Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1919-08-02
CHAPTER XXXVIII.

| COpyflgnt, 1919, star Company
The noise continued. Not only did
whistles screech, but horns were
blown by excited pedestrians, songs
were sung, loud cheers were shouted,
automobile horns screamed and
I growled, and there were reports like
| the firing of pistols caused by flood
ing automobile mufflers.
over all the blue sky stretched
and upon all the golden sun shone.
Anyone who was in New York on
that afternoon in early November
will never forget the experience.
Through the masses Desiree
Leighton threaded her way, jostled
and pushed, yet Indifferent to the
! press. She was in a state of eX
altation that made her move as one
in dream.
She had not appreciated until
now how tense had been the strain
! of the past months. Boys whom she
! had known since childhood had
gone overseas-many of their names
had been on the casualty lists. She
had tried to keep calm, tried to take
such things for granted. She had
/ done so much war work that her
| father had warned her that she was
wearing herself out. She knew bet
ter. She felt that if she did not
NOIh SOulu llOb Slollu illC SiLiO
tional intensity of the anxious
months.
And now it was all a thing of
the past. Some of the boys would
return; others would come back
| only in spirit. No wonder tears
mingled with smiles on the faces of
men and women to-day!
/ Down one side of the avenue she
went, almost to Madison Square,
then walked uptown on the east
! side of the avenue.
Not far behind her strolled David
| DeLaine, although she did not sus-
pect his proximity She had told
him to go where he pleased. She
was allowing him an abundance of
! time to see what he wished, then
return to the car and await her
coming.
The boisterous throng increased
| in volume. At Fiftieth street De-
stree was almost turned around by
the mass of humanity flowing up
and down town. Pressing onward,
she found herself in front of St.
! PatriCk's Cathedral. Many people
were passing through the wide
open doors. She followed their ex-
ample.
David Prays
The darkened and quiet interior
was in sharp contrast to the noisy
avenue. Here the sounds of horns
and shouts came as from a distance
and served to accentuate the solem-
! nifty of the place. The sanctuary
lamp glowed like a watchful eye
down the great aisle.
Treading softly, men and women
crept in and knelt. Desiree Leigh
ton passed up the aisle and fell on
| her EnapS har fopn
hands. She was trying to put into
words the prayer that surged up
from her heart, but all she could
| whisper was: "Oh Lord, it's over
| it's over!"
She did not know that her chauf-
feur was kneeling near her saving
the same words with a different
! meaning.
For weeks there had lurked in
David DeLaine's heart the hope that
ne mlght vet get back to France to
MelP Dring about the great finish.
Now 1T had come without his being
there.
Il was not even fighting when
| got my wound" he mused, gloom
lly. L was only driving an am
| Dulance. That was something. to
pe sure-but l wanted to keen at
II. If the war had lasted I would
nave been able to go back-I am
! sure l would"
Then there came to his mind the
| thought of what a continuation of
the war would have meant to the
! thousands of men, women and chill
dren all over the world. And silent
| ly he pleaded for pardon that he ha Il
! put his own longing before ANYTHING
else. A prayer without words rose
| from his heart-a prayer of thanks
giving that the hideous carnage had
ceased
What did his personal regrets
mean but that he had been an nm
| grateful selfish beast. And he
prayed for forgiveness. AS he rose
/ from his knees he saw Desiree,
There was light on her face that
made him catch his breath. He
knew that she had been weeping
yet there was moved smile on her
lips. To the man she looked beauti-
| full.
A Little Comradeship
lmpulsively and unconscious of
what he was doing, he held out his
hand to her.
! Without an instant's hesitation
she put her hand into his.
I've been thanking God" sba
whispered. II know by your face
that you have been doing the same"
Yes he said, softly, II have
and asking pardon because 1 was
not more thankful"
She regarded him anxiously. Not
thankful?" she repeated. WHY.
Smith, what do you mean?"
II am thankful now" he assured
her. "Only at first 1 wished II had
lasted little longer-so that I
could go back and get in it. But
please, If you do not mind. do not
let us talk about it! l know | was
quite wrong"
II understand" she said quickly.
You wished you could go back. l
am so sorry for youl"
Then, as she met his eyes. she
l flushed deeply and drew her hand