The Press., 1914-08-19

him. I was persuaded. He stopped at little nook part way down. He told me-
 Don't go any further, beg you" said the captain. "You are the second person I have met since have return ed to the Point whom asked to be-
 "You are Fred Nolan?''
 "No; I am Alec Ainsworth. Aren't you Edith AndrewsY'
 "No; Pm Belle Harwood"
 "Oh!"
 "It is only a case of another cadet and another girl. Doubtless there are dozens of proposals on that walk every year. wonder if any of them ever results in marriage?" "-ss -
 One bright moonlight night Captain Ainsworth and party of his friends were trying by the uncertain light to read on the monument on the nol tn ern end of the plain at West Point the names of officers who were killed in the war between the states. Several others came up. and there was gen eral introduction.
 II am looking" suid lady to Cap tain Ainsworth. flor the name of my cousin who was killed at Antietam."
 The captain started. He had heard that voice before and had never for gotten it. He told the lady that if she would give him the officers name he would try to find it for her, but when she told him he exclaimed:
 He was in my class. You can't see the letters at night, for they are in shadow. Tomorrow you will find the name without any trouble"
 When the others passed on Captain AInsworth and this lady fingered.
 ''The view from a little farther this way" he said. moving northward. 'is beautiful"
 She went with him, and they stood side by side looking up the river.
 "T remember" said the captain. showing emotion in his voice, stand ing on this very spot twelve years ago. when I was a cadet, with a lovely girl who was a visitor here. The scenery was the same as it is now and was lighted, as now, by the moon. I had just passed from cadet to otricer and was to leave West Point the next day. . ''I had passed four years in the acad- emy and every summer had taken on a new love. In passing from cadet to lieutenant I had my last affair of the heart, and though was not aware of 1t was taking on love that would never be able to throw off. Under the }V1on hoA | oSS3n fFoi like the others failed during the fol lowing few months even to write to the girl in question, assuming that she considered 1t, as did, a mere West Point filtration. When learned that l had met the only girl l would ever love it was too late. I dared not re- open the matter seriously with one l had so shamefully neglected"
 Doubtless this was the only truth the captain had ever spoken on the subject in question, though after his graduation he had told no more lies.
 II, too," said the lady beside him. had similar experience. My cousin being a cadet, came with others ot our family nearly every summer while he was at the academy. l soon learn ed what meaning to attach to an avow- al of love from a cadet. What it is now I don't know; then it was one of his privileges which were not consid- cred binding.
 "The last summer l came here | re- ceived a proposal from one of the graduating class. At the time I con- sidered 1t one of those West Point af- fairs of irritation rather than of the heart. I never expected to hear again from the cadet, who went to a post in the far west, and I never did. But 1 admit that I found, like you, that for once in my West Point experience had flown too near the candle My wings had been singed. have never we'd"
 There was silence for a time, after which Captain Ainsworth spoke:
 Since it was the mans part. not yours, to make good his words you are in no way to blame. If he is ex- cusable 1t is that. though he had no right to play with edged tools, he was living in little world where they were played with. Being guilty myself, as he was, would gladly atone for his fault. Let me stand in his stead and you will make me a happy man."
 She not resisting, he drew her to him pnd kissed her as he had kissed her long before.
 And there, dozen years after a mock love affair on the part of two trifers, on the very same spot and un. der the same moon, they plighted their trOth.
 Later it was announced that Captain Ainsworth had met an old flame of his who was visiting West Point, and the couple were to be married in the au- kHnUon