The Monmouth inquirer. [volume] (Freehold, N.J.) 1865-1933, 1923-06-07
He united the dingy ribbon. took est

asked, note Of anticipation in his
voice.
mot for years. Margaret answer
ed, sitting down on q bench shadowcd
by the pine hoashs overhead
The coloacl unfoFdad the sheet
Gust an excuse for not bsiag able
10 see you at some appointed tire,
I he said, and then continued raaains
aloud: so tried my best to get awa5
and come over as / promised, BIT
father was obdurate, and it vas aftes
ten before we got through with those
! law papers. How | hate the law! Are
you going to forgive nee? May
come tonight instead? / shall cone,
anyhow. and bring the song for yea
to try. Will you sing it to me? !
must go to the office, stopped for just
4 this line~to you. Coed BY. Robert
Il The colonel placed the letter ca i
fully aside on the table and took the
1 second one from the package.
81 remember your answer to this.
/ Margaret" he said, a twinkle in his
\ eyes, as his glance ran down the sheet
/ you ridiculed my painful slowness.
I ] was a raw youth / reckon. slow to
think and act. 1t was girls little
] lab of good natured malice. And
answered. stung to the quick. This
must be it."
] lie picked up the third letter. opea-
I ed it. and smiled one of his infrequent
smiles over the contents. Listen TO
/, this:
| "'You are certainly ingenious, al
ways tripping me, confounding me,
throwing me down, laughing at me. |
know | do not approach your ideals,
But remember l am honest. And I've
got something you do not seem to pos
/ sess--a heart. It's big heart, OH
that can fill big Affections
The colonel smiled again indulgent
ly. "a good deal more in the same
vein about my big heart and your cruel
little one. With a plea for forgiveness
worked in, should you take my letter
amiss. There's the boy for you-the
boy with his hurt vanity"
The colonel looked little serious as
he placed the letter on top of the one
he had just fead and took another
from the unopened pile.
Just line saying / should like to
accept your invitation, bat cannot, en-
account OF other engagements. Offend
ed dignity" he said. throwing the let
Ter aside by itself.
"Still ano,-ser of tho same sort" he
added; "a week between them. More
wounded pride and vanity.
'.And a third! What a ridiculous
young cub | was. DO as you suggest.
and invite Henry Dunlap in nM place.
You will find him an agreeable SUBJ
stitute--well up in those graces
lack. But. remember, when / can do
a service for you-a genuine service
will come"
The colonel sighed as rather slowly
he picked up thicker letter and drew
it from the envelope.
"Ah, you sent for me. There was
service | could do. / remember. How
my heart beat when read your letter.
You sent for me. You were lonely,
not altogether happy under your faith
er's rule. Your mother sided with him,
and we've sided together How it
L
post haste in answer, cross country,
through the pine barrens; it saved halt
an hour. What new feelings that let
ter reused in met was bursting with
my new manhood. my protectorship,
The coloneps face worked in SYM
pathy,
Il wrote that letter at dawn. teo
frc oil ft,,or
at dawn, eager to send you more SYM
pathy. TO give you something to hold
in your hand and think is from me
until l can see you again. To know
that you needed NE!
ITO help YOU, Margaret" the col.
onel quoted. reading in a voice nl.t
lowed by old feelings renewed ana
surging through 1t; TO really help yoa
to have you send for me, All the nigAt
I've been waking to remember that
you sent for me to come and help yon.
1.-THE handkerchief you let the
wipe the tears off your cheeks vita
I've kept all night under my pillow, l
shall hide it away and keep it, because
you tears are in 1.-THE ones / wiped
out of you eyes and made you sInita
instead. Do not mind your fathef'a
harshness. There will be q way for
you to escape. 1t will be the object Ct
my life to help YOU"
The eolo.-el did not try to read fur
ther He scanned the remainder of
the letter in silence, placed it with
that first hot outburst of woundel
pride, and lifting the package again.
weighed 1t absently in his mind before
removing the next memento from that
chain of memories.
1t was the outpouring of a boys am
bition in the next letter that he pick
ed up the young knight buckling on bis
armor, wearing his lady's fayor, the
eager spirit; the belief in self; tho
confidence No nrIldant older head