The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1919-01-16


Copyright, 1918. by Mcclure Newspaper
Syndicate)
While Barbara waited for her order
she glanced shyly at the young man
in khaki sitting opposite her at the
table, and her blue eyes beamed ap-
prevail. She had never seen a more
kindly or intelligent face, she told her
self, and she knew he would be brave,
too, when the occasion should arise
She began to wish she knew him.
The waitress had been busting
about the table, and Barbara, looking
down suddenly, noted to her surprise
that a plate containing two orders of
rolls had been set directly between her
place and that of the young man.
When the full significance of this
struck her she became Mortified. It
was evident that the waitress thought
that they had come in together. Oh,
if she could only catch her eyei But
the busy little waitress seemed to
look at everyone but her. Why hadn't
she gone to the place where she usu-
ally went at night and not ventured
into this restaurant? The young man
was absorbed in a paper and appar-
emily had not noticed the waitress
mistake.
When hours had passed, according
to Barbara's feelings, the two orders
were brought in and placed before the
young man. He looked up with a
start; but it was only a fraction of
minute that surprise mastered him.
Then he started in to serve Barbara
as if it were an everyday occurrence.
'It's best to pretend we came to-
gether," he said in low voice, after
the waitress had hurried away to
other patrons.
Barbara acquiesced shyly. After a
few moments her diff1dence wore
away and she suddenly found herself
chatting with the young soldier in the
most unconventional way. She felt
a twinge. of regret when the dinner
was over and they had to go their
separate ways. He had taken no adj
vantage of their strange meeting, and
they parted as they had met, strangers
In the days that followed Barbara
thought much about the young man
in khaki. His kindly dark eyes seemed
to follow her wherever she went, and
she often caught herself scrutinizing
a crowd with a hope that she might
? see him again. She had not entered
] the restaurant where they had met
since that night. Although she had
! passed it many times she did not have
| the courage to enter.
One evening, about a month later,
Barbara decided to go to see Grace
/ Lincoln, a girl acquaintance, who lived
out of town. In the course of the eve
ming she related her strange expert
ence, and when she had finished Grace
laughed immoderately, a great deal
more than the occasion would seem
! to warrant.
Before Barbara took her leave her
! friend said, with a twinkle in her eye,
st want you to come out next Tues
day night. My cousin from Wilton is
coming to visit US for two or three
days, and I would like to have you
meet him. Pm sure you'll like him.
You'll come, won't your"
Barbara promised that she would
come. Ordinarily she would have gone
home delighted, but now she did not
feel pleased at the prospect of meet
about seeing him?
When Tuesday evening came she
took a train for her friends house, and
it was a little before eight when she
arrived there. Grace came to the door
in answer to her ring, meeting her
with a burst of delight. "He's come,
Barbara: and know you'll like him. 81
Barbara smiled uncOncernedly. AS
they entered the living room a tall
figure in khaki who had been sitting
before the open fire rose and came for
ward. The girl could hardly believe
her own eyes. She was ashamed of
herself, for she was blushing furiously
as Grace introduced her to her cousin
but Richard Young soon put her at her
ease and it was rot long before she
was chatting with him as she had al
the restaurant He did not once allude
to their former meeting, and for this
she was very grateful. Just before
she left Grace drew her aside q mo.
ment.
Richard has been trying 20 find you
ever since that night" size said. ''He
ted ne ali about it-lle and I have
always been like brother and sister J
never had an idea that you We're tht
| girl until last week when you were
out. I said you would Ike hiI.l,'' shs
added, with roGuish glance, "and b5
the way things look I guess"
'He's very pleasant" broke in Bar
bara, her face burning with bushes
Grace said nothing more but smiled
knowingly.
Barbara was pleased when Riciiar,
Young offered to see her to the train
and as they walked along together sh.