The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1916-01-28
JUST ONE MINUTE LATE
BY lola FORESTER.

y
-t+F++'s+++++F+++++++++++++
All the way up the bay Gregory Won
dered if she was still alive. The wire
less brief had reached him two days
out from England and he had sent back
word that he was already on the way.
He had even half believed that very
thing would serve to strengthen her,
that he had started before she had
sent for him. He had been four months
in the prison camps before the ex-
change had been brought about. Prob
ably she had believed he was dead.
Nearly all the poor devils in his crowd
had died sooner or later. And he had
come out Of it with smashed arm
that let him off for awhile from the
game over yonder.
He wondered how Barbara had
found out he was sailing on the Tavo-
MIA. He had only told Lester. Yet the
message had been clear and potent:
Come before it is too late. Bab.'
His arm panied him constantly. and
through the long nights he lay in his
berth trying to visualize Bab's face
and find comfort from it. She had been
such tender little woman, after all
her own personal trouble. The only
kind thing Kenneth had ever done for
her was to die. That had been four
years ago, and he and Lester had
looked after her interests since then.
They had been partners before the
war. and he was her brother.
The war had been a relief. At first
they had gone over to serve in the Bel
gian commission. Lester had pulled
himself together and got his grip back
driving an ambulance there, and he
himself had slipped into the Foreign
Legion.
When the train pulled into the ex-
press station at Seventy-second street
he almost stumbled from the car.
Gee, but everything looked good after
those months in Belgium. He crossed
the street and went toward her home in
the big apartment building on Central
Park West. His fingers were bit I'M
steady as he found the hell and pressed
it. The door clicked and he went up
stairs. And on his way a man passed
him going down.
Gregory noticed him vaguely. He
was short and stocky and looked pros
porous. Even to casual observer he
appeared happy. And as he started
past him the man stopped short, took
another look at him and called: Hello,
there, Greg"
1t was Stephens, his lawyer, good
old Steve who had stood back of him
over and over again. about the only
friend he had had left after the bust
ness had gone to the merry puppy
dogs. Yet all he could do was grip his
hand and ask if Bah were still alive.
Still alive? What do you mean, old
man? or course. she's alive, but you're
one minute too late. She's done it,"
Done what? Married AGAIN."
lord, no. Go upstairs and find out
God bless you both. Wonderful wom-
an, Greg. See you later"
Gregory climbed the last flight and
she opened the door herself. Not a
word did she speak, only held out her
IA hio w hiiliS diIu oohCnoW hS lOuIu
that it was his head which lay on her
shoulder and he was holding her to
him in dumb Joy.
Il met Stephens. He said l was too
late" he said finally when they were
in her library.
! "You are. I signed the papers my.
self. Listen and don't scold ME. Les
ter wrote when you got back to Eng.
land and kept me posted, but he said
he thought you'd go back to France II
your arm was we'll enough, and
think you've done quite enough for
them already. l need a little of you,
you know. So I sent the wireless to
head you of, and, anyway we needed
you terribly. You see, l found out
after you had been captured all about
Testers trouble and why my balance
was safe and yours had gone with
him. 1t had been splendid Of you to
back him in all his queer ideas any
way, so | went out one day to Jersey
and looked over the old factory just
as you had left it. You know / studied
chemistry with Lester before | was
married and it all interested me so.
So just took out part of my money
and started in small way. l told
Mr.. Stephens what l wanted to do,
and he helped me, but said 1t was
your money. Well, l won out, and
began making copper cylinders just as
you had intended. So. Ill just paid
Off the mortgage myself Mr.. Stephens
has the check. think I'm even with
you now. It's all over there ready for
you to go back to-"
Gregory was holding her in his good
arm, close to him. his face pressed to
her hair.
"Oh. you women. you women who
are the restorcrg," he said.
Copyright 1915. by the Mcclure Newspa.
| per Syndicate
| tn Make Natalie Maono,;,~,