The Washington times., 1919-03-14

What does this meang' he dc
1fildrOd stepped in between the
two men. cit doesn't mean any
thingt' she exclaimed, trying to
laugh, ssExcspt that we were
dtinkinE Toms health because he
81 foinE away 46mofrok, And"
Tom Interrupted her, %Wait,
please, Mildred. IL there are any
eSplahations / can make them"
T am glad" Arthur sheCFed,
''thkt you appreciate that you, not
she. Eh0Gid explain"
%A6d I decline to expiainI" Tom
burst forth, his face flushing with
anger. 'Unlsss Mildred wishes me
Co"
II dent with you tot" Mildred
declared. TITS nobody's business
but yours and mine!"
'Fflldredf" H0n0fa ihterpossd
''Bs auietl You DO not know what
yeu are saying"
Il DO knORl" the younger girl
rSt6rted. ~ am saying that, I have
. right 90 DO e ] please, and Tom
Aad q right to drink with me, tSo."
~BVth though be wears the uni
form Of the Omitted States?" Ar
thur questioned drTly. But words
&erS Addressed to the mAh. not to
ReeTih.insttoas.
1T is interestlhG," Tom COM
mented, ''t6 see how the uniform -
resDPotsd ~ . man who is not will
thE to wear it!"
The tsh4t cut and Bruce Rihcsd.
ssEou cur!h he muttered. Then, as
Tom stspped thfeatbninglY toward
1laa-''Yes, mean that! II yon
want to resent Il. We win settle the
score VIXEN the ladies have left as
alone. Unlsss," with q harsh 1augh.
',1ou Wi6h 70 take refuge behind
the law forbldding one to strike q
nan in uniform"
chandier paled siiEhtlS. ave are
-,maiSiaE much out OF nothing, Bruce,
GrV beth are talking hastily and
fobiishiy hiy9-his tone chahRinE from
dnEer 70 eoneihi atioH. you do not
understand the situation. I did,
for the ulom6ut forget that sol.
dier must not dfink, and took .
tiny Elkas 0f harmless cordial with
Wildred-iust 6s q little farewell
eeremony- am leaving tonaor-
row.
Then, simply because we are old
friends, kissed her on the cheek
-as would have kissed my sister.
Thef ia the extent OF my offensS.
Hou may take this as an apology IL
yea Wish. Had known you were
locking on. would have doES the
same thing. Only then, perhaps,
I. would hare asked your Dermis-
sioh."
s.But" 1IharAd broke IN shriIIy,
Arthur Wns careful 70 come IN 50
softiy that We aid not know he was
licking on! he was spying-hS and
E0nofal"
81 am going now" Toms voice
vas calm and cool.
Wait q mOmeht," Honora COM
manded- 1--WE aid not come in with
any desire Of spying On anybody.
opened the door with my latch
hay. SUPPOSED Mildred waS up
gtA1rs with Mrs. Higgins. had
06on you, Mr.. Chandler, only q few
heurB ago. driving with--a friend
and it did net occur to me that you
were coming here after that"
There was a menace in her tone
that made Mildred wonder with
whom Tom had been. But the man
WA8 not going to wait for any dues-
ulou % De asked
t'0obd-nIGht, ALL" he said. Al
Mildred held out her hand. he locked
e Arthur.
MILDRED Il UmeOmf0FSabIe.
You have no objection to my
shaking hands with your hancee,
Bruce, have your" he said with eiab-
orH4s politenesa.
Arthur did not speak. His eyes
were oEpres6iOnlsss as II he did not
hear. His look made Mildred uh-
lcomfoftabie.
Haood-by," she muFmured TO Tom,
adding In . Whisper-"Send me
your address-if it chdngos."
A quick pressure Of her hand
was the only answer.
The trio did not move until the
front door had closed behind the
departing visitor.
K6tie'B footsteps sounded on the
stairs coming down from Mrs. HiG-
gins room Honora snAtched up
the bottle Of peach brandy and
thrust it and the gleSses-still un-
WaEhed-into the sideboard.
Then, a. Katie entered the room,
Honora crested her, asked about
1rB. Higgins condition and went
on into the library, Arthur and Mil
dfed following her dumb1y.
Here she closed the door and
turned 20 her sister.
SStop cryfngl" she ordered. for
Mildred had begun 70 sob hycter-
icaily. There is enough to cry
about, goodness knows! But you
are not the one to be considered
just now"
'toh, no." Mildred exclaimed, her
anger drying her tears. 81 suppose
not. You never have any sympathy
for me, no matter how hard things
are for me.
You can pity Arthur because his
fathers ill, yet you can't pity me
when Arthur gets angry with me.
why 81 he here, anyway? Why
dIda't heNEtay at home IL his father
q as sick as you people say he is?"
~Hlg father died two hours age"
The words were said In q low
voiee, but Mildred started AS Il she
bad been struck by q whip.
SDead| she gasped. Dead"
Yea" Honora went on meFCiIess-
ly. eAnd On spite Of all Artnur's
Grief and need Of your sympathy he
@ouId net send for you. He anid it
would be too hard fOf you. For the
same r6aa0n he Would not let me
tsikph6na you. Instead. be waited
uhtii NrS. BFuco's cousin arrived TO
STAY with her fof q few hourt, then
Sc cane here 20 break the news to
yea kbnfly. That is why we came
IN softly. Arthur did not want
-