The Columbus courier. [volume] (Columbus, Luna County, N.M.) 1911-1920, 1914-11-27

Tom. ' "
Tom was looking forward anxiouslv
to seeing her when her vacation came
the following month. Perhaps her
b would tell Tom. Perhaps
She went TO bed with a consclenoe
not wholly free from problems.
II was n day or two later that Mas
Elizabeth spoke Of her vacation to the
colonel.
why. ] have been thinking OF that. -
he said. ~ shall want you-at least. I
should like 60 have YOU help me. II Won
can. You see. Miss Elizabeth. | am
taking a little Yachting party to Koy
West, and ! ought to keep in touch
with business affairs. II you could &C.
company us, YOU can have another
holiday when We get back"
The yachting trip was to take about
six weeks. Miss Elizabeth had never
been at sea much as she wanted TO
see Tom again the invitation was IT..
resistible. The colonel told her that
there were TO be three or four other
ladies' They were 20 go aboard the
vessel at the little private dock at
seven In the evening, a week thence.
Miss Elizabeth wrote a letter 10
Tom, explaining the situation and
promising to come home as o % as
she returned Then, at the appointed
hour, she accompanied the colonel
who called at her boarding house In a
taXicab. to the pier.
The yacht lay alongside the wharf
A Waterman paced her decks. but.
though they inspected her from stem
TO stern, there was no sign OF the 9th.
ers They had sat down Tor a mo-
ment In the dining saloon. The girl
was becoming a little nervous.
We will have dinner now" said the
colonel
Wait a minute. said the girl hur.
riedly. When will the others be
here? Your sistcr-is she not expect.
ed before we dine?"
The colonel pulled his mustache and
looked hard at her. Then he stretched
out one hand and patted hers gently.
MY dear. he said. I'VE are going to
be the only two passengers aboard this
trip
The girl looked At him with terrified
eyes ana rose from her chair with a
little gasp TO the last day Of her life
she always pictured the colonel thus,
seated before her, pulling his dropping
mustache, aud smiling az her with
such a kind expression on his face.
Il thought you understood, Eliza.
beth" said the colonel In tones OF
grave ]polltcncss. There was reproach
In his voice. but Colonel Slice could
eve be anything but a gentleman.
"But-you said-you said -" the girl
exclaimed. and even then she could
not quite believe IT. But presently she
understood. She was not AZ all angry.
She felt the tears OF humiliation rush
to her eyes. that he should have mis-.
understood her so. And there was
more than humiliation-there was real
sorrow for the loss Of a friend, the
only lIltlN sue bdh Hhh' 'N''lh A''''
since her parents died.
Are you going Elizabeth" asked
the colonel, watching her.
She began b%uttoning her coat You
ought not TO ask me that-O, what
have ! done to make you think Other
wise?" she pleaded.
My dear" said the colonel, Il
thought you understood the situation.
Perhaps ! was wrong; | had no wish to
deceive you, That Is not my way,
There are certain conventions .
why did you think | VAS taking YOU
out 10 luncheons and dinners
"As a friend" she cried holly, feel.
Ing her cheeks burning
He shook his head. Men ~ 1fty do
not make friends Of their lady en-
ployees In that way, my dear he an
swered II am sorry. Let me help
you with your coat
They went up the stairs to the deck
and stood side by side there Tor a mo-
ment. Everything in EliEabeth's life
seemed to have crumbled into ashes,
She turned.
u am sorry" she said u wish
had understood Good-by.
For the life Of her she could not
ummon any indignation against him.
She did not feel the insult then, only
the unbearable loss.
Colonel Slice took her hand In his
and bent over Il. They strolled up the
dock. he called a taXicab and escorted
her To her door. Then he raised his
hat and left her.
on the following morning a special
delivery message arrived for the girl,
asking her to hold her position az the
store till the colonel's return. They
need not meet, he said, but he trusted
she would take charge OF his interests
tin he could make arrangements
Elizabeth went back to business,
She did not sec him again. The
yacht was wrecked in the great storm
that rayaged the Florida coast that
summer. Colonel slice never appeared