Omaha daily bee., 1919-02-07
CHAPTER XVII.

Isn't It wondertul!" she cried,
still perplexed. But, Andrew. you
mustn't work too hard-promise."
Il promise" he said grimly, his
mind filled with dreams of the gid
ed future in which all his hopes
would come true.
She went into her bath quite sat-
sihed with this assurance.
Three weeks later in the vast span
of the Grand Central station, quite
party gathered to see Andrew
Forester off to Mexico. : 1t was
still 10 minutes before the trains
departure. Mrs. Lightbody and Mrs.
Dellabarre, with Dawson, Laracy,
and young Pardee, hung back dis
creetly while Amy, tiny and fragile
against the broad shoulders of her
husband, walked with him down the
platform
Filkins, the private secretary, who
was to accompany him, came up
briskly.
Everything in placer
Everything, Mr.. Forester"
get ali the evening papers-and
some magazines"
Yes, sir"
A late arrival came running down
the platform; Filkins fitted away.
Il can't bear to let you go alone"
said Amy, clinging to his arm. IL
don't think its right, Andrew
don't"
There was break in her voice,
and her eyes grew misty. She had
come down gaily, after a merry
luncheon, and now, all at once, be-
fore the grim mystery OF life's part
ing. this grinning mask that con-
fronted her, she felt sinking in
her heart, terror of unknown
things.
why, little girl. it's only a jump
there and back this time. Only a
week or two" he said, patting her
arm. He looked at her, detecting
the gathering tears. Here, here;
it's not so bad as that"
"Oh, but it's the first timer she
said incoherently swaying against
his shoulder. ANDREW, Andrew,
we oughtn't to be separated. feel
it. I know it. My duty's with you"
well, perhaps next time"
She looked up into his face, fear
and helplessness in her eyes.
"What is it, little girl?"
Then you think / ought to have
gone with you? Andrew, Andrew,
tell me the truth.
"Of course l don't" he said stout
".
Il will-I'll jump on the car now
just as l am" she said. under the
hypnotic terror of all this furry Of
coming and going, this sense of
looming unexplored horizons Of
life ahead-and behind.
He drew his arm tighter about
her and bent suddely, careless who
saw them, to seek her lips.
( "Of course it's only couple Of
weeks, isn't it?" she said heavily,
at the end of the long embrace that
shut out the shrieking confusion
about them.
perhaps not that" he said, "
ing TO comfort her, for her grief
affected him. too. y say-do you
think you'd better wait, Amy dear?
It's sort of bad luck, seeing the
train off"
mo, no; can't leave-not now
please don't ask that of me-"
"All right, then. Better nowl"
He drew her back to the group of
friends who pressed up for the last
farewells. "Goodby, everyone
goodby. Mrs. Lightbody-goodby
boys-Goodby, Mrs. DeIlabarre-
mighty good of you to see me off.
l say, cheer up my little girl, will
you? Don't let her get too lonely"
He caught up Amy, lifting her al
most off her feet, laughing. Back
in fortnight, perhaps"
And the train was already in mo-
ton as he caught the step.
She stood with her handkerchief
waving feebly in the air as the train
wound out in snaky flight, dwindled,
and was gone.
"Partings are awful. I can't bear
them" she said gulping down sob.
81 know. j feel the same way
every summer. It's quite natural,
dear" said Mrs Dellabarre, who had
waited by her. She had never had
such an emotion when leaving Ru-
dolph, and yet, she was rather affect
ed by her friends distress. She
linked her arm under lAmy's, muir
murming alphabetically. what a
child it isp
In order that Mrs. Forester
should not languish in teary soli-
tude, they danced in the newest
dance hall, dined, and arrived for
the second act of a musical comedy.
At 2 o'clock, as Amy declared,
if she went home, she wouldn't
sleep a wink, they decided to make
a night Of it. Tody Dawson was
devotion itself, so kind and so soil
citous that Amy, in her gratitude,
gave him compensating smile-he
really was the dearest boy.
In week, her days were crowded
with engagements, her nights brill
liant with sensations that were still
young to her. To be out, to be
seen, to be envied, sought after,
adopted, and raised to the giddy
pinnacle of new favorite seemed
to her the height of a woman's des-
tiny. In month, she belonged to
society-to men in the aggregate,
to the mass and public eye, avid
Of the latest novelty
Andrew will be SO proud Of me-"
she thought loyalty, in her moments
Of triumph, as though, in serving
his vanity, she were performing her
duty of a wife.
4 CHAPTER XVIII.
Eighteen months later, on a brill