The herald., 1915-06-17
MARS AND CUPID MIX
BY HARMONY WHEELER,


with his regiment to the front, his
chief regret was the fact that he must
leave his birds and flowers in the care
or strangers. The young officer had a
hobby for rare songsters and still more
rare flowers and had nurtured them
most devotedly in his small but lovely
domicile in the London suburb His
concern over their welfare was deep.
He felt that only one who loved birds
and flowers could understand and care
for them according to their sensitive
demands.
The advertisement he inserted in
the papers was human and appealing
and brought quick response in the
person of Marina Vance. She having
hidden her sweetheart good-by when
his regiment had gone forth to battle
felt that she must do something to &C.
! cupy her mind and rid it of the horror
of visualizing the scenes of the battle
ground
Captain Blake knew the moment he
saw Marna's face light up at sight of
\
be in perfect care during his absence.
He went off to the front with light
heart. Marina took possession of his
home and his old housekeeper re-
Joiced in the presence of a mistress.
An communicative male person was
at times trying as a master.
Weeks wore away and on the bat
tletield only one of the many deeds
Of valor was the going out under fire
OF Private Young of the Bucks Light
infantry to save a wounded officer who
had fallen. Young. though shot through
the shoulder himself, carried Captain
Blake back to safety. They were both
almost across the great border, but
awakened to recover in the base hos
pital in Paris. Captain Blake, realizing
that he owed his life to Private Young,
offered him all that he had to offer for
the time, and that was lasting friend
ship. Young also received the Victoria
Cross short time later
When they could be moved from the
| hospital Blake insisted that Young go
with him to the suburban cottage to
! recuperate.
The little English nurse who was
ministering angel to some twenty
wounded men and who had admins
tered to them during eight weeks with
out full nights rest, took charge of
them even to the moment when they
were put on the hospital ship and
transferred to England. She too, was
in need of rest.
A great wave of guilty Joy swept
over Private Young when he knew that
| Blake had asked the little nurse to
continue her good work and stay with
! them until the last bandage was re-
/ moved
Marina stifled a cry when she caught
sight of the two once stalwart men be-
ing tenderly helped from the big
| limousine in front of the cottage. She
saw quickly that other hands than
those of the little nurse were required
to get both into the house and she
went swiftly forward.
"Marnai"
"Davie!"
Those were the only words Captain
Blake and the little nurse heard, but
they told their tale. A pang shot
/ through the heart of the nurse, and
she turned her eyes quickly away from
the sight Of Private Young and the
girl he had left behind him.
/ Captain Blake smothered an excla-
nation, whether Of pure amazement
or newborn jealousy he did not know.
Blake, because he was on a quicker
road to recovery than Young, found
himself constantly thrown into Mar
mas society.
And Young, feeling more of a cad
than Blake, knew himself to be in
, love with the little nurse who gave
him such tender care.
Things reached climax on the day
that Marina slipped from the perch
upon which she was standing in order
to feed one of the birds. Fortunately
Blake was standing close beside her,
and save for his swift movement
Marina would have had a bad fall. He
caught her in his arms and Marina,
looking swiftly into his face, saw him
turn pale. Her own eyes hid them
| selves with sudden shyness, and when
she erected herself and tried to thank
him her voice refused to act without
telltale tremor in it.
She slipped quickly away, leaving
Captain Blake glowing with the knowl-
edge that Marina loved him.
The girl, with heightened color.
went straight to David Young.
''Davie," she said softly and with a
smile in her eyes, I'VE do not love
each other as sweethearts, do we? l
think" she added with dainty banter,
that you are secretly pining for"
"Marna-you're a darling!" David
said swiftly and put his good arm
about her. He was kissing her on
either blushing cheek when Captain
Blake and the nurse stood in the door