The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1915-06-01

day. She had been more than the sort
of a girl to fall in love with. She had
been a good fellow. a stanch friend. And
as he watched her he had stopped row.
ing. and they had drifted slowly In the
sunset glow that flooded the lake while
he told her.
There had been no actual engagement.
He had nothing to reproach her with.
He had not been in a position to ask
her to he his wife then. but he had
thought a girl like Beatrice had meant
more by kiss. a handclasp. a few
vague words o. understanding. than
other girls. He had thought she might
wait until next summer. And now. in
April. he had returned to New York
to learn that Gerald was in disgrace.
had marie on nothing. eloped to Pine
ville-by-the-Sea. North Carolina, and his
wife was Beatrice Stafford
Gerald's mother had said they were
penniless. Gerald's father had remark
ed that he didn't give a rap They
could exist upon love and art.
More or less for Beatrice's sake.
and little for Gerald's. Gerald's
brother had taken 1t upon himself to
visit the bridal couple and help Ger
aid. smothering his own love. he had
made up his mind that as long as
should not suffer from II.
There was no bell at the door of the
little brown house with the funny
roof 1t was merely a bungalow in
weathered shingles. and he pounded
on the door Justify before IT opened.
and Beatrice stood before him
She was not the Blessed Damozei
type yet. Her smooth dark hair was
wound about her head in just the
fa, ,,,I h.
short dark blue linen skirt, and a
white shirt waist. The sleeves were
rolled to her elbows. and from her
finger tips to elbow dimples there was
flour sprinkled.
He had not expected to see her face
to face so soon, nor alone. Neither
had he expected her to act as she did
The color rose in her cheeks. tipping
even her ears with pink. 1t was an
old habit. He remembered it.
81 thought you were in London"
she said.
You don't give a fellow a very
decent welcome after he's travelled
from London to this wilderness to say
congratulations"
He stepped into the hall after her.
She hesitated and laughed. looking at
her Toured hands
Il can't shake hands with you. and
and the biscuits are in the oven. I
shall have to watch them. Do you
mind coming out to the kitchen?'
He didn't mind. There appeared to
be only three rooms. the studio-sit-
ting room, the dining room and the
kitchen. Collapsible ready-in "A minute
studio divans were in the sitting room
and dining room in lieu of bedrooms
1t was AL charmingly. most uncom-
fortably odd. bizarre and Bohemian
WHERE'S Gerald?" he asked. when
he had found a chair in the kitchen.
Beatrice knelt beside the stove to
look at the biscuit. He could not see
see her face.
He went to the postoffice for the
last mail. You must have missed him."
Well, what ever made him come
to this lost corner?'
"Oh, because it was the chance of
something definite. you know. Don't
you know" she added quickly. see
ing the puzzled look on his face.
We'll. Gerald's chum. Netherby Ames,
broke all to pieces last fall. overwork.
and so on. and he was ordered down
here. And he couldn't afford to come
and stay indefinitely. so he pulled a
few wires and things happened. He
was made postmaster here at Pine
vile. And he got lonesome and heal
thy, and workful again month asv,
SO Gerald's in his place. and he's 49,
New York. Don't you see? 1t was real
ly very definite. and businesslike, and
right. under the circumstances"
'Oh. certainly. under the circum-
stances" agreed Broderick. so old
Gerry's postmaster instead of artist"
Both she corrected He has lots
of time to study and it's good for him.
the responsibility. mean. You wouldn't
know him."
II suppose not" assented Broderick.
uneasily. He tried to reconcile his lit
tie circle of the universe, to make
the chaotic tumble fall into place and
harmonize. Gerald. Gerald. the help
less. erratic. fantastic, irrational. joy
ous-hearted. penniless artist. person
Of matrimonial responsibility post
master, But then he remembered the
young. smooth haired person stamping
letters. OF course Gerald had found
his usual way out OF the difficulty
He had hired some Pinevtlle lass to