The patriot. [volume] (Indiana, Pa.) 1914-1955, 1919-04-19
The
Seventh Day
By JULIA RICHARDSON
Copyright 1913 by Mcclure Newspaper
Syndicata)

David Stirling, ieutenant-to-be.
climbed the hotel steps wearily, ac-
knowledged mechanically the greetings
of the usual porch squad of people, and
dropped into chair-comfortable, but
far from the madding crowd. Seven
times he had repeated these motions
with the same dejectedness, the same
manner, the same weary
dropping into a chair.
Immediately afterward, the heads Of
the rocker brigade would meet. and the
buzz of whispering voices arise, some
sympathetic, some mildly angered,
Scraps of sentences drifted to Dawes
ears, such as, NToo bad Poor fellow.
1t must have been her fault" 81
wonder what the quarrel was about
anyway" Some maintained that it
was not her fault, but his fault. David
tried to remember their names for fu-
ture reference.
In the meantime, on this seventh
day, Dave lit a cigarette and stared
moodily out over the sea and sky,
spread lavishly before him as if to
console him with their beauty. For
time, the poetic half Of his nature re-
sponded enough to isolate him from
his disturbing thoughts. The sky was
like turquoise, he thought, the sea like
sapphire, the clouds and foam were
pearls-but at this point his mind wan
dered to engagements
girls-one girl In particular. And he
was back again in the world of his
troubles. For the seventh time Dave
reviewed the chain Of events. Two
weeks ago he had come to spend a
month at the quiet summer resort In
Maine to be near Carol Thatcher, his
fiancee, before he left for the South
ern training camp.
The first week had been Elysium,
Utopia, and heaven all combined.
Every night marked the end of per-
feet day. Bathing, boating, fishing
walking on soft grass or cool pine
needles or luxuriant white sand, not
on hot pavings or cOblestones. And
then-one day he was to meet Carol in
their favorlte spot, a large, cleared
spot in the woods called the Cathedral,
with moss for carpet and straight
pines and spruces for pillars. As he
approached the place, he heard voices,
one masculine, the other Carols. Dave
could not be seen through the thick
growth of trees.
The masculine voice said, "Then
am to have the pleasure Of marrying
your"
Carols laugh rang out, you certain
" are if I have my way about 1t, John,
you old dear. Why, I've planned 1t for
the last four years, ever since you en-
tered, you know"
Dave did not quite understand the
last sentence, but the first had been
sufficient. He thought he understood
that perfectly. Waiting to hear no
more he turned abruptly and made his
way back to the road.
That evening a bellboy had given
him a small package and a note, the
package containing Carols diamond,
the note a frigid one to Mr.. Stirling,
saying that his unexplained failure to
keep the appointment that afternoon
seemed to the writer sufficient reason
for disseminating their betrothal.
"a mere alibi," muttered David.
"She wants TO be free for the other
man, of course" Thus began his
gloomy days On the porch, preceded by
a brisk walk or a swim every morning.
Carol had been playing with him, evi-
IDENTIFY, for the sake of the good times,
his companionship-and of course, the
diamond. All the while for four years
she had loved this other man John,
curse him! Dave was through with
women-absolutely!
During the week the two avoided
each other persistently, a fact soon
noticed and recorded in the porch an
nails. Carol, just to show that she did
not care f1irted outrageously with
young and old alike.
David left the hotel rather early,
taking a longer route to avoid meet
ing anyone he knew. AS he entered
the Cathedral from one path, a figure
In white entered on the opposite side.
1t was Carol.
"Good evening"" she said coldly.
"Good evening"" replied David in the
same tone. ALLOW me to congratulate
you on your coming marriage" 1t
was the last thing he had intended to-
say, but IN his confusion the words
were spoken. Carols eyes opened
wide. I'm sure I don't know what
you mean, Mr.. Stirling" she replied,
trying to appear casual and indiffer-
ent. This was the first time the two
had been together for a whole week
moreover the moon was shining, the
setting ideal for romance. What each
wanted most was to fly into each 9TH
er's arms. But they had quarreled-
hence the brave attempt at distant
formality.
So David explained. As he ex-
planned, Carols eyes grew happier and
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