Evening star., 1918-03-31

a cap which showed a leutenant's band
But this costume left him as near
sighted, as awkward, as commonplace
looking as ever. He retained the air of
petty bourgeois. of cashier in 4
shop, who would never be anything
else. Beside him sat his wife. a little
woman. ordinary in appearance, re
spectacle and hopelessly mediocre. Both
of them were watching their little
daughter, who was making pates out of
sand.
Suzanne Auquier. stopping at the
corner of a bathing cabin, studied her
most with rancor. as If she sdll re-
1oiced in the wrong which She had
done him. So! He had remade his
shattered life-at least had achieved
new life of paltry sort; for Su-
sanne Auquier. after one look at her
successor. decided that she didn't merit
q second. and the child was like her.
But this meeting had happened at an
hour when Suzanne had been admitting
to herself that she was not happy and
made leaden by her own gloomy
thoughts. Because of that, perhaps,
encountering the man who had been
associated with her youth. she stopped
maliciously to observe him. with a
view to persuading herself that he, too,
was not happy.
The poor creature! Always at the
same point of existence. one of those
who are born to vegetate and to have
no future! Eager for more brilliant
life. she had deserted him, revolving at
that incurable stability, without am
pftion. without ideals. She had not
done we'll But neither had he. And,
assuredly. he was vegetating now with
creature OF his own sort. living hum
bly, In some fourth story apartment.
racing court ends of the month
pa1nful, and their sole luxury a few
weeks at the seashore because of the
chiid's anemia.
Mobilized? Yes, like everybody else
But the uniform, which adds distinc-
tlon TO so many people-he still found
q way to wear 1t without any addition
OF prestige. He remained a clerk, with
ms glasses and his placid expression,
Whlch in the old days had so exas-
perated the eager and pushing Suzanne
FOR that matter. mobilized in what
branch of the service? In the quarter
masters or commissary corps, no doubt.
ne !. would continue his civilian occupa-
ton inside the army-that was all.
" what else would he be capable?
The war might have requisitioned him
10 add duty to the duties to which
ne was already accustomed and re-
signed. But it could not have altered
his character made him inventive or
resourceful, exalted his nature. given
MN talent or spirit. Sublieutenant
or territorials, and accountant-for that
ne was good enough.
AZ sun pIohS through the clouds.
It's yellow rays flooded the dunes
The sand. pitilessly glaring, reflected
the sudden heat. The man threw off
his cloak. And then Suzanne saw
gltstentng on his breast the Legion OF
Honor. the military medal and the
croix de Guerre
She felt shock or surprise and
then other sensations more obscure.
n which. in spite of her aridity of
soul. the instinct of feminine admira
Ion mingled. How could Alfred have
been heroic enough to merit all these
fet there could be no doubt about his
laving been. These things must be
'arned; they cannot be bought. The
ooor feiloW was not one of those who
intrigue and thus get Fictitious recor-
,itton- And If without relatives, with
'ut prestige or presentability, he. a
'imple sublieutenant, had won these
hree decorations. it was assureLly
BECAUSE he had done things the mere
tory OF which could not even he read
Quickening of the heart
He had received them from the hands
II generals, proudly. before the flag
md In the presence of troops drawn
Up to honor him. Had she ever sus-
'ected bravery and energy SO intense
m the part of the timid husband whom
he hau tyrannized over and often
lrtven to tears? Their union had heen
trivial hell compared to the hell out {
y whicn this man had come and into
which he was going to plunge again. !
t almost seemed to the embittered