valiant;
and he-a Bristow, neither better o
wors than the rest OF his name. He
remembered that mad strained seaso
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-
g%oldening their faces: hers smiling, a
little flippant 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! It isn't because-be-
cause-you care for him."
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 the fatal 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. Every woman has her one
anniversary. suppose. and tomor-
rows mine. Do you know what I
do, every fourteenth Of May, Monty?
I keep my room and spend the day
always the same way. There's a little
book | read. And there's an old hair
cloth trunk that I've had since l was
. girl. Down In the bottom OF it are
something's, that / take out and set
round the room and there
is . handful of old letters l 60 over
from first to last. They're almost
out now. but l could repeat them
all with my eyes shut. Then there's q
tiny old straw basket with q yellow
wisp in 1t that ono was q bunch Of
cape jessamines. wore them to that
last ball-the night. before It hap
pened. The fourteenth Of May used to
be sad. but now. do you know, I look
forward to 1t! always have a lot of
jessamines that particular day-rll
have Shirley get me some tomorrow
and In the evening. when l 90 down
stairs, the house 10 full Of the scent
Of them. All summer long it's roses.
but on the fourteenth Of May It has
to be jessamines. Shirley must think
me . whimsical old woman. but I In
sist on being humored."
He smiled, . little bleakly. and
cleared his throat.
isn't 1t strange for me to be talk
Ing this way now!" she said present
~. Another proof that I'm getting
old. But the date brings It very close;
It seems. somehow, closer than eve
this year.-Monty. weren't you ire
mendously surprised when ! married
Tom Dandridge!"
Il certainly was"
FIJI tell you . secret. was, too.
I suppose ! did It because Of . sneak
tne feeling that some people were feel