Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1919-01-03
THE GIRL WHO
ALMOST MISSED
by Mary Douglass
CANDLELIGHT AND CONVERSATION
Chaptpr NINIl

>IlstIi'i ~ ~ ~
We went, after dinner. into the long
livngroom that was lighted by many
candles which threw their light gently
over the warmth and coziness OF the
great room.
Mr.. Howard walked over to the
piano that stood in the embrasure Of
the bay window, and seated himself
before it. Walked said, vet ] should
have expressed it, ''hobhlcd," for he
managed his crutch clumsily and almost
as though he had not had II long.
Mrs Damon res stlffly and said
she had work 10 do, while she bowed
jerkily to me.
Mrs. Damon has gone TO count the
silverw my hos, hantcred.
Now. Mr. Howard the snrewd
housekcepcr parried.
You know very well that you believe
Miss Richards has spoon conccaled
in that panel thing, and butter kniic
thrust In her hairl
lie do act SO. Miss, she explained,
looking at him adoringly
What shall play for YOU he asked
with his han6s running over the keys.
oh, anything, / :nswcred.
10 he began softly and PLAYED to me,
there on and on, with no beginning and
thing into another. | sat there, dreaming
Of Jamie. who tonight might he living
on some / attic fed jennie, VI o had not
once written me sent me not even a
card Jamie whose memory did not
rouse the old burning pain and longing.
but filled me with = gentle melancholy
The music had stopped. was scarcely
conscious OF IT cought IN the depth of my
memory Then I heard the tap-tapplng
Of his cntch upon tho floor, and he was
sitting down l., side me on the long
davenport
Did vou like my music" be asked
I loved Il
lis that vour sister," ! asked. looking
toward a picture that hung above the
fireplace
"A,s. size Was very beautiful" he
ans wcrcd simply
NV sister IS coming 10 me IN April
or May, sad, That IS Why am getting
the homestead in order
Tell ne about tcr-
told him Of Peggy and sketched
her hazel ewes and the curling, dark hair
and the dimplc that hid N her check.
she must he very pretty? he
quest ioncd
"Shc Is. You seem 10 care for pretty
EliiS. Siitth
Il care more for e,utv than anything
e,sc in the world he said and leaned
back agnirst the arm Of the davenport
studying me.
wished that my face were not 50 plain
and turnSd it quickly away and looked
into the hle that was sinking now, to
glowing bits oi wood
We'll. what does il matter TO me,
anvwav9' | thought. Il don't want people
to ike me but | cannot bc beautiful nor
what IS commonly called pretty: even
Tor the sake Of friendship
You don't approve 81 nc. he
laughed. i can sec that. plainlE hut il
YOU had seen A. much as | i would take
all the beaut, in the world ~ blot i out
He left the sentence unfinished and
took up 4 cigarette from a stand that
stood al his elbow and lighted It with
nervous fingers. All, but we've dropped
into serious thinking. he mocked /" Ils
enough | must show you how to laugh
He entertained me with his gay stories.
Lighthcarted -carc-irec ! Judged him.
ooh. look AZ the time ] cried. agh2st
Thc fingers Of the great clock marked
eleven
Rather late for conventional young
lady 10 bc calling on 2 Young gentleman.
he mocked "hu: in the old-tim custom.
may ] ~cc thee home"
Indeed YOU Won't begged looking
unconscIcusly toward his crutch
y on wauldn'; insul, nlc2" he asked
4 vc got tousc the thing the rest OF ms life
and want 10 re- on friendly terms with it.
Out under the March stars, / found
he walked more easily, more ss though
the constraint Of the house were cast
aside and he felt his way more smoothly
j Unmatched my door and turned to
say goodnight
Let INC come in. and frichten away the
unwarv burglar he said You re- not
enough Of a new woman 10 object TO that
are YOU?
] should be glad, ! admitted as l
fumbled around for a match.
'Itll make a delightful chapter for
my new novel,-voung homesteader at
tackled by crIcl vagrant; hero comes to
rescue, heroine falls on his neck-but
please wait until IN little steadier on nv
crutch, he laughed.