Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1919-08-19
The Last Shall Be
Best
n
s,A ". PEAH
By A. ". PEACH

Norman Milroy, on entering the
room, found his friend seated before
the CRATE Of the fireplace into which he
was slowly feeding bits Of torn paper.
His whole attitude was that Of man
performing solemn rite, and doing 1t
sadly, albeit with some degree Of dis
taste.
Hello. Carey, why the air Of grief"
was Milroy's greeting.
Carey looked up with quick glance,
and Milroy's curiosity was further In
creased by the mingled light Of regret
and anger In his friends eyes.
Carey continued to shuttle the torn
bits Of paper into the fire which licked
up the fragments. Another glance
told Milroy that Carey was burning let
ters-letters written in a small. fem.
inine handwriting, and one that he
himself recognized with start as that
of the girl whom they had both met
that summer. She had seemed to ia
vor Carey. and Milroy had retired as
gracefully as he could after he dis
covered that her dark eyes had for
him no light that is the most wonder
full Of all on earth.
Shocked into seriousness by what
he had discovered, he said hesitating-
ly: "But those bits look like the rem
nants Of letters. Something wrong?"
Carey said nothing for moment,
then muttered sharply: That's what
they are-letters. I'm making bon
fire of the letters Mildred wrote me
and that's just what they are good
for.
Milroy's heart jumped. II some
thing had come between his friend and
the girl they both loved, there might
be chance for him, for next to Carey,
Milroy knew she had seemed very
friendly to him.
"What- Is the trouble, old chap,
something that can be Strengthened
out?" Milroy asked.
Carey shook his head with growl.
Knowing the ways Of his good-hearted
but quick-tempered friend. Milroy said
nothing but waited.
A moment later the crouching fig-
ure handed up a small letter, and NIL.
roy took 1t. He recognized the fine
handwriting. the girlishly formed let
ters. and the memory Of them as he
had seen them in brief notes to him
came back with rush with memories
of her.
He went to the window and opened
the letter. The chill Of the first line
struck him first. Instead Of the low
Ing terms which loved one might be
expected to use, there was the gaunt,
cold, formal: "My Dear Mr.. Myron."
From that cool greeting, hardly one
that a girl would send to her lover,
Milroy's eyes ran on to the body Of
the letter. 1t began: II feel that it
Is time that you and came to an un.
derstanding," and It went on to state
In cold terms her idea Of his be-
havior. Undoubtedly 1t was a let
ter that severed the relations between
them.
Rising from before the CRATE,
Carey looked at him with mournful
eyes. There's the end Of sum-
mer's dream; and why 1t should be
don't know. My confounded hot tenn
per made me write things while ago
that did not mean. She failed to
keep an engagement with me-went
off with an old becu and left me
In the lurch. I wrote a bit hotly about
1t. I'm done-and I suppose 1t is
your chance. know how she re-
CARDS you"
Milroy stopped his reading. IF you
have lost interest in her"
Lost interest In her." Carey said
sharply. "Man, I love her more than
l ever did, but no man with any sense
of honor can belittle himself by get
ting down on his knees after getting
a note Of that kind"
Milroy started to say: IT a man
loves girl enough. he will get on his
knees-or even do more than that,
but knowing his friend he said moth
ing.
Throw the letter into the fire
with the rest Of 'em-that's where
It belongs" said Carey shortly. "I'll
be sorry for the whole affair before
It Is over, but that's the way l feel
now"
Milroy started to hand the fateful
letter to Carey. who took It In his
hand and then paused.
he looked at him with musing eyes
II have always thought you were the
chap for her. know you have been
out Of touch with her since our en-
gagement. You might as well start In
where l left off. Take the letter
along; her new address is on It, and
you can write her. I am done. Tn
| going to get out for months hunt
Ing trip In Maine. and when come
back, you can let me give you din
ner. I'm done with all this business
"a man In love Is like an animal OF
his feed. And l have been of my
feed and my trolley ever since las'
June"
Milroy tucked the letter into hil
coat. at the same time making an at
tempt to cheer up his gloomy friend
vet knowing that the golden oppor
tunity lay before him.
From the apartment he hurried out
after vainly endeavoring to let little
sunshine into his friends mood. Th'
small envelope in his pocket with th'
precious address seemed to be warn
and comforting with hope.
he could not resist the temptation
TO draw It out. and as he walked b
turned to It afain. Again the cold
formal greeting came into view; ant
once more, he read on, reading tn
cold lines that had led Carey to maxi
sacrifice Of his cherished love letter.
and b decide to hurry to his Main'
camp long before the best season wa
at hand.
| Then MIlroy stopped short as d
turned a page. There was suddel
break, space Of white. and the iette
began again: my Dear-You se'
how really cold-hearted can be q
i want to, don't youi And ] guess IN
preceding part Of my letter has givel
l you q good scare. Really, Il l OH
not know how fine-hearted you are