Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1922-04-12

was car ufNlnS anu WI Ming fSiS
long hours. There was one letter
that he never posted but of the ex-
istence of which he permitted him
self to tell her. 81 carry it about
with me always in my Pay-book. 1t
is addressed to you. If ever | get
outed it will go to you. In it | have
said everything that | have never
said everything that | have never
said to you but that you know without
my saying it. There'll be no harm
in your hearing it from my own hand
if I'm dead. | keep on adding to it.
Every time we come back into rest,
| add little more. 1t all could be
said in the three words we have
never said to one another"
And she wrote, ''Marko, | can read
your letter, every line of it. | lie
awake, Mako, and imagine myself
word by word, line by line; and word
by word, line by line, in the same
words and in the same lines. an
swer it. So when you read it to
yourself for me, read it for yourself
to me. Oh, Mako"
Early in December 'he wrote to
Mabel:
"A most extraordinary thing has
happened. I'm coming home! I've sud-
denly been told that Pm one of five
men in the battalion who have been
selected to go home to an Officer
Cadet battalion for a commission.
Don't jump to the conclusion that
I'm the Pride of the Regiment or
anything like that. It's simply due
to two things: one that this is not
the kind of battalion with many men
who would think of taking commits
slons; the other that both my pla-
toon officer and the captain of my
company happen to be Old Tiburians
and, as I've told you, have often been
rather decent to me. | hope to be
home on the third and | go to the
Cadet battalion, at Cambridge, on
the fifth"
He made rather a boisterous entry
into the house on his arrival, arriy-
ing in the morning before breakfast.
He entered the hall just after eight
O'Clock and announced himself with a
loud, ''Hullo, everybody" and
thumped the butt of his rifle on the
floor An enormous crash in the
kitchen and a shrief of ITS the
master" heralded the tumultuous
discharge upon him of High links and
Low Jinks. Effie appeared from the
dining room. He was surrounded
and enthusiastically shaking hands.
"Hullo, you Jinksies! Isn't this rip
ping? BY Joye, Highland Low
it's famous to see you again. Hullo,
Effie! Just fancy you being here
low Jolly fine, Ell? Where the
Mistress? Not down yet2 III go
up. Low Jinks-Low Jinks, Pm
dashed if you aren't crying"
He broke off "Hullo, Mabel HUI
10. Did you get my letter? Pm
coming up.
Mabel was in a wrapper at the
head Of the stairs. He ran up. Pm
simply filthy. Do YOU mind?" He
took her hand
She said, Il never dreamt you'd be
here at this hour. How are you,
Mark? Yes, got your letter. But
| never expected you till this eve
ming. It's very annoying that
nothing is ready for you
Just the same Mabel But he
wasn't going to let her be the same!
He had made up his mind to that as
he had come along with eager strides
from the station.
V
But the three days at home were
marred by the discovery that his
suspicion wa swell founded; she was
bullying Effie. He bagn to ontice it
at once, Effie. with whom he had
anticipated a lotof fun, was differ
ent: not enarly so bright; subdued !;
her eyes, not always, but only by
occasional flashes, sparkling that in
tense appreciation of the oddities of
life that had so much attracted him
In her Yes, dash it, Mabel was
treating her in rotten way. Bully
ing. Nc, 1t was not exactly bullying.
1t was snubbing, certain acid quail
ty always present in Mabel voice
when she addressed her-that and a
manner of always being what he
thought of as Eat her"
In March he came back. a second
lieutenant; and Immediately, when
IN time to come he looked back.
things set in train for that ultimate
encounter with life which was await
ing him.
He went over for one visit to
the office at Tidborough. Not so
much enthusiasm greeted him as to
encourage a second. Twyning and