Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1916-03-29

You'd better go quickly" remarked
Nance, Junior. Hes begun to swear
and mother doesn't like us to hear it."
Alan hurried into the house and up
to the captains room. The grown-ups
followed but stopped below and wait
ed. Nance, Junior, remained to direct
the chauffeur to the barn.
Excuse me. MISS" said that wor-
thy, "but Mr.. Wayne hasn't had bite
to eat since seven this morning. You
might not think to ask him, you see,
so thought I'd tell you"
"I see," replied the young lady, and
added with ready wit and a smile,
''just find the kitchen and tell the
cook"
Alan found the captain propped on
many pillows. His bulging eyes had
the same old glare. his close-cropped
hair still made an effort, though feeble,
to insurgency, but his corpulence was
gone. He had collapsed at last and
was bedridden after a severe stroke.
"Huh" was his greeting.
Alan sat down beside the bed. "How
do you do, sir?"
"Do? 1 do all right. It's the liquor
I'm this country that's gone off, sir.
Corked whisky. That's all that's left.
I'll show you, Alan" And he roared,
after preliminary puff, 1.-TWO whis-
kies."
Mrs. Wayne appeared. Now, cap
tain" she said softly. whats this7
Two at a time? You're getting bet
ter"
The captain subsidized. zone for
Alan" he grunted.
The drinks came. Alan welcomed
his. He was tired and faint after the
long journey. The captain gazed on
his own glass detiantly but ordered the
maid to set it on the table at his side.
Alan waited long for him to take it
up, and then he saw that the captain
had fallen asleep. Alan slipped his
drink. The captain was right, 1t was
fiavorless. But Alan remembered that
he had thrown away his last cigarette
for the same reason. He sighed.
IN spite of the Judge. Alix was feel
ing very lonely, abandoned. unloved.
She sat on the little veranda at the
back of the town house and day
dreamed. Across her knee lay the
morning paper. A word caught her
eye. Elenlc. Half unconsciously she
read: among the arrivals by the
Elenic Hon. Percy Collinge-
ford"
Collingeford! She started to her feet
and then with what seemed a percep-
tible click her mind repeated, "Elenic."
She sat down again. The hand that
held the paper was trembling. She sat
for a long time looking at her hand.
The telephone bell rang, but she did
not hear it. Old John came and stood
beside her.
"Mr. Collingeford telephones to know
II you are in town."
A frightened gleam showed in Alix'
eyes. 1t passed and fame of color
came into her pale cheeks. "Yes." she
said, 81 am at home. Tell him 1 will
see him at any time today"
Collingeford lost no time. When he
arrived Allx was still sitting on the
veranda. She received him there. He
came upon her with n rush-like q
fresh breeze. "What luck!" he cried.
"Really in town on a hot summers
day?
Which Is It? Frocks or the dentist?"
Alix rose and held out her hand. A
faint smile came to her face, fingered
a moment and passed. 81 am glad you
have come" she said, and then paused.
Her eyes wavered. Was she glad he
had come?
Collingeford caught her mood. "Just
what do you mean by that?" he asked
gravely.
Alix' eyes came back to his face.
Ell don't know" she stammered.
They sat down. Collingeford dropped
his hat and stick and leaned for.
ward. A dull color burned In his
cheeks. "Alix," he said, "has-has
anything happened"
"No," said Alix, mot what you
mean. Gerry is alive. He has writ
ten. He says he is coming back
some time"
Collingeford sprang to his feet, his
eyes flashing.
"Some time! Did he really write
that? Some timer
There was a petulant look about
Alix' mouth that belonged to an Alix
of long ago. She tried to shake It of
with her mood. mo" she said DULY.
after a pause. "He didn't write lust
that but 1t amounts to the same thing.
He wrote but he has not come"
Collingeford paced up and down the
little veranda. his arms crossed and
one hand pulling nervously at his mus
tache. He came to a stop before Alix
and stood looking down at her, his
eyes eager but questioning. We'll"
he said.
Alix made little gesture of despair
with her two hands. "I-I don't know"
she repeated. Then, quite quietly, she
began to cry.
Collingeford caught her hands and
drew her to her feet. He put his arms
around her. She laid her head against
his shoulder and sobbed. Collinge-
ford's heart was beating furiously.
His arms trembled. He longed to