The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1916-02-11

she would. Someone, strangely enough,
seemed to be close at his side, someone not
visible in the jostling, testing crowd, man
young and aureoled in long-vanished flames
of boyish friendship. He himself became
young before this invisible presence-ready
to believe and serve.
He drew a card from his pocket, wrote on
it:
"May I speak with you a moment, dear
Just for a moment2 FArrrR.n
Thrusting the card in an envelope, he
scrubbed her name on it and asked the
guardian at the steps of the stand to pass it
to her. When she read it her face grew
rosy and she looked eagerly in his direction,
His heart leaped. He had dreaded to see
the old look of fear in her eyes. She rose
and came to him quickly, as he had often
seen her come years ago, when, as a little
girl, she wanted to tell him of some childish
trouble. She took his hand and held it
tightly.
"I'm so glad you're here. should have
told you'll know l should have told
you"
"You're going to speak, Felioe"
eyes, father. / should have told YOU"
"And-you're frightened, dear1"
She smiled family.
IL didn't know it would be so dreadful.
The first times always hard-but-bu I've
promised them"
She caught her breath. Her clasp on his
hand frightened.
And must you keep your promise7"
II want to. They've been so kind
they're such splendid women-but-you
see, my heart has not been in it. !"
He nodded comprehendingly She did
not know why the months Of estrangement
had been so suddenly annulled She only
knew that his presence relieved a strain that
had threatened to become actual physical
suffering. She felt his love about her ike a
shield.
You must keep your promise, I suppose,
But wouldn't they excuse you il there was
some great and sufficient reason why you
shouldn't speak this afternoon"
1t would have to be grave cause.-The :
or death, she said with a little smile.
A vision swept before his eyes. Death
was already with them-but life what If as
the only reparation left him, he could give
life back to her. The sense of his being
companioned came again TO him annulling
the long years and the long, long errors.
"Felice," he answered gra Ely, cit is a
matter of life and death III explain
everything to you later. Let me speak to
your Chairman"
She hesitated
"You're sure you can make it right,
father2 You've something definite to tell
herr"
Something definite. Something inn
portant Trust me-
A certain solemnity in his manner, min
ged with a new tenderness, Gained and
treasured her. She led the way to the
stand.
The Chairman received him graciously,
though a momentary surprise was visible in
her face She had heard Of him as an OPP
poser of the movement.
Felice watched him anxiously, but his
manner was as deferential as if he were in
his own drawing-room. Not even a touch
of coldness marred it. After the first greet
ing, he said:
81 am most sorry to disturb the program,
but / am asking the favor Of taking my
daughter away before her speech. Bad
news has just reached me-the father Of her
fance is dead"
His words came to Felice from an meal
culable distance, their meaning too wonder
full to be at once oomprehended. AS in a
dream, she heard the Chairman answer:
81 am so sorry, but, of course, in such<f
case everything must give way"
They went silently down the steps Of the
stand, and through the throng now no
longer the devourng monster Of a thousand
hostile eyes. These people became again
human beings, with joys and sorrows like
her own. She was again one of them, UNI
afraid, and thrilled to the very depths Of her
being by her fathers words-words linking
her again to the sweet, warm human world
from which all these weeks she had been
exiled. That phantsm Of herself, that de-
fant, suffering ghost dealing with abstrac-
tons which held no comfort for her sore
heart, faded away into the blessed light Of
the spring afternoon.
Had she been mistaken Had her ears
deceived her, conveying to her a word thh
plunged her into both JOY and sorrow2
When they had reached the outskirts Of
the throng they paused-alone in their re-
stored communion, though the city roared
about them. She longed to kaew II the
word she had heard was real She poke
timidly:
"You said '6ance' Is Roberts fasez
dead?"
He turned away his face for a moment