The copper era and Morenci leader., 1919-06-20


 you are all the time writing to?"
 'I don't know, Dick-I really and truly don't know. I thought did care for you few months ago, but now, I'm not so sure-1 think perhaps we're not suited to each other after all."
 '1Then, 1t is this other fellow. knew 1t was and you've never even seen him, either. Why, Nancy, he may be entirely different from what you think him. He might be almost any thingr'
 be anything that wasn't wonderful and write such beautiful letters-I never read such letters before. I just feel I've got to see him before can make up my mind about anyone else"
 ''Well, If that's the way you feel about it, I guess we'd better call the whole thing off. I never could write a decent letter myself. When does Sir Galahad return?"
 'He gets here some time next week -on sick leave. I'm to meet him the day after he arrives-we'll have tea somewhere, think. He may not look the way expect him to at all, but nm sure he does"
 'Nancy, promise me you won't go to tea with him till you see what he looks like first"
 "You'Te crazy, Dick-as If his looks could make any difference in my feel ings toward him! Its his mind I'm thinking of, not his face"
 m ton with Dick was a busy one for the girl. Before she knew 1t, the day came when she was to meet her friend, and Nancy was in a perfect turmoil of e1- citement. Again and again she went over the picture of him she had form. ed in her mind-every detail of 1t.
 She and Harold Field had never talked very much about themselves. Their letters had been more about things and ideas and the great war.
 Strange as 1t may seem, the man who met her in the lobby of the hotel where they had planned to see each other for the first time, was remark ably like her mental picture of him. except that he was some years older. "I had an idea my godmother was much older." he began. when they were seated at little table together. s, Nancy did not like to tell him she thought he would be younger, so she only smiled and made some perfume tory remark about how deceptive let ters can be. For some time they talk ed of commonplaces, then he said: "You've been so kind. so very kind to me, my dear Miss Day. I can't tell you how much we fellows over there appreciate the wonderful letters some of you women write us. Why, many of us don't hear from home for weeks at a time. And those boxes and knitted things, tool felt I must see you just to let you know what we real ly do think of you all. Letters can't | say half of what we mean"
 "It wasn't anything but pleasure to me-" returned Nancy promptly, blushing slightly at his earnesthess. "Ah, but 1t was to me. Whether you were nineteen or ninety, the kind ness was there just the same-1 felt it all the time. And I've told someone else about it-my wife. She asked me | to give you this letter from her today, | to let you know how much she thinks | of anyone who is kind to me. There's even a scribbled postscript on the bot | tom from one of the children. You ! mustn't mind the addition"
 "Oh, thank you," Nancy cried hasti- ly, 'T'm to be married myself soon. l thought I'd tell you this afternoon before I announce it to everyone"
 Soon they parted with feeling Of mutual respect and admiration but with no desire to know each other better
 | "I'm an idiot" thought Nancy, 'I never thought for minute that he was married. And the children, too" Her | sense of humor overcame her at this point and she laughed till she was weak.
 Aside from the fact that he was married, he had not been half so nice as Dick, anyway. From the first mo- ment she had known that. She had almost been afraid that he would-she had only wanted to make sure. And she had.
 | The first thing Nancy did when she 1 got back from her tea party was to rush to the telephone.
 "Is that you, Dick?" she asked.
 "Yes-are you going to tell me the worst?"
 "The worst thing possible for you I'll marry you the minute you'll have mel''.
 "Nancy!"
 1 q mean it-I1l even get Uncle Will to perform the ceremony at short mo- tice-I told him I'd do something like 1 that some day.
 'oThen, I'll be up with the license in | five minutes"
 "When did you get the license?" :Tve had it for a mOnth-1 wanted to be prepared"
 "All right. if you'll promise me not