New Britain herald., 1918-09-16
kS For 7hedfer@0erS and Women Readers

said soberly. "I shall not see him.
 Her face cleared if by magic. As l passed her on my way to the tele- phone she swung me around and kissed me warmly.
 Much better so, dear girl" was her only comment but the whispered ap- proval fortified me for the difficult moments I saw in front of me.
 For I had a vivid recollection of the last time had seen Hugh Grantland, of the midnight walk through the wild rose-sented woodland path, which my enforced trip along the "pipe line" had compelled me to take with him and of the dramatic, almost impassioned farewell he had uttered just before we came under the lights of the little country station. l fancied I could feel yet the burning touch of his lips upon my hands, could hear his deep tones telling me that he must see me once moro before he left for the other side.
 Swept by the power of his emotion, and an answering one in my own soul which I didn't dare probe l had given him Lillians address, had tacitly con- sented to the farewell interview he evidently wished. And now, with the searchlight of common sense and duty Illuminating the inmost reCesses of my soul, l realized that l must go back upon my word, must deny this man who had dared and had done so much for me, the thing he had asked.
 The telephone receiver wavered in my unsteady fingers, and my shaking knees were glad of the chair by the side of Lillian's pretty telephone stand, but fortunately I was able to control my voice, and l flatter myself not a tremor marred the tones with which I greeted him.
 Capt. GrantIand?" 2"
 Mrs. Graham" he instantly re- sponded, and the deep tones of his voice were anything but calm. And then for a long instant that seemed an hour there was silence.
 I guessed that he was endeavoring to find words for something he wished to say, and for my own part l could not have uttered a sound.
 And yet realized with little throb of gratitude tha tmy nervous tension was due only to the distaste I natural ly felt to breaking my word and wounding the sensibilitics of a man to whom I was so indebted. The glamor which had surrounded my hero wor- ship of the gallant army officer was gone, withered by the hot blast of my jealousy of my husband and Edith Fairfax.
 'I find that - it - will - be --- impossible - for me - to - come to see you - before -- I -. go" he said at last with little pauses between the words 'I re- gret this exceedingly, but unfortun- tely I am called away sooner than I expected. There is a favor l wish to ask of you, however. May ?'
 "Of course, Capt. Grantland," I re- turned as smoothly as I could, pro vided it is anything in my power to grant"
 Tt is entirely within your power" he said. "Upon several occasions I have gathered. not from anything you have consciously said, but otherwise, that you are cherishing in your soul a rather harsh judgment of the one nearest to you. If I have any claim upon your forbearance, as you have ] assured me, [ want to ask you to with 1 hold that judgment until you are sure | it is deserved"
 What Did He Mean? I am sure 1 gasped audibly--at any 1 rate Capt. Grantland went on as if l 1 had answered him in words. ''I know l have surprised you" he 1 said, "know also that~I am perhaps 1 objectionable for this meddling. But 1 - your welfare your - happl- 1 ness - is of - great - moment - l to - me, and I could not refrain from 1 saying this to you. And now must not delay another minute. l Goodbye and - God bless youn l The receiver clicked at the other ! end, but I sat with mine in my hand 1 dumbly until recalled by the voice of l the central operator inquiring if had ] finished. Mechanically l put it up, l mechanically l made my way back to | the library.
 l What in the world did the man