Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1915-07-28


door of her room.
why, what's all this?" gazing at it
with a puzzled frown. What the
devil
I'm all packed except few things
I'll need in the morning"
you're packed! What in thunder
Are you crazy?"
mo, dear, but l would be if I'd
let you go on this trip alone wrap
ping her hand mirror in an underskirt
and putting it in the tray.
For a moment he stared at her, then
turned away with sneering:
Don't be a fool! Cut that stage
acting and help pack my suit case"
tits already packed. Do you want
to take that gray sweater? I left It
there on the chair" deftly fitting in
her bedroom slippers.
See here, we'll settle this right
now! Eve got enough to put up with
without any newspapers from you
Helen rose from the trunk and
turned to him with fierce intensity.
Warren, I'm going! I've thought it
all out You've a stateroom alone
you can easily get another passage.
But if you won't do that shall go
anyway. I've enough money of my
own"
Have you gone stark, staring
mad?" beloved Warren.
There's no use roaring at me. This
time it won't help. I'm going on the
st. Paul tomOrrow-if I have to go
steerage. Dear" she laid a pleading
hand on his arm, I've never felt about
anything as l do about this. I'm des-
perate-can't you see that? 1 can en-
dure anything but the thought of your
taking this trip alone"
Warren looked at her in astonish-
ment. 1t was a phase of her charac-
ter he had never seen.
In the mildest and meekest woman
there is always the possibility of
desperation, an emotional recklessness
that may never be aroused. Tonight
it had been aroused in Helen. What
ever she might feel tomorrow, tonight
she had this reckless courage that
knew no fear. She could have hurled
herself from the window without
tremOr.
If Warren went alone he might
never return, he might in some way
become involved in the war-it was
this thought that impelled her.
With muttered oath Warren strobe
into the library and began sorting over
some papers he was to take with him.
He did not speak or even glance
toward Helen again. The papers
packed, still in a glowering silence he
took his bath and threw himself heav-
lily into bed.
When Helen crept in beside him,
she pressed wistful, caressing cheek
against his shoulder as he lay with
his back toward her. But he shook
her off with a savage:
"Let me alone, will you?"
With sigh she turned away. For
hours she lay watching the white cur
tain as it futtered out in the faint
light from the street.
There is nothing so intimidating, so
fatal to self-confdence, as a sleepless
night, and gradually Helen felt her
courage weakening. Her plans so
boldly conceived now seemed impos-
sible.
Yet for Warren to go alone-to take
the risks she felt he would take if she
were not with him! She turned and
threw her arms about him with pro-
tective tenderness, softly kissing his
hair and neck and shoulder until he
stirred uneasily in his sleep.
1t was dawn before Helen's tortur-
ing thoughts grew confused.
A street in foreign city crowded with
a riotous mob. Was it London? Sol
diers with glittering bayonets were
shouting at something overhead-an
aeroplane. The man leaning out of
it was-Warren. The soldiers took
alma crash - the machine shot
down
See here, it's almost seven" War.
rem was standing by the bed in his
bathrobe. IF we sail at noon-you
can't lie there all day"
Dazed, bewildered, Helen gazed up
at him. The sound Of his words was
still in the air, eff we sail at noon
Then her mind cleared.
''Warren!" She drew him down to
the bed beside her. "You said we
You mean-you are"
Huh, from the way you ranted last
night haven't much choice"
ooh, you have-you have" as she
chung to him. II was desperate last
night-but 1 couldn't have carried il
through. But, oh, to have you take me
willingly" The words ended in an
ecstatic sob.
well, I've mulled it over. It'll be
about as cheap to take you as to be
cabling back every hour. Now hustle
you'll have to move fast!" E
And, lodging Helen's clinging arms
next moment Warren was whistling In
his bath.