Charlevoix county herald., 1918-03-08

me how to deport myself In every con-
tingency. and last night was a contin-
gency." She made an absurdly SAD
| little moue. shaking her head. Il did
| not behave at all right last night"
she said. when you offered assist
ance. / should have look at you dis
painfully and coldly said, Pardon, hut
| do not know monsieur When you
sat down at my table ! should have
| called a policeman, for my mamma
| had warned me against strange young
men,"
My heart gave a bound. She had
| placed me in the category OF danger
Gus youth rather than fatherly advis-
| ers.
She went en- In happy raillery: so
I misbehaved in an unseemly manner.
trusting you and accepting your help,
for which l beg your pardon. But my
mamma had also enjoined me to ex-
press proper gratitude for courtesies
done me, and that, too. / forgot last
night. 1t was an altogether improper
day, yesterday, for in everything dis
obeyed mamma. Tonight I am being
good again."
"You are going to obey by express
ing gratitude?"
II am. I will carry out her admon-
itions. Gratitude is my excuse for be-
Ing here with you, and gratitude shall
be the theme of my discourse. II Is
a gratitude evening"
"And here Is reason for gratitude"
I remarked az Francis brought on a
soup tureen and began service.
II was gratitude evening, for her
heart was filled with happiness and
her mind freed of its anxieties. She
gave me thanks each minute Of her
being there, nor did che say one word
more of thanks aloud. She was my
friend of long acquaintance. Of COM
plete understanding, and Of frank lik-
ing. We talked of ourselves mostly.
and intimately, find similarity OF
dispositions, enthusiasms, sympathies,
humors, and moods. ! found she was
older In thought than I had believed.
and that was younger than my years.
There was but one note OF sadness
In our pleasure, that this evening
would be the only one. She would
leave the next day, where she did not
say nor did ask. II was a part Of the
secret which was not hers.-I kept
that regret in the back Of my brain
that 1t might not spoil the happiness
Of the few hours left to us, salving
the sore with the thought that ], too,
would soon be far away in new adven-
lures. This meeting was to be an In
cident in my life. made momentous
by the fact that had been 80 shut on
from opportunities to meet young
women of her kind and attractiveness.
That the same regret was in her
thoughts would never have entered
my mind had she not spoken it frankly
in the last few minutes Of our meet
ing.
These have been two wonderful
evenings for me-" she said when
partial eclipse Of the restaurant lights
indicated a desire on the part Of the
proprietor and employees to discontin-
ue the business of the day. We were
the only people left at the tables. Il
have been made to feel more and
greater emotions than in all my life
before. l have known fear and ankle
ty, the dread of apprehension, and the
mortal funk of disappointment. That
was yesterday Tonight / have been
happier, more free from care, lighter
OF heart, and much more foolishly
volatile than / ever knew. I shall al
ways remember these two evenings,
Mr.. Gilmore; so you will always be
most pleasant part of my biggest
memory"
There will come greater happiness
with added years and experience,
plotting out memory" I said rather
sadly. my hope of permanent place
Of your first real experience. 1t will
not be the greatest"
"You mean that am very young?"
Every uninitiated in life's happen
ings. / who have lived forty years can
say It,"
Forty yearsf" nodded. She
blushed that she had expressed SUI
pIibe VI COuluoots Az yOu ~ uut
an incident of many" she said. you
have been kind because that, know.
Is your nature. But to me, always
always. Mr.. Gilmore. you will be the
gallant knight riding out in silver
mail, lance poised. to rescue a maiden
In distress. II Is not an image to be
lightly blotted out, to be easily for
gotten. shall remember always, Mr..
Gilmore"
There was more red In my cheeks
than their customary color as thank.
ed her gravely, and she was blushing
rosily as I helped her into her coat.
Perhaps TO tighten the moment. she
handed me piece of paper she took
from q pocket of the jacket.
That IL why I have been so foolish
ly happy tonight" she said. Read It."
opened It's folds.
"Sit down, Miss Reade," said, and
my voice sounded not my own. She
obeyed, wondering Even at my first
glance had recognized It. II read:
They were married one day sooner