The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1922-09-05

telephone invitation and my arrival at
her door. All vainly did I score myself
with the lash of my own contempt for
the weakness which made me magnify
| and dwell unon every incident connected
with my hospital experience. l could
| think of nothing else save the "other
Mrs. Graham's query.
Could it be possible that through this
accidental acquaintance with woman
Of the same name as my own I should
perhaps gain a clue to the story Of the
wounded officer whose personality had
so large a place in my thoughts, and
about whose identity I knew only the
bare name? I had inferred from one of
his speeches that he, himself, was lone
of the poor devils who have no home
worth speaking Of" to whom he had so
feelingly referred. And from the burn
Ing flush which had overspread his face
at my laughing, careless aHusion to the
word of an officer and gentleman"
had surmised that there was painful
story, perhaps one connected with dis
grace, somewhere in his life.
BY the time reached the "other Mrs.
Graham's' door I was shaking inward
ly with nervous excitement. I don't
think would have been surprised to
have seen Capt. Hugh Grantland him
self open the door to greet me, so fan
tastic a riot had my unchecked magma
ton run with me.
The woman who opened the door to
nv ring was, however, in her very ap-
nearance a sedative for overstrung
nerves. She was tall and slender, with
coils of silver hair surrounding a face
that spelled quiet strength and calm as
plainly as If the words had been actual
w written across her forehead.
felt as if a quieting hand had been
laid unon NV wrist. An old scriptural
verse flashed into my nind-"The peace
of God which passeth all understand
ing" Never in my life have l seen a
nerson whose very appearance exempi- |
fed the words as did the presence OF the
woman before me.
The Service Pin.
She was dressed in a gown of gray. |
silky, clinging material that sorteneo
the severe simplicity of its lines An
exouisitely embroidered vestee OF white
linen with only an army service PIN LOT
fastening. and wristbands to match were
the only trimmings. |
The service pin caught and held my
ewes. Could it be possible: Then by a
mighty effort I drew the re1ns OF my
will faulty over my frenzied magma
ton. and transferred my gaze from the
vonan's service pin to he reyes, which
were smiling at me with a question IN
their placid depths.
"I am sure you are Mrs. Richard Ora
ham" she said brightly. "You look ex-
actly as I had pictured you, only-pret-
tier''-she finihed with charming naivete
as she drew me inside the hall door.
flushed and took refuge in conVen-
tional reply: /
"Thank you" I said confusedly "And
of course, you are Mrs. Frederick Gra- |
ham"
Admitted" she smiled. "And now
having been properly introduced, we're
not going to be formal any more, are
we? Please let me take that pretty hat
Pardon me-"
"OId Friends"
With a pretty grace an her own she
had put me into a low, easy chair near |
a tea table in a charming room, half
veranda, half-sitting room, into which
she had ushered me. I felt her deft mn
gers lust touching my hat and hair, and
in another moment she had Withdrawn
the hat and was laying it on reading
Il Dle covered Win uldSc1A4tACS anu AA~''N-
papers.
you'll forgive my exclaiming over
your charming hat" she said, and felt
instinctively the sincerity Of her manner
she really admired tive rarely seen
SO pretty a one, and it just suits your
face. I suppose that I should have let
you keep it on for your first CALL
II" She flashed her charming
smile at me- 'But really, I feel as If
I'd known you for years, and old friends
take off their hats when they come to
tea, don't they?"
"of course" I answered heartily. glad
TO avoid the subject of the hat, always
a sore one with me. 1t was the blue hat
which Dicky had bought for me, but
which he had put on Edith Fairfax's
head in order that he might draw a
sketch from it, and which the pretty
virginia girls friend had copied so ex-
actly.