The herald., 1917-08-23
| the GIRL FROM CUBA |
By EARL REED SILVERS.
Observation-Disclosures.


sively select small college in the East
he entered the brokerage firm of
/ Simms. Simms & SimmS, in Wall street,
and was given desk In one Of the
inner Offices. Every morning at ten
/ o'clock he walked into the office,
| opened the desk, smoked a cigarette,
( looked out of the window for awhile
and then went home. For this arduUus
labor he received salary of $4,000 Il
year. If any Of the trio Of SimmS could
have followed his inclination he would
have told Mr.. Grifiiths, gently but firm
ly, that as far as business was con-
cerned. he was an excellent golf player.
but as Halls father had placed several
hundred thousand dollars In the firm,
Hal was left TO his own peaceful pur-
suits.
These pursuits concerned chiefly golf
in the summer and dancing in the win
ter. And so, possessed Of many friends
and much money, he was constantly IN
demand.
Occasionally these calls upon his
time were rather irritating. He was
one Of those lOvably laundering persons
who did not know how to refuse an in
vitatiOn, and so, when Charlotte TAYLOR
suggested, with the hint Of tears in her
eyes, that he see her off when she left
for Cuba, he assented smilingly but
unhappily, and ordered two dozen
roses to be sent to her stateroom.
On the morning Of Charlotte's depar-
ture Hal waited in his office as long as
he dared, and then took taxi for the
dock. Charlotte was waiting for him,
and together they inspected the boat.
Il am going to sit here and think Of
you during the long evenings" she told
him, indicating a shelter on the after
deck, "and wonder if you will be think
ing Of me-"
I'll think Of you every minute you
are in my mind" he answered absently. J
Then he stopped short. Passing
across his line of vision was the pref /
test girl he had ever seen. She wore
q blue suit, white hat and white fox /
furs.
"GoOdnessw he exclaimed involun-
tarily. "WhO in the world is that girl?"
Charlotte's piquant face became sud-
denly resentful.
I'm sure 1 don't know" she an
swered shortly. "Some Spaniard,
probably"
"Spaniard nothing; she's an Amerl.
can"
The blast of the GAIL ashore" whis-
tie came. Hal said good-by Just as
quickly as he could and made his way
TO the gangplank. He stood on the
pier and watched as the boat turned
put into the river. Although he waved
,onscientiouSly to Charlotte, his gaze
searched the ship for sight of the other
girl. And just as he had given up hope.
she appeared. The picture of her as
me stood beside the rail, her face
ramed in the circle of hat and furs.
vas stamped indelibly on his memory.
The winter wore on, the same old
Endless round Of social duties. But, !
somehow, Hal seemed to have lost in
crest; he even remained at the office
III day and gave some attention to
BUSINESS, until the elder Simms' brother
emarked to the younger one that NAV
re Harold Griffiths might be of some :
se to the firm, after all. Regularly,
ial received a six-page letter from I
'harlotte telling of the wonders of the '
Innate. And then, just before the date |
I 70 g..
IN cllmes, Halls telephone rang, and l
he sottest voice he had ever heard
sked him If Mr.. Harold Griffiths was J
I. And having been assured that he
as, the owner of the soft voice pro- /
eeded to tell him that she had inst c
eturned from Cuba, where she had @
lie pleasure Of meeting Miss Charlotte
aylor. 7
charlotte asked me to telephone you s
soon as 1 reached New York" the v
ranger continued, land to tell Won d
lat she was having lovely time and
Ill be home on the first of May" c
mats mighty nice of you" Hal an
Vered pleasantly. Did you see much n
CharlotteY n
"Oh, yes" the voice answered. "Ua
ent down on the same boat and Il
aged at the same hotel" T
HAIRS heart missed q beat. He G.
keu abruptly: where are you
'w?" II
AT the Plaza" 7
do you mind if 1 drop up to see you g,
few minutes? l am terribly in il
rested in Cuba" m
For moment there was silence. and
en- the voice answered: mo. I don't W
nd If you do" h.
so Hal rushed out of the office and +,
lied a passing taxi. As he rushed
o the lobby Of the Plaza, the girl Ia
IN the white furs arose to meet him. hi
ID then time flew so fast that il WAS br
~ before either of them realized if:
they took lunch together and each 10
q the other the history of his and &c
lie. And after the girl with the
lite furs had found out that Hal was sh
engaged to Charlotte or to anyone CT
e. she told him that he might come a
see her the next evening.
so Hal, with feigned interest in Cuba it,
untelgned interest in at least one 70
pan tourist, accepted the invitation 90