The Concordia sentinel. (Vidalia, Concordia Parish, La.) 1882-current, 1920-04-03


Only that once did she let the mask
fall. Her face went white as a snow
drop and her hand. idly lingering the
bar of sapphires on her breast,
trembIed visibly. There was the ag-
ony of confession in the eyes she lifted
to his for one brief moment. "If t
hadn't been for the memory of your
kindness, / couldn't have endured it
all these years"
81 know" His clasp on her hand
was warm, reassuring. 'T'll 10 every
thing that I can for the girl"
If a miracle can happen, then one
happened at the post. The end of
Helen's visit came, and Anne knew
that no girl who had ever been enter
tanned there had enjoyed greater pop
ularity. There had been rides. lunch
cons, teas. dinners and theater par
ties to the nearby city, all of them
sponsored by the able. quiet-lOOking
colonel. Anne was grateful beyond the
power of words TO express, but the Wis
it had been a trying one for her. She
was conscious every time that she saw
the commanding officer at the post that
all he did was for her. She had worn
her blue dresses because she had heard
him say so many times in the old
days that blue was his favorite color,
and she wanted to please him because
he was doing so much for her.
He came to call, alone, the night he
fore Helen was to leave. The girl
seemed strangely excited, as if she
were just bubbling over with happi-
ness. Anne said goodnight to them
early and went to her room, thinking
over her own care-free days and her
unwise choice of partner. She would
try to save Helen from the same fate
| She wondered If the girl had come
really to care for any of the men who
had danced attendance on her. None
of them probably cared a straw for
the girl herself. OF course, they
rushed her to please the colonel.
There was a little lieutenant who had
seemed sincere in his attentions.
Could 1t be that he-Anne was startled
from her reverie by Helen tip-toein,z
into the room. with her finger on her
lips. The little visitor was in flame
colored taffeta with wide-plaited ruff
fies that served to round out her slim.
girlish figure. A high Spanish comb
held her yellow curls on top of her
head. she was eager, vivid. keeniy
alive. Her eyes were sparkling.
81 have a secret, a wonderful one"
she confided rapturOusly.
YYes?" questioned Anne but already
that strange sixth sense was at work.
prophesying the astounding news.
"rm coming back-to be leading
lady at the post-think of it! The
coloners wifel Maybe I'll snub you
and Tom," she laughed, rocking her
self back and forth on the low stool
by Anne's dainty dressing table. "You
know / was wild about him before |
came here. Tom had told US so much
about him. cared even before l saw
him. So you see your quiet, demure
little sister-in-law has something that
all the lovely, scintillating visitors who
came here before must have lacked.
met him two or three days before you
asked him to tea. He said then that
IL you didn't soon ask him TO call lie
would have to hint to you" Then sud
denly she changed the subject 81
think that l will have a brown going
away dress, Anne. l thought Of blue
but. he hates 1t. Isn't that queeri
Most men adore it. Why don't you say
something's Aren't you perfectly
thrilled to have a sister who is the
coloners lady?"
Anne was staring at her, eyes darS
as shadowy pools. as If she were see
ing her for the first time. why, OF
course, I am delighted"
IL wanted him to tell you, hut he
said it would be better for me tt
break the news. Wasn't that thought
full of him? Women do love startling
secrets, don't they? And just think
Anne, he says that he. has never loved
girl before, and he is nearly forty
years old"