Gilpin observer., 1919-08-07
KHAKI
BY ANGELA e. sHEEhAN
Copyright 1919. by the Mcclure News
paper Syndicate)

| Copyright, 1913. by the Mcclure News
| paper Syndicate.)
'Oh, surely ought to get a letter
from him today, exclaimed Alice. as
she slipped on her hat to run down to
the village postofice.
The clerk, looked through the mail
for her, just as he had done every day
for over two months, but there was
none. Poor Alice turned away with
sinking heart. Would Dick never write
to her? Certainly there could be no
reason for such long delay. 1t was
about three months since she had an
swered his last letter, and. yet there
had been no reply. Here an awful
thought occurred to her.
"Oh-Oh, l wonder-yes, that must
be it! He has met some French girl
over there that he likes better than
me. Why-why-ooh! I'll never write
to that boy as long as l live"
Khaki, Alice's little Scotch collie,
cooked one eye speculatively at his
young mistress. Never in all his puppy
life had he known her to be averse
to romp with him, but lately every
thing was changed. Even his implOr-
ing little tricks could not induce her
to cuddle him. Well mortals were fun
ny, anyway; mere puppy couldn't
be expected to understand them.
But Khaki was not the only one that
noticed Alice's abstraction. Her young
brother Jack had been taking account
of affairs.
probably she's in love-" he guessed.
Well, something would have to be
done. He simply couldn't let such
state of affairs go on.
"Golly, lately fellow can't even
ask for Il single favor without having
his head taken off," he ruefully COM
planned.
Now, Jack was an observing boy, so
it is not strange thai he noticed how
often his sister went to the pOstoffice
for mail she never received. He was
also diplomat.
by the way, Alice. how's Jack?" he
casually remarked one evening.
"How do you suppose l know?' she
snapped Il don't know or l don't
care"
us
Well, he could easily fix that up.
That's what a younger brother was
for anyway.
Dick Fale was resting one afternoon
in a Y. NJ. C. A. hut with group OF
fellow engineers, but he was not en-
tering into their discussions. On the
contrary, he was thinking seriously of
certain girl way back in the States.
"Wonder why she doesn't answer
my letters?" he questioned. Possibly
she doesn't receive them. No, that
can't be, for I've written every week
for at least three months. Could 1t he
-er-cOuld it be that she prefers Ed
Field after all? Well, no girl will make
fool out of me If l know it. She'll
get no more letters from me-"
No sooner had he uttered these
letter for him.
Thought I'd bring it to you, Dick,
as long as l was coming this way.
Why, man, what's the matter with
yOu?"
1t is no wonder the mystified fellow
asked such a question, for Dick was
dancing around with lock of golden
hair dangling in his fingers.
"She's willing! She's willing!" he
exclaimed. "Oh boy! Just wait until
I get back to the States. Hey, Fred!
Want to be my best man?"
When Dick finally quieted down he
explained to the curious Fred the
,naoninu Of tho Giro ~ 0a locL of hoir
One evening they had been sitting
out on the porch, when Dick fooling-
ly cut Off lock of Alice's hair. When
Alice was ready to answer in the af-
firmative question he had recently
asked, she could send him the lock of
hair. Agreeing, Alice slipped the lock
into book she was holding, thinking
1t to be a safe hiding place"
"And now," added Dick, "as long as
I'm going to be sent home soon
won't let her know I'm coming, but
will surprise her"
After the wedding guests had all de-
parted, Jack, with Khaki us compan-
ion, threw himself down on the lawn,
a characteristic position Of his when
he wanted to think.
"Gosh, Khaki. just look at that
watch. Isn't 1t beauty?" he chuckled
reminiscently, "but didn't Sis look sur
prlsed when Dick told her he received
that lock Of hair. Wonder how she
guessed did 1t though? We should
worry. Khaki. If l hadn't taken Gu.
pids job, she would never have given
me. this watch. What about 1t, Khaki?"
"Bow wow" agreed Khaki.