Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1921-05-13
1921. by Mcclure Newspaper syl

There was frost in the air; also in
Mrs. Hubert's manner, as she went be-
tween gorgeous ragged ranks of late
growth to meet the Trevors. Aunt
Bah had halted them there to see the
choice late roses and chrysanthemums
she was busy hooding and s~hrouding
against the Strengthening cold. Il could
cut them, to be sure" Aunt Bah ex-
planned. But it is a shame not to let
them die happy in the SUI on their
own stalks"
How l wish humanity ran in fam
lilies !" Archy Trevor laughed, taking
Mrs Hubert's hand. IF it debut
there! l won't speculate on the i'm
possible. Instead, here are thanks for
what | may or may not be about to
receive"
vivian, dear-please snub him
hard" Anna Trevor ~entreated with
a p!aintive accent. HE has been in
sItferable now for three days over
he won't tell what. Say right off you
won't listen, no matter what it may be.
Then he will run away to sulk-and
we can nave a beautiful gossip"
about me, of course-I am-fxed-
as the laws of Modes and Persians,"
Archy interrupted.
Good boy" Aunt Bah murmured,
patting his arm.
He kissed her hand, saying with
twinkling eyes: DO your worst, ladies'
I'm ready for anything-even to have
you set the cats ON me-"
You'd like that, no doubt-now that
you have grown a cat fancier," Mrs.
Hubert said silkenly.
Archy smiled, not quite easily, an
swering: "There are cats-and cats.
1 am not fond of-everything that has
claws"
stop fussing and be human" Aunt
Bah commanded. when you are as
old as l am, you'll feel how wicked it
is to waste life getting grouchy about
nothing. Go on and tell us your
great secret, Archy-whether it's about
money, marbles, or matrimony."
ut might concern all three-only it
doesn't" Archy answered, Struggling.
Its only-all these came in a bunch"
pulling from a deep pocket a huddle
of ribbons, crosses and medals. Near
affidavit along with them, saying
they're all due me. | can't quite be-
lieve it"
"Archyi You darling!" Anna cried,
hugging him close. Aunt Bah did the
same as soon as he was free. Mrs.
Hubert looked on with humid eyes,
her whole being fluid. Archy had been
so silent as to what had befallen in
those months overseas-he had come
back without a scratch, and had
seemed to avoid comradely gatherings,
though he had chung to his buddy
Joe-George Green by manchester
than to a real brother. They had had
many laughs together about something
they would not name. When joe
George went on to California, his last
shouted good-by had been: "Lordy, old
son-they'll git you yet. Don't l wish
l could stay and see the fur? Even
after hat Archy had held his tongue.
And Vivian Hubert, whom he had
loved and lost as Vivian Dane, had
been hurt and chilled-there must be
something terrible behind this reti-
cence-nothing could make her believe
Archy had played the coward-but
there were so many, many other ways
wherein he might have tripped and
fallen she had been far from happy.
Then he had begun dangling after
the Francis wOman-who affected the
intense in everything. Just now she
owned q humanitarian craZe-Went
about doing good, according to her
own notion, to animals that she might
better have left alone. Cats were her
latest specialty-hence Viyian's thrust
at Archy-he had actually carried
home for the Francis person a litter
of blind kittens rescued from drown
ing, which she insisted were entitled
10 an easier death. Vivian had
laughed easily over the ~story-there-
by confounding the gossip who had
told it. But she had cried Silly, half
the night after-she had so hoped
Archy would understand her marriage
lad been hardly of her own MAKING
lut a yielding to what her elders IN
their wisdom had decreed. By a cyni-
cal Jest of fate, death had freed her
$ : months after the wedding day. Now
The freedom was Dead sea fruit, turn
ing TO ashes on her lips.
But she had rallied as women Will,
veiled her heart by playing with other
suitors. telling herself the while she
would never marry anybody. She was
striving to hold fast to that mental
;ttitude-even with. Archy proven a
.are hero they were friends only. he
stood tossing the decorations lightly
from hand to hand. his sister ana
Aunt Bah trying hard to snatch them
away. Cupping the hands, ne heio
them out to Vivian, saying with ms
most whimsical smile: Hold fast
what | give you. Remember Wv.