The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1925-09-16

! conically. ....
| For JOAN" -said Nan. 4 little
| pang Of envy went through her
meant Once the sight Of a telegram
set all her pulses racing. but now
| she cared less than nothing. She
| bade Arnott n hasty ''goodby" and
went in to find her friend.
Joan was only just dressing. She
| looked very frail and childish stand
ing there with her hair tumbling
| about her shoulders. Nan spoke to
her gently.
,, "A telegram, dear" she said.
Jean turned sharply, her face
! chalk white. She dropped her brush
| with clatter.
For me? Oh, Nan, you open it
! I'm so afraid"
Nan laughed-she tore open the
! envelope carele ssly, and drew out the
message #
Home on Friday, five days leave.
Tim"
| She read the me ssage aloud.
Joan gave little hysterical
| scream.
II don't believe it-you're teasing
me | just don't believe it,"
She snatched the paper from Nan,
| read it and burst into tears.
"Oh, it's just too wonderful-rm
SO happy Oh, Nan, you must
| hurry up and finish that pink blouse
for me-
Nan walked out of the room with
out answering; she did not mean to
be unkind or unsympathetic, but her
heart felt like a stone.
She passed Joan's roOm and went
into the little sitting room where the
small bundle of letters returned to
her by Arnott still lay on the table.
She picked them up and held them
mechanically. 1t was quite time now
that she woke up, she was telling
herself. II have had dreams like
this before-not quite so bad, per-
haps, but still very bad. :"
Then steps sounded along the little
passage outside, and Joan came into
! the room.
IL hope you won't think me very
horrid," Joan said. in sort Of whis-
per. But, Of course, when Tim
comes home he'll want me all to him
self-he has said SO so many times,
and l was wondering-youw won't be
hurt. Nan? | was wondering il you'd
mind going away for just those few
days?"
| Nan did not answer.
|
days, couldn't you?" Joan went on.
COR to some friends-l'm sure you
won't mind me asking you, but :"
She looked up anxiously. Are you
angry, Nan?"
NO." said Nan; she gave queer
little laugh. 'As you say, can go
home or--Or to some friends"
And the thought of John Arnotts
! embarrassed invitation crossed her
weary lind.
Joan gave little sigh Of relief. u
was sure you would if l asked yOu."
she said. 1T was the first thought
that came into my head after ! read
| Tins telegram. I've been without
him so long and we used to be so
happy here just by ourselves"
Nan said yes, but she felt curious
ly hurt that Joan should be so an
xious to get rid Of her.
! II should have offered to 60, any
way" she said, with a touch of dig
nifty. II quite understand how you
feel"
But the tears smarted in her eyes
as she went to her own room with
her little parcel of letters.
Home had never been home to Nan
| since her mother died and her father
|
now: Nan had been q small child of
nine then, but she could remember,
as if it were yesterday, the night
when her father brought his second
wife up to the nursery and told Nan
that she mvst love her.
| For ten years she had been forced
to stand it; ten years during which
three small stepbrothers appeared to
| add to her burdens, and push her
more and more out Of favor, till at
last she had begged her father to
allow her to leave home.
So Nan went to London with moth
ing but $40 and her own pluck to
help her, and for whole week she
sat in the bed sitting room which she
had taken in an unattractive suburb
and answered advertisements and
tramped to and fro from agents
offices.
And then one day she answered an
advertisement for the post of COM
panion to a delicate lady and got It.
The delicate lady proved to be one
of the few women who did not regard
a companion as someone to be treat
ed not quite so we'll as a servant, and
Happy years they were, of un-
| cSeHNAuA, HoI az 90 ~.S'"eb
notony, but it was better than being
at home. Nobody ever spoke un-
kindly to her or made her feel that
she was not wanted, and it was real
grief to Nan when one morning she
went to Miss LISTERS room as usual
to wake her, and found that the lit
tie lady had died in her sleep.
Mr.. Rock, Miss LISTERS solicitor,
came and went and was kind to Nan
in his dry sort of way.
"You had better stay On for the
present, my dear young lady," he
said 1T is impossible to make final
arrangements till hear from Miss
LISTERS nephew. Yes, there is
nephew, as, Of course, you know"
"You will find that you have not
been forgotten" Mr.. Rock told her
gently, and later, when Miss LISTERS
| will was read. Nan found that she
had been left sufficiently large
capital to bring her in sixty pounds
| a year.
Everything else went to Peter
Lyster. but it was many weeks after
Miss LISTERS death. and after the
war had broken out that the little
maid who had stayed on with her
came to the door to say that q SOL
der was asking to see Miss Lyster.
And that was how Nan met Peter.
Nan had also met Joan Endicott
while she was with Miss Lyster, and
when Tim joined the army the two
| I'D