Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1926-04-03
BEGIN HERE TODAY

BEGIN HERE TODAY
PETER LISTER loses his mem
DRY from shell shock on the West
ern Front. Upon his return to Lon
HAS M MAI r. ATBsSof sns Girl to whom
ne had become engaged before leav-
ing for France. Nan has returned
nome from London. due to the death
her. three small stepbrothers. She
JOAN t END 81 OF .r, ~no told her
tn goH RSts nn snS e fellow ott,cer.
OF Arnott's widowed sister. not Tar
from the Marraby. home. Peter
HARLEY sEFToN. although the
Seton a . money lender. who has
been calling on Mans father. To-
cay ne has come to see Nan, who re-
,Mses MS advances and Ia Mortified
both her father and Peter owe him
great sums OF money. He tells her
mat ~ Is up to her to say whether
ne VIII press them or not It is
eveninS and Nan ts In the garden
her from the house.
NOW GO ON WITH THE STORY
TT was Claude she knew, and
Il Claude was her favorite, but to.
night she felt that she did not
want him. that she could not force
herself to answer his hundreds of
questions.
She opened the gate and fled into
the road.
1t was quite O. mild evening-the
voice Of spring was everywhere-and
the promise Of golden summer days
TO come. tt
Nan went on till she reached the
stile where Peter Lyster had sat
that morning with the primroses in
his cap: she pushed 1t open and went
on into the wood.
The narrow footpath was soft and
messy beneath her feet-some little
wood animal. startled. rushed away
into the dried bracken and last years
underground as she approached: the
tall trees. meeting overhead. made
a dark canopy against the gray sky.
She was alone here. and the tears
rained down Mans face as she
walked-ali her pluck and bravery
seemed to have gone now there was
no longer need for self.restraint.
The brambles caught at her dress
as she passed. and she dragged her.
self free anyhow as she went; she
only wished that she might die out
here In the darkness and silence
that there might never be any need
TO go back again and take up the
burden which TIE had imposed upon
her.
She never heard a stop coming to.
wards her down the narrow foot
path-never saw the red tip OF
lighted cigaret through the dusk, till
out Of the silence q mans voice
spoke to her--close beside her-so
close that Nan gave stified shrek,
and would have turned and fed, but
he spoke quickly:
Don't be frightened-I'm not go.
ing to hurt you--is anything the
Inatter?"
Re paused. Good heavens? Miss
Marraby, he said, amazed.
Nan did her best to check the sobs
that were choking her.
Peter flung his cigaret into the
orecken. and stood beside her. dis.
tressed and perplexed.
sac turned away. She leaned her
orms against the messy trunk OF
ii tree and hid her face in Them.
I'm so-ashamed," she said: her
hFea;h was caught with sobs. "I'm
not generally such +. an IDIOT"
She dried her eyes fiercely, but the
tears came again. end after a mo.
mont she gave 1t up: they were still
running down her face when at last
she looked at him.
little crescent moon had climbed
high above the tree tops, and there
was a family phosphorescent light
In the woods by which they could
see one another's face.
Peters eyes were full Of distress.
Tou must think TN crazy" Nan