Carolina watchman. [volume] (Salisbury, N.C.) 1871-1937, 1932-11-18

motor to Philadelphia, get married
John, at last. And then, after a
while, we can come back and settle
things here, and go, go away for a
few years. Oh l am so tired of
New York"
Late, very late, John Breen kiss
ed Josephine and left.
Johns last day in the realms Of
uncertainty passed swiftly. He got
up early, tubbed and took a brisk
walk: Then he sent off a cable to
London. Cannot accept China
post" That, for that! He packed
a small trunk, whistling the while.
Several times he almost phoned
Harboard and Pug. mo use, I'll
wire from Philadelphia" Were
they to be married before, or after?
He wondered. Josephine had a
very puzzling way about her.
He called her up at noon. Come
after dinner" she laughed delici-
ously. There's a moon tonight,
for the elopment. Well pick up
your things as we go through
Thirty-ninth Street. Goodby, dear,
till eight" Something sounded like
a kiss, or a smack, over the phone.
He had several hours on his
hands. He sat and smoked. What
a washout the old town was! What
a place. Still, he would never be
lonely again. He kept trying to
picture the years; the years ahead.
John had an uncanny magma
ton. He kept saying to himself,
"This is rot, this is bally rot" He
kept conjuring up pictures of
John Breen, perhaps even John Van
Horn, lolling about the world, the
lucky husband of a very attractive
woman, a wealthy woman con-
stantly followed by admiring
glances, and sly comment. In the
years to come he would drop out
of the famous company of the I'M
known few. Engineers would no
longer refer to him, seriously, a
mong themselves. Newer and
greater works would rise, men
would forget him, long before his
death.
Such dreams came to him. He
tried to enthuse himself with Wis
ions of Josephine, with mind pic
lures of soft night, velvet nights
of love, and long delicious morn
ings, in bed. Rats" he kept re-
peating. The inactivity of the af-
ternoon was w~earying.
He dared not look out on the
streets. He had dinner in the club.
He arranged to give up his
room. "I'll be back for my small
trunk tonight. A motor trip
Hold my mail"
John grew nervous, as the time
came for his departure. He kept
wondering what he would do 10
sePhine certainly was a superb
woman. The experience of the
night before kept gripping him.
He hardly knew whether he had
captured her, or whether she had
captured him. Several messages
came for him at the last moment.
Tell everybody I'm gone, for a
few DAYS"
Mr.. Wild e tie olJ acue6uct
fight came in as JOHN was leaving.
He had not seen Wild for years.
1t was with a genuine pang of re-
greet that he hurried out, and walk
ed up Fifth Avenue in the cool
dusk. So he served one of those
Royalties men feel for each other,
those strong bonds of friendship
~transcending even love; love which
demands so much because of it's
giving.
AS he walked north, he gradual
ly increased his pace. lie would
get to Josephine at eight o'clock.
1t was a splendid idea Of hers to
start the journey by night, i'll that
huge luxurious chariot, rolling like
a separate little universe a.,sos; the
smooth roads of New Jersey, under
a clear moon. The Curtains would
be drawn. The driver and foot
man, automatons, efficient noncn-
titles, looking ahead, might think
their heads off, for all she or he
cared. 1t was this fair for unusu-
al adventure which made her SO
enhancing. John wondered what