Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1916-11-16
American Girl fIlere now,

We'll pick you up here, Ethel his
mother added-'say in half an hour.
We might be able to motor to Rich
mond for dinner and still see the
show
..Will you pick me up here, too?'
Captain Redmond asked.
In half an hour" she agreed.
In the doorway Georgy Wagstaff
cast a roguish glance back at her
pretty governess.
Beware of the military, Ethel-es-
pecially when he's Irishr' she warned
Ethel.
In another moment Miss Willoughby
and Captain Redmond were alone, she
herself seated upon the wide settee.
But the captain. apparently. dared not
trust himself nearer her than the stool
upon which he perched lust Where he
could not touch her There had been
a time when he and Ethel were undis-
guiSedly fond of each other But now
he was scarcely sure of her senti-
ments toward him.
80, Larry, you've actually come
back at last she said
y wonder if it can seem as long to
you as it does to me- he unused.
II don't know-perhaps."
DO you mind when l saw you last?
Twas at a dance on the river"
AT Narrower She had beeISEar
from forgetting that pleasant meiifSfy.
Then you do remember" he cried
with delight 1T was my first one
step.' he told her
You ruined my slippers" she re-
minded him, to tease him.
Did /? Then it was punishment
that when I came up the second time
wild taXicabs wouldn't drag another
dance from you?"
No you ware too late" Ethel ex-
planned. She had no wish to be too
hard on him.
Too late! That's the tragedy of the
Irish! We're always too somethin'-
too late or too early-too sentimental
or too cynicaI-tOo shy or too bold We
laugh too much and we're too sad.
We're too much in love or not at all.
We're way up or we're way down."
"In fact, you're IRISH" she interpo-
lated softly.
You sound as if you liked US
Irish" he rejoined
She gave him an enigmatic look.
Il love yOu-Irish." she replied.
"'Tis a lucky race we arer' he told
her, with great enthusiasm.
t1VJ1t toll hoy-O 1-O,, I,Oor,
dOing? Ethel asked.
"Since l spoiled your sIippers?" Cap
tain Redmond laughed. He seemed
never to remain long in a serious mood.
ooh, my dear, I've been a long way
from Tipperary-the States, India, Ber-
lin, Paris, South America. And ali!
my dear, how lonely I've beenr'
you IoneIyw She could not believe
that the mercurial Irishman could ever
long be that
I've been in crowded places and in
empty ones, but always l was alone"
he said with just a hint of sadness. In
spite Of the gayety that his friends
loved in him, there were many times
when Captain Redmond had to fight
hard to dispel the Celtic melancholy
that was his natural heritage. But
there, thereZtelI me about yourself
he begged.
But Ethel was not ready to do that.
She shrank from discussing herself
with him.
so you've become a great globe
trOtter-yOu who'd never been out Of
EngIandr she said, hastily.
"Ah That was different I was poor
then" he reminded her.
"Oh-and now?"
I'm the idle rich" he informed her
hum0rousIy. "An uncle in India fell
off his horse, hunting-not very roman
tic, was it? And they cabIed me l
was the sole heir to his vast estates"
81 didn't know you had an uncle in
India" Ethel commented with some
surprise.
NO more did I! But-God bless
him. the captain said with mock rev
ereDce.
"And why-why have you come
back?" she inquired slowly.
For the same reason that l went
away he said promptly.
"What was that?"
"a woman
His soft reply, his serious eyes,
thrilled her. But at the same time she
knew that she must no longer let him
remain in a lovers mood-she who
would have given anything to hear
that one short month ago.
You, Larryr She forced a gay
laugh. How exciting! Tell me, who
was she?'
"The woman 1 loved" was his quiet
reply.
She could not mistake his meaning
q never thought you were in love
with anybody" she rejoined.
But l was and she was darlin'-
the IoveIiest thing in the whole world,
watched over by some guardian angel
that brought her the best in life"
"And yet she refused your Ethel
said with a smile. She wished that
Larry Redmond had not stayed to talk
with her. But the man fascinated her.
He always had And though she knew
she had no right TO listen to such
things as he was telling her, some ir-
resistibIe force seemed to hold her
helpless until he should have told her
that he loved her.
"Ah. She hadn't the chance to re-