South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1917-04-14

last moment and taken his own life? Or had
something occurred that Anthony knew moth
ing Of? Old Barton-and the bank-the un-
known friend who had warned him. Wild
PICTURES rose IN him. Was it-suicide? He
dared not ask the girl for dread Of her an
swer. Way; where May? For the Hrst
time he forgot Margaret completely. forgot
himself and all that his friends death meant
10 him and the girl he loved He could only
think OF Bobbie whom he and May had lost.
He stepped into the hall and closed the door.
Where is your mistress?" he asked. ASK
her II she will see me-"
The girl went away and Anthony looked
dearly round the little hail. at all the familiar
things he had seen so many times. in
vested with a new and strange significance.
Boobies cap and golf sticks his tennis racquet
In the corner-and on the floor, half under a
chair a toy belonging to the baby. Poor little
May How would she bear it? She had al
ways seemed delicate. fragile
fitted for any OF lifes agoniZing blows The
girl came back.
"Will you come. please?"
She led the way upstairs. At the open door
of the bedroom May Lovett was standing She
looked fragile. more delicate than
Her big blue eyes, with their Redeemed, swol
len eyelids. gazed out of her small white face
with pitiful expression Of pain. Her lips
quivering but she gave him her hand
quite quietly. She was obviously making a
great effort for selfcontrol Beyond them the
room was lit up and the bed Anthony could
see the outline Of a shrouded figure. He
found words to say, but he took her shaking
hands in HIS and held them closely His eyes
asked questions his lips were afraid to.
Its kind of you to come. Tony" she said
You heard, them
She spoke in a whisper, as II the silent
figure in the lighted room might wake if they
spoke too loudly.
Anthony shook his head.
Il didn't know" he said, gently. "It is a
shock" He released her and put his hand to
his head. He beginning to feel rather
dazed. What happened?"
1T was a motor car at the end Of Church
street-where the crossroads are. 1t seemed
that he did not hear in time"
An accident. BY the sudden relief that
surged through him Anthony measured the
depths of his fear that Bobbie had taken his
own life. Thank God, it had not been that
At least he had not shirked at the last moment.
May turned suddenly and went back into the
room and Anthony followed her. The shaded
electric light over the bed fell on the smooth.
boyish face and gave it semblance OF life.
The accident had left his face untouched An
thony glad of that He just looked asleep.
as Anthony had seen him often, yet it seemed
to him that there was a new dignity on his
friend in strange contrast to the last time they
before his. That look of shame was blotted
had met. Never again would those eyes fall
out now. Robert Lovett had gone to answer
for any faults before higher Judge than any
earthly tribunal Somehow the face seemed
to be conscious Of 1t, as if it disdained any
mortal criticism. One hand lay outside the
coverlet; Anthony took it into his own and
held It. as II by mere contact he could draw
some life some responsiveness toward him.
He looked at the slight figure of the girl on the
other side of the bed. the girl who had barely
three years of welded life behind her.
May DEAR" he said. gently, its useless to
try and say what feel. We both loved him.
and Just now I can only feel the cruelty. the
bitterness of it," =
Il know" she answered. Il feeling that.
also. 1t doesn't seem fair. does it? There is
only one thing that is any comfort to me just
now"
Anthony's thoughts went instantly to the
baby upstairs. He thought he understood her
and nodded with silent sympathy and under
standing But her next words stabbed him.
That cruel SANDER" May went on. was
sllenced. disproved before he died. oh, you
don't know how glad l feel about that II it
had happened afterward, IL he had not been
alive to kill it at once. it would have hurt me.
OF course l should have known in my own
heart that IT not true, but now am glad
for my boys sake that he was given time TO
make it all right. No say anything
against my boys father now"
For the first time then it came TO Anthony
the complete realization of all that Bobbie's
death meant TO him. He glad afterward
to remember that his first thought had not
been OF self. but of only dear and sacred mem
cries of their friendship. Now, he listened