The Tucumcari news and Tucumcari times. [volume] (Tucumcari, N.M.) 1907-1921, 1914-05-21

look as he sat there, n heavy lonely
figure, that bright morning. II had
slipped TO his face with the news OF
the arrival at Damory Court. Hc told
himself that he felt queer.
Suddenly he seemed TO hear elm
voices close 10 his ear:
Which was II she loved7 Valiant
or Sassoon?"
1t was 80 distinct that he started.
vexed and disturbed, Really. II was
absurd. lie would be seeing things
next! "Southall may be right about
that exercise" he muttered; I'll walk
more" lie began the projected re-
form without delay. striding up and
down the room. But the little voices
presently sounded again. shouting like
gnomes inside a hill:
Which was III Valiant Or Sas-
soon?"
Il wish TO God ! knew" said the
major roughly. standing still. It ST.
fenced them, but the sound OF his own
voice, as though II had been n pre-
concerted signal. drew together a hun.
dred inchoate images OF other days.
There was the wellordered garden OF
Damory Court-it rose up, gloomy
with night shadows, across his great
clothes-press against the wall-with
himself sitting OF n rustic.bench
smoking and behind him the candle
lighted library window with Beauty
Valiant pacing up and down. waiting
for daylight. There was n sun
lighted stretch between two hemlocks.
with Southall and he measuring the
ground-the grass all dewy sparkles
and an early robin lettering on .
%thorn-bush. Eight nine - ten - he
caught himself counting the PAGES.
He wiped his forehead. Between
the hemlocks now we're two figures
facing each other. one twitching un.
certainly. the other palely rigid: and
at n side. held screen.wise. a raised
umbrella. In some ghostly way he
could see right through the latter
see the doctors hand gripping the
handle. his own, outstretched beyond
It's edge, holding a handkerchief ready
to frtter down. A silly subterfuge
those umbrellas. but there must be no
actual witnesses TO tho final act Of a
"gentlemen's meeting! A silly code
the whole OF II, now happily out
grown! The scene blurred into q ain,
gle figure budding down-huddlins
down
which did she lover" The majo,
shook his head helplessly. II was
after all. only the echo. become al
at once audible on q shallow woman'I
lips. OF a question that had always
haunted him. II had irst como to hin
on the heels OF that duel. when he
had stood, somewhat later that hate
ful morning. holding a saddled horse
before the big pillared porch. II had
whispered itself then from every NOV
ing leaf. "Sassoon or Valiantf" II
she had loved Sassoon. OF what use tn,
letter Valiant was SO long penning In
the library! Buff Il were Valiant
she loved? Tho man who. having
sworn not to lift his hand against the
other, had broken his sacred word &C
her! Who had stained the unwritter
code by facing an opponent maddenec
with liquor! Yet, what wal there q
woman might not condone In the one
man! Would she read. forgive and
send for him?
The major laughed out suddenly
harshly. In the quiet room. and looked
down as II he expected to see tina,
letter still lying In his hand. But the
laugh could not still a regular puisins
sound that was In his ears-elAn like
the voices. but no distinct-the sound
OF n horses hoofs going from Damory
Court.
He had heard those hoof.beats echo
In his brain for thirty years!
(To BE CoNTINUED)